Parsha Inspired Menus- Naso

Our parsha continues with the description and listing and categorization of the Jewish people in the desert. Within the Levites some of the clans have very specific duties outlined regarding their responsibilities related to the Mishkan. The Gershonites have to carry the cloths, coverings, screens, cords, and service equipment. Then the Merarites are given their responsibility. They are to carry "the planks, the bars, the posts, and the sockets of the Tabernacle; the posts around the

enclosure and their sockets, pegs, and cords—all these furnishings and their service..." But then the Torah goes on to say "וּבְשֵׁמֹ֣ת תִּפְקְד֔וּ אֶת־כְּלֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת מַשָּׂאָֽם and by name shall you appoint the utensils to the charge of those who will carry them."

For this ancestral house, they are specifically to be called out by name. Why? Ramban explains:

He [Ithamar] is to say: “This person shall carry a certain number of the boards, and that person a certain number of the bars or of the pillars,” rather than commanding [generally]: “The sons of Merari as a whole shall carry all the boards, sockets and pillars.” He mentioned this first in the case of the sons of Merari although this principle applied also to the work done by the sons of Kohath and Gershon because of the weight of their burdens, for each one [of the sons of Merari] might [be inclined to] make his load lighter by putting it upon his fellowman, [therefore the command had to be given to each person individually].

By assigning by name, there is an extra level of responsibility, of obligation and on the whole it will benefit the community. If everyone were to shirk responsibility, just a little, it would add up to be a much bigger issue. By clearly delegating responsibility to each, it actually helps community as a whole. We see this all the time in work or volunteer efforts. If I just call out to my kids "Hey, come someone wipe down the table and someone clear the glasses?" They might each hope/expect someone else will do the works, but if I assign each task to one child, it will certainly get done. With this in mind, I was thinking about the idea of responsibilities and roles...so that led to the idea of word play and rolls...so make anything that's a roll for food - maybe a deli roll or egg roll or dinner rolls!

The second #parshainspiredmenus item for this week is based on a teaching our Cantor shared at the shiur between mincha and maariv. Within this week's parsha is the blessing the Kohens are to say to the people, what we often now call the Kohanic Blessing...

יְבָרֶכְךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה וְיִשְׁמְרֶֽךָ׃    

May God bless you and protect you!

יָאֵ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧ה ׀ פָּנָ֛יו אֵלֶ֖יךָ וִֽיחֻנֶּֽךָּ׃       

May God deal kindly and graciously with you!

יִשָּׂ֨א יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ פָּנָיו֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְיָשֵׂ֥ם לְךָ֖ שָׁלֽוֹם; 

May God bestow [divine] favor upon you and grant you peace!

These verses are said by parents in the blessing of children on Friday nights, and by Kohens during Holiday services in some communities, and every Shabbat in other communities.

I learned this week that there is a kavanah that the community says in between the kohanim chanting the verses - actually, there is a little melody in the middle of the chanting where there's a pause from the Kohanim, which is when the community would say the following lines:

Master of the Universe, I am Yours and my dreams are Yours, I dreamed a dream and I do not know what it is.

Whether I have dreamed of myself, whether my friends have dreamed of me or

whether I have dreamed of others, if the dreams are good, strengthen them and reinforce them like the dreams of Joseph.

And if the dreams require healing, heal them like the bitter waters of Mara by Moses our teacher, and like Miriam from her leprosy, and like Hezekiah from his illness, and like the bitter waters of Jericho by Elisha.

And just as You transformed the curse of Balaam the wicked into a blessing, so transform all of my dreams for me for the best.

The connection to the kohanic blessing is a connection between these lines in Shir HaShirim "Behold the bed of Shlomo, sixty mighty men are around it; of the mighty men of Yisroel. All of them holding sowrds, skilled in battle; each with his sword at his side for fear of the nights." In the commentary Yalkut Shimoni, this connection is made:

"Sixty mighty men" are the sixty letters of the Kohanic blessing..."for fear of the nights" - the frightful things which one saw in their dream at night. And one who see the kohanim raising their hands, the bad dream is nullified for them."

Sometimes people today feel uncomfortable with the kohanic blessing (I have to say I love the pagentry and the ancient feel of it, but I understand other's opinions.) But perhaps this idea brings another way of looking at the moment - it is the chance to be in reality and banish bad dreams, to redirect focus to the here and now and the good. So, with dreams on the mind, I went

looking for dream recipes and when I saw this Crumbl Double Dark Dream Cookies, I knew it was the one!

Shabbat Shalom & B'Tayavon!