Parshas Naso begins with the accounting of Shevet Gershuni, one of the three tribes of the family of Levi’im. The mefarshim note the extra word of גם that is used when counting the Gershuni family.
Many mefarshim relate the following powerful message: It makes no difference which tribe you are from and what your avodah is, because whatever your job in this world is, it’s the perfect job for you. If you complete your job, it’s just as valuable as what seems to be the more important job that other tribes or individuals have. This idea is derived from the word גם, meaning also, comparing and equating a tribe to the previous one.
This concept can also be expounded on based on the names of the three tribes. I would like to add the idea that, really, all three names have a negative connotation, and the challenge is to realize that the negative is only there to help guide us in our personal avodah.
We begin with the tribe of Kehas, which seems to have gotten the best part of the deal since they get to carry the Aron Hakodesh. Yet the name Kehas actually means to blunt, to weaken. The next tribe, Gershon, is connected to the pasuk that Dovid Hamelech says: כי גרשוני היום מהסתפח בנחלת השם, which implies being sent away and rejected, as was the lot of Dovid Hamelech in many instances. And lastly, the root of Merari clearly relates to bitterness.
This week’s parsha is the continuation of the beginning of Sefer Bamidbar, which is called Sefer Hapekudim. This is usually translated as Numbers, but in truth, the real translation is the Book of Accounting. Being just a number is not as inspiring as being accounted for. The word pekudim is also connected to תפקיד, a job. Everyone must know they have a very important job and that only they can do it.
