Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Naso
A husband who suspects that his wife had been unfaithful brings her to the Temple. A kohen prepares a drink of water mixed with dust from the Temple floor & a special ink that was used for inscribing Hashem's Name on a piece of parchment. If she is innocent, the potion does not harm her; it brings a blessing of children. If she is guilty, she (& her lover) suffer a supernatural death.
A Nazir is one who vows to dedicate himself to Hashem for a specific period of time. He must abstain from all grape products, grow his hair & avoid contact with corpses. At the end of this period he shaves his head & brings special offerings.
The Kohanim are commanded to bless the people. The well-known, three-part "Birkat Kohanim" that is recited in shul to this very day encapsulates the major blessings that humanity seeks from Hashem (see Dvar Torah following).
The Mishkan is completed & dedicated on the first of Nisan in the second year after the Exodus. The prince of each tribe makes a communal gift to help transport the Mishkan, & each donates an identical gift of gold, silver, animal & meal offerings.
