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Numbers 4:21 - 7:89 This study of mysticism in Hebrew Gematria is dedicated in the loving memory of Mr. Paul Sakash, may he rest in peace. Dear reader, holy student of the Torah, JewishPath is now entering the portal of our second year on the internet. In our first year JewishPath has been a source for over 200,000 Torah studies. BARUCH HASHEM!! There is no way for us at JewishPath to express our great appreciation to Hashem for this incredible accomplishment. To realize that people from most nations of this world that Hashem created have visited and studied on JewishPath is an indescribable blessing. To receive correspondence from readers expressing their appreciation, desiring to share in the financial burden and from readers desiring to extend their learning is so wonderful!! It is a very good time to learn about how each of us can be a blessing. In our parsha this week we read: Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying; "Speak to Aharon and to his sons, saying: 'This is how you shall bless B'nei Yisroel, saying to them: May Hashem bless you and protect you. May Hashem cause His countenance to shine upon you and favor you. May Hashem lift His face to you, and grant you shalom.' They shall bestow {Vi Saw Moo} My Name upon B'nei Yisroel, and I will bless them." Numbers 6:22-27 The word Vi Saw Moo occurs only a few times in Torah and in the Prophets. Here in Numbers 6:27 it means "And they shall bestow {My Name upon B'nei Yisroel}." In Numbers 4:6,8,11 and 14 Vi Saw Moo refers to placing the carrying poles in their proper place, in their exact place, which appears to be through the tachash hide. In Numbers 4:19, the reference to Vi Saw Moo is regarding each individual man who will take a place specifically appointed by the sons of Aharon after the Aron Ha Kodesh was prepared for moving. From these unique expressions of Vi Saw Moo in the Torah we learn the great importance of exactness, preciseness and the perfect fit. Vi Saw Moo expresses the ideal of an exact fit, an exact place in such detail regarding where an object, person or in this instance Hashem's Name was to be placed. Being out of place for the Kehosites {who moved the Aron Ha Kodesh} would mean certain death. This is emphasized by the warning "Hashem spoke to Moshe and to Aharon, saying, 'Do not cut off of the tribe of the families of the Kehosites from among the Levites. This is what you must do for them, that they may live and not die when they approach the Holy of Holies; Aharon and his sons shall {first} come {into the Holy of Holies and prepare for moving} and {afterward} appoint them {the Kehosites} each man individually, to {perform} his own service, and to carry his own load. They shall not come in to see when the Holy is being covered and {they will not} die.'" Numbers 4:17-20 Now when one understands the absolute exactness of Vi Saw Moo, placing Hashem's Name upon B'nei Yisroel, then one can begin to understand the required preciseness of the priestly blessing spoken by the Kohanim in behalf of B'nei Yisroel. To grasp this concept is so important. First, the priestly blessing was introduced after the crushing of the two tablets of the Law given to Moshe on Har Sinai. The priestly blessing was given after the sin of the molten calf. We experienced separation from Hashem's presence due to our sins. Dear reader the point here is that even though we sin Hashem has addressed our sins through the priestly blessing. It is through the priestly blessing that Hashem's Name is placed upon us. In other words Hashem has covered our sins. Hashem has made our sins unviewable through the priestly blessing. Second, Hashem introduced the priestly blessing prior to Moshe erecting the Mishkon. This means that Hashem did not want our sins standing as a wall, as a barrier between Hashem our Creator and us, Kal Yisroel. Therefore Hashem gave the priestly blessing to insure that nothing would stand in the way between Hashem and us when the Mishkon was erected! Third, there were NO PRECONDITIONS for the priestly blessing other than being B'nei Yisroel. The priestly blessing is absolute and unconditional. Fourth, in addition to covering our sins the priestly blessing brings ONLY benefit to B'nei Yisroel. Now one must wonder, What is the connection of the Gematria of Vi Saw Moo {352}? Well, we discussed this connection in the article entitled "Restoring the Karbon Of Tefillah" in Parshas Vayikra / Leviticus 1:1 - 5:26 and in a follow up readership response in March. In the article "Restoring the Karbon Of Tefillah" we emphasized the importance of our words of praise to Hashem stating, "We each can do our part. We can restore the daily karbon of the spiritual Mishkon which will be a very large step to ushering in the third Bais Ha Mikdosh. We can daven each day and when we do we can say, "O Hashem open my lips that my mouth may declare Your praise" as a form of karbon. {Tehillim 51:17} " Now to this we add just as the Kohanim were instructed by Hashem in the exact offering of the priestly blessing for us - B'nei Yisroel - at the erection of the Mishkon to provide a covering for our sins, the priestly blessing was also intended to make us fruitful as the Patriarch Yitzchok said, Oo Faw Ree Nu {meaning "and we shall be fruitful"}. There are many Midrashic interpretations of the threefold priestly blessing. Rashi states that "May Hashem bless you" means 'May your possessions be blessed,' "Keep you" means, 'May you not be attacked by thieves intent on stealing your money.' "May Hashem illuminate His countenance for you" according to the Midrash means, 'May Hashem cause the light of the Shechinah and the light of the Torah to shine upon you, and may He give you children who are students of Torah.' "And be gracious to you" means, 'May He give you grace.' Hashem will vanquish the 'evil eye' from you, thank G-d! Pronouncing the priestly blessing can also void the effects of bad dreams, making them disappear. "May Hashem lift His countenance to you" expresses the idea that Hashem wishes us no harm. A person who is angry at another looks away, whereas one who wishes no harm to another raises his eyes to him.' Rabbi Elie Munk. "And establish shalom for you" means individual peace, Shalom Bais, peace within the family and within the nation. So the Gematria connection that we see is in being in the correct place and in having the exact fit. One must be of that precision and that precise location {fit} as described earlier for the poles, for the Kehosites and for B'nei Yisroel. To this the sages comment, "Make sure your vessel is prepared to receive Hashem's blessing." A full vessel can contain no more. A person of a kind, generous spirit is always pouring out blessings from their vessel. In contrast a person who does not empty their vessel of their blessings has no room for additional blessings that Hashem would offer us each day. An individual whose vessel has a hole in it cannot receive, contain or give blessings. They are always empty for the wrong reasons. That is why each day we must prepare our lives to receive Hashem's blessings in a specified manner just as the Kohanim must be very careful to Vi Saw Moo, bestow Hashem's name upon us through the priestly blessing. Again the Gematria for Vi Saw Moo expressing the exact place and method that the Kohanim are to bestow Hashem's Name upon B'nei Yisroel and the Gematria for the results of Hashem's blessing, Oo Faw Ree Nu {meaning "and we shall be fruitful"}, are each 352. Dear holy reader, every Jew is attached to this powerful and wonderful life-changing blessing. Kohanim outside of Yisroel pronounce the priestly blessing only during the High Holidays. In Yisroel the Kohanim pronounce the priestly blessing in our behalf each day. It is reassuring to know that Hashem wants us to receive and experience His blessings always. Wishing you the best,
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