D'var For Naso

This week's parshah is Naso.

Completing the headcount of the Children of Israel taken in the Sinai Desert, a total of 8,580 Levite men between the ages of 30 and 50 are counted in a tally of those who will be doing the actual work of transporting the Tabernacle.
G‑d communicates to Moses the law of the sotah, the wayward wife suspected of unfaithfulness to her husband. Also given is the law of the nazir, who forswears wine, lets his or her hair grow long, and is forbidden to become contaminated through contact with a dead body. Aaron and his descendants, the kohanim, are instructed on how to bless the people of Israel.
The leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel each bring their offerings for the inauguration of the altar. Although their gifts are identical, each is brought on a different day and is individually described by the Torah.

"Naso in a Nutshell." Chabad.org. Chabad, n.d. Web. 15 June 2016. 

D'var For Bamidbar

This week's d'var is written by Emma Freedlander.

While in the Sinai Desert, Hashem tells Moshe to count the 12 tribes. Counting from ages 20 to 60 years old, there were 603,550 men. Moshe counted the Levis separately. The Levites are supposed to stay in the sanctuary. This is because Levites are replacing those who contributed to worshipping the Golden Calf. If a first born had no one to replace them, they had to pay 5 shekels to restore themselves. The Levites, Kohathites, Gershonites and Merari all had specific jobs on how to transport the sanctuary when moving camps. Also, each of the 12 tribes camped with three tribes each. In addition, each tribe had their own flag with its own colors and emblems.