Naso: ascent

In the middle of this weeks parsha we have the Blessing  that is to be used by Aaron and his descendants:  The last bracha: Yisa Hashem panav eilecha: This word, yisa,  evokes the begining of the parsha, the parsha's name: Naso, and the actors at the  end pf the parsha: the nesiim.

The word evokes one of the earliest stories in the Torah: the first attempts to bring offerings to HAshem, Cain and Hevel.    Gd tells Cain that :אִם־תֵּיטִיב֙ שְׂאֵ֔ת if he improves he will be uplifted.  Is this the goal of the service? Or is it a recovery from the fallen state, the depressed state of being outdone by his brother.

The word is used again by Yoseph when he interprets the dreams of the wine steward and the baker.   In both cases, Yoseph says: יִשָּׂ֨א פַרְעֹ֤ה אֶת־רֹֽאשְׁ    Pharaoh  will lift your head.  For the wine steward it means that he will be elevated back to his former high station.  For the baker , it means that he will be hung

The parsha begins at a strange point. The last parsha ended  with the counting of the Kahath Levite clan.  These  descendants of the second son of Levi  were given the most sacred work of the temple, moving  the ark, menorah, table, alter and their accouterments. .  Parshath Bamidbar ends with the census of this family. 

Naso begins with the counting of  Gershon, the descendants of the first born.  Clan Gershon  transported somewhat less sacred objects.  Moshe is told to count them, as well....Naso gam hem.  The word Naso does not exactly mean count.  It means to lift  This uplift  is what is done for this elder son who takes a place behind the younger.  The conflict  of Cain and Hevel is avoided.  Everyone has a role; and the job well done is uplifting.

The end of the parsha is a contrast to the beginning.  Here every Nasi, every (uplifted) Prince brings an identical gift to the temple.  Each prince brings the same gift.   Midrash Rabbah, quoted by the Mei Shiloach say that the repetition reflects that each prince had a distinct set of intentions when he brought the gift.  I would add that, although the monetary value was the same, the identical quantity of silver, gold and animals, it  meant different levels of sacrifice for the various princes.. The identical sacrifice means different things to the various donors.

I must try my best , that is my uplifting.  That bar is the same for everyone

May we improve -  and thus be uplifted