Shabbat Shalom.
This week we read the parsha of Nasso. In studying the parsha there were many interesting things to read about and many that I could have spoken about. After all it is a veeeery long parsha. But don’t worry. My speech won’t be quite as long!
After reading my parsha I decided to focus on the section that describes the laws of the Nazir. I found this section fascinating and wanted to delve deeper into what the Nazir was really all about.
The Nazir takes on 3 restrictions as a means of growing closer to Hashem:
-He or she may not drink or eat anything derived from grapes
-He or she may not cut their hair
-He or she may not become Tameh (impure) by being anywhere near a dead body, not even for close relatives.
At the end of the Nazir period the Nazir shaves his or her head and offers several Korbanot, including a Korban Chatat, a sin offering.
Why does a Nazir bring a Korban Chatat at the end of his or her term as a Nazir?
Ramban says the sin was stopping to be a Nazir. Once he or she reached such a level of holiness, says Ramban, they never should have stopped. After all, the Gemara teaches “Ma’alin BaKodesh V’Ein Moridin - We go up in holiness and not down.” That makes sense to me. But I have a harder time understanding the opinion of Chazal.
The Gemara in Nedarim 10a says that the sin of the Nazir was in taking on these extra restrictions in the 1st place. But why is that a bad thing? In school we are sometimes offered extra credit opportunities by our teachers. 1st we have to do the work assigned to us. But if we want to go further and do optional work we receive extra credit. Applying this to the Nazir, the question becomes why should a Nazir, who is doing “extra credit” and taking on more rules in order to be closer to Hashem, have to bring a Korban Chatat, a sin offering, at the end of his or her term as a Nazir? If anything he or she should be rewarded!
Perhaps the answer is that although the Nazir has good intentions, he or she should not have needed to add rules to the Torah in order to grow close to Hashem. Rambam (in Hilchot Deot) says that a person should not take on extra restrictions like a Nazir. He quotes Chazal who say “is what the Torah prohibited not enough for you that you have to take on more prohibitions?” Instead, Rambam advocates that in all matters a person should take the middle road, the Middah Beinonit.
Some of you may know that I live with a disease called Diabetes. This means that my body does not produce insulin and as a result I have to receive insulin artificially through a pump in order to make sure my blood sugar does not get too high or too low. If I get too low I have to eat carbs. If I get too high I have to give myself insulin. Like Rambam says, I have to constantly make sure to stay balanced: not too high and not too low. Although at 1st Ramban made more sense to me (“once you have a high you should stay high”), after thinking about it I think I relate more to Chazal (“always stay balanced in the middle”).
The Nazir’s mistake is thinking that certain things should be avoided altogether. What Hashem really wants from us is to enjoy this amazing world, but to do so in the right way and at the right time by keeping the mitzvot of the Torah. As a Diabetic, I do not have to avoid my favorite foods. I can eat whatever I want, as long as I plan for it by giving myself insulin 1st.
As I become a Bat Mitzvah and start to take responsibility for my mitzvot I am reminded that they are there to guide me and help me, just like insulin for my body. They will help me grow closer to Hashem and develop my middot. And they will allow me to do all the great things I want to do in this world.
And this is a lesson we can all apply to our lives, to find the middle road. It is better to serve Hashem with consistency than to have ups and downs. And we can do this through Tefilla, Torah, and Chesed.
I have prepared for my Bat Mitzvah in all 3 of these areas:
I daven each week at the Teen Minyan where I sit with my Ima and daven together. I especially love the singing at the Friday night Ruach minyan.
I learned Torah with my Ima, through the Matan Bat Mitzvah program, and with my Abba and brother, by learning all of Seder Moed Mishnayot together.
And I did a Chesed project in which my family took part in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation walk and raised over $1000 for Juvenile Diabetes research.
And now for a few Thank You’s:
I am grateful to this community, shul, and Rabbi Weinberg for welcoming our family in so warmly since we moved here last summer.
I have made so many great friends this year and am so happy to be living here. [“You guys are awesome!”]
I would also like to thank all my teachers at Berman Academy for supporting me and helping me in all my studies.
I am very grateful that so many friends and family have come to join me this Shabbat for my Bat Mitzvah. Some have come from around the corner, while others have come from as far as Israel, Florida, Texas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Georgia, New Jersey, and New York.
I would like to thank my grandparents:
Grandy and Papa, thank you for helping me when I need help and for taking me out to different fun activities. I love going to your house on Shabbat and having סעודה שׁלישׁית. I especially love the ice cream!
Savta and Zeidy, thank you for your constant love and for everything you do for me. From coming over to my house all the way from New Jersey for a fun Shabbat and supporting me in all I do. Savta, I think I inherited some of your creative genes - so thank you!
Thank you to all my Aunts and Uncles for always making me smile. You make me laugh and I have so much fun with each of you.
Thank you to all my cousins for playing games with me, having good conversations, and we can’t forget making meals so much fun when you come over or we come to you. I feel so lucky to finally live closer to you all.
Now it is time for my siblings. Ok where do I start? First of all let me start with Shira. Dear Shira, thank you for facetiming me while you are in college and making me feel better when I stub my toe. And now that I think about it I don’t do it as much anymore now that you’re home. I am the luckiest girl to have the most amazing big sister who will do anything for me! I love you so much!
Simcha, my twin, thank you for helping me with math and making me feel better when I am sad. You always manage to make me laugh just when I need it. Thank you for not always kicking me out of your room and in general for being my best friend. By the way, I know all the attention has been on me this weekend, even though you have a birthday too this week, but don’t worry, it will be your turn next year!
Warning you Ima and Abba: here come the waterworks. Ima and Abba, thank you for spending so much time with me and working so hard to create this amazing bat mitzvah. Abba thank you for learning the whole seder moed of mishna with me for my bat mitzvah. Thank you for always checking on me to make sure I am ok, physically and emotionally. I can’t express how much I love you. Ima, thank you for always making me laugh baking with me and taking me out shopping. You make me smile all the time. I love you so much.
Thank you both for providing for our family and always being there for us whenever we need anything. Thanks for all the fun vacations, the birthday songs, posting pictures of us on facebook, the Friday night stories, the T.V. show marathons, and the urban adventure quests. Thanks for giving us a safe and beautiful environment to grow up in, and thanks for being the amazing role models you both are.
Last but not least, I would like to thank Hashem for all the blessings and amazing people in my life. As my Doda Rachel always says, “Hashem is the best!”
Thank you and Shabbat Shalom.
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