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Tonight begins the 12th of Sivan, the conclusion of the Days of Tashlumim for the holiday of Shavuos. As explained frequently, tashlumim has two meanings: "compensation" -- to make up for anything that was missing in the past, "completion"[134] or "perfection" -- to lift one's service to a higher level.

This can be associated with the Chitas studied on the present day. (As mentioned on Shavuos, the study of Chitas is connected to the three leaders, Moshe, Dovid, and the Baal Shem Tov who are associated with the holiday of Shavuos.)

Although Parshas Naso deals with the census of the Levites, as the Rambam writes in Hilchos Shemittah V'Yovel:

Not only the tribe of Levi, but every person... whose generous spirit motivates him... to set himself apart and to stand before G-d and serve Him... becomes sanctified as the holiest of the holy.

Thus, every Jew has the potential to reach the level of the High Priest who entered the Holy of Holies. This is also connected to G-d's proclamation: "You will be unto Me a kingdom of priests" which is also interpreted by the commentaries to mean that each Jew is like a High Priest. The potential to reach this level was given at the time of the giving of the Torah. This potential is revealed through the service of each individual Jew and in a larger sense, through the service of the Jewish people as a whole.

The conclusion of the fourth aliyah of Parshas Naso deals with the laws of the Nazir, a high spiritual level as manifest in the Torah's description of his hair as "the crown of G-d upon his head."[135] Afterwards, it mentions the priestly blessing. The priestly blessing contains two dimensions: prayer and blessing. Prayer generates new spiritual influence, while blessing has the potential to draw down influence from the spiritual realms into our world. Thus, the priestly blessing combines both these qualities, generating new influence on all spiritual levels and drawing down that influence into our physical world.

This portion leads to the portion of the fifth day[136] which is associated with the sacrifices brought by the princes of the tribes. Here, we see an expression of unity for all the princes came and brought their gifts and sacrifices to the Sanctuary. In particular, their gifts to the Sanctuary combined two elements: one aspect in which each prince stood as a unique individual and thus brought a separate ox, and one aspect in which he joined together with a colleague, and thus the twelve princes brought six covered wagons.

The gifts and sacrifices brought by the princes also revealed a level of completion for they included each of the types of existence in our world: Inert matter -- since the Torah requires that salt be brought with each sacrifice, salt was also offered with their sacrifices. Plants -- the wagons which were made of wood. Animals -- the animals which were sacrificed. Man -- as it says, "A man of you who will bring a sacrifice," which Chassidus interprets to mean that the person must bring himself as a sacrifice.

This is also related to the portion of Rambam associated with the present day which concludes the Sefer Avodah and begins Sefer Korbanos, both of which deal with sacrifices.

May the above motivate everyone to strengthen their study of Chitas and to spread the teachings of P'nimiyus HaTorah outward. The latter is also related to women for they are also obligated to fulfill the mitzvos of love and fear of G-d and the way to fulfill these mitzvos is through the study of Chassidus. This is particularly true when we are in the midst of the "fortieth year" which grants each individual a new potential: "eyes to see and... a heart to know." May all the above, and also an increase in the activities strengthening ahavas Yisrael and an increase in tzedakah, reveal the essential love which G-d has for each Jew. This will hasten the coming of the Messianic redemption, the ultimate and complete redemption. Because it will be a total and complete redemption, it will never be followed by another exile.

The effects of the Messianic redemption will not be limited to our world. Rather, it will have an effect on in all the spiritual realms as well, influencing the souls which have completed their service within the world and those souls which have not descended to the world as of yet.

   

Notes:

134. (Back to text) Thus, it is connected to the 15th of Sivan when the moon reaches a state of fullness. The 15th of Sivan has unique relevance for Lubavitcher Chassidim for it marks the beginning of the imprisonment of the Previous Rebbe. Ultimately, that event led to a tremendous increase in Yiddishkeit for as a result, the Previous Rebbe came to America. Among the breakthroughs in the spreading of Yiddishkeit which came about through these events was the translation of Chassidus into other languages besides Hebrew and Yiddish.

135. (Back to text) However, letting one's hair grow is not always desirable. We find that a priest who let his hair grow for more than thirty days was not allowed into the Beis HaMikdash.

136. (Back to text) The connection between four and five is related to the Hebrew letters â and ä respectively which stand for these numbers. The â is made up of two lines which refer to thought and speech. The ä has a third line which refers to deed. However, there is a space between the third line and the previous two, implying that even when on the level of thought and speech, a person is sure of what he should do, before he actually does it, he should hesitate and look into Shulchan Aruch to see if his decision is correct.