Parashat Nasso “Elevate”
By Rachel Raz, Former Jewish Life Specialist
This Torah Portion introduces us to a revolutionary concept that we now take for granted in democratic societies and at Moishe House. The idea that each one of us is unique and recognized as such.
This Torah portion begins with a description of taking a census. However, the Hebrew word Nasso was purposefully chosen to teach us a new concept and idea. Nasso is a verb of an extraordinary range of meanings including: elevate, lift, carry, and forgive.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote about this revolutionary idea in an article titled “Lifting Heads.” In this article, he answers the questions: Why this specific Hebrew word (Nasso)? What can we learn from it? Here is what he wrote:
“If we are each in the image of G-d, then every one of us has infinite value. We are each unique…This was simply not a value in the ancient world, nor is it one in tyrannical or totalitarian societies today… Most people were simply regarded as part of a mass…
At the very moment when one might be maximally tempted to see people as “just numbers” – namely, when taking a census, as here – the Israelites were commanded to “lift people’s heads,” to raise their spirits, to make them feel they counted as individuals, not numbers in a mass, ciphers in a crowd.”
At Moishe House, we also conduct a census and write reports. We keep track of the number of houses we have around the world, the number of residents in various countries and continents, the number of unique participants each month, and the variety of programs we offer globally, to name a few. However, it’s not just about the numbers. Moishe House was founded to uplift and elevate individuals through Jewish experiences and connections. Every person is important, and every person’s unique qualities are recognized, celebrated, and invested in for
personal growth.
As a Jewish Life Specialist, I saw firsthand how this practice was carried out at Moishe House. Each House, Pod, or Host has unique qualities, and our goal is to uplift each one. The Jewish Learning Collaborative, one of Moishe House’s many programs, is another excellent example of the customized and individualized efforts to support the Moishe House team.
What do you do to uplift those you meet and encounter?
