Weekly Torah portion: Naso

By Rabbi Yaakov Marks

Rabbi Yaakov Marks
Rabbi Yaakov Marks

SAN DIEGO — The formation of the new nation had materialized. The Holy Tabernacle was erected, a census was performed, the army was established, and the tribes were given their flags and assigned positions around the Tabernacle. Then G-d commanded: “Send out all people with Tzoraas (individuals who contracted a spiritually-generated skin blemish commonly occurring on those immersed in gossip), all who have a zav (unnatural) emission, and all who are impure due to coming in contact with a human corpse. Male or Female they should be sent out of the camp in order that they should not contaminate the camp in which I dwell.” The person with Tzoraas was the only one commanded to leave the inhabited encampment entirely and sit in solitude.

Why is the matter of these people who have different spiritual impurities dealt with at the time of the setting up of the Tabernacle and the camp? The laws of impurity were discussed earlier in the book of Leviticus and that seems to be the logical place to teach these laws.

In the Talmud (Taanis 21b) a conversation between Rabbi Nachman, the son of Rabbi Chisda, and Rabbi Nachman, the son of Yitzchak, is presented. Rabbi Nachman, the son of Rabbi Chisda, summoned Rabbi Nachman, the son of Yitzchak, to join him in his town. Rabbi Nachman, the son of Yitzchak, responded by saying,” Have we not been taught by Rabbi Yossi, ‘the place a person is in does not bring him honor, rather the person brings honor to the place where he is?’ We learn this from the incident of the Tabernacle in the wilderness where throughout the entire time it was pitched the Torah said, ‘send all the people with Tzoraas out,’ however when the curtains were taken down and rolled up in preparation for travel, the people were permitted to return to their travel party.” Rabbi Nachman, the son of Chisda, replied, “If this is what you feel I will come and join you in your city.” Rabbi Nachman, the son of Yitzchak, then said, “You are greater than I. I will come and join you.”

What is transpiring between these two great Rabbis? Why did the rabbi want his peer to come join him in his city? Why at first did he not want to leave his city and then he said he would? What had changed his mind?

Rashi comments that Rabbi Nachman, the son of Yitzchak, was living in a place where the people were not distinguished, so Rabbi Nachman, the son of Chisda, wanted him to move to his city where the people were more inspired. Rabbi Nachman, the son of Yitzchak, thought that his friend wanted him to move in order to receive greater honor for himself. Rabbi Nachman, the son of Chisda, wanted to stay in order to be a positive influence on the people of his city. Once Rabbi Nachman, the son of Chisda, said that he would move to be with his friend, he realized why his friend was requesting him to move. It wasn’t because he wanted him to receive more respect, but rather because the environment of a person has profound influence upon him. Rabbi Nachman, the son of Chisda, saw that because those living in his town were not able to inspire him, he was not pushed to reach his full potential. Even though he had good intentions of being a positive influence to those living in his town, those individuals held him back, keeping him from reaching his full potential. While he was still required to positively affect those who desired greater growth, he was also told that in addition to giving respect to others, we each are required to respect ourselves first. The people with whom we associate will impact our journey in life. Our friends may be good, sincere people, but they may stand in the way of reaching our full potential.

So too with the people (Tzoraa) who were forced out of the encampments. At that time of the wandering, the people were focused on their spiritual growth and were also in constant contact with everyone. If they were subjected to the influence of somebody involved in toxic behavior who was making no effort to try to change for the better, the growth of anyone falling within their sphere of influence would be impeded. Therefore, G-d removed those individuals from the camp so as to allow everyone else to continue to grow unimpeded.

We don’t need scientific studies to understand how the people with whom we associate influence us. There are several studies showing that a person having obese friends will, in turn, become obese. This does not mean to say that we can’t have overweight friends. However, if a friend totally disregards his health and weight in his pursuit of pleasure, that person will eventually have an effect on us. We need to surround ourselves with like-minded friends who want us to succeed.
May G-d bless us with friends who will inspire us and encourage our growth. May we merit to have the strength to be able to break away from any toxic influence during our life journey.

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Rabbi Marks is a life and health coach, who may be contacted via ahealthyrabbi@gmail.com. Comments intended for publication in the space below must be accompanied by the letter-writer’s first and last name and his/her city and state of residence (city and country if outside the U.S.)