Naso: Supporting the Kohanim

The Professor and the Villagers

Once, there was a brilliant professor—a man of such towering intellect that he spoke a dozen languages and held doctorates in physics, biology, chemistry, and probably a few other subjects of his own invention. Wherever he went, people marveled at his genius.

One day, the professor found himself in a sleepy village—the sort of place where a cow straying into a neighbor's cabbage patch counts as a major event. The villagers, simple farmers and tradesmen, asked what he did for a living. 

The professor, clearing his throat, proudly declared, “I’m a medical doctor.”

Later, one of his friends, hearing the story, was dumbfounded. “With all your degrees and brilliance, why would you tell them you’re a doctor? You could have dazzled them with your knowledge of botany, physics, or chemistry!”

The professor’s eyes twinkled with quiet wisdom. “My dear friend,” he replied, “these good people care little for theoretical physics or molecular structures—concepts as distant from their lives as the stars above. But a medical doctor? That’s a profession everyone respects. It speaks to the human condition in a way no other expertise can.”

Tithes and the Sotah

The Talmud asks: Why does the Torah discuss the case of the Sotah, the suspected adulteress, immediately after the laws of tithes—terumot and maaserot—that are given to the Kohanim?

The Sages offer an insightful answer: "This teaches us that anyone who neglects to give his tithes to the priests will, in the end, require the priests' services to address issues within his own home."

What’s the connection? Why link the act of giving tithes to a case involving marital suspicion?

Appreciating the Kohanim

The Kohanim, the descendants of Aaron, carry a sacred responsibility. Their mission is not only to serve in the Temple, but to elevate, bless, and teach the people. As the prophet Malachi writes, “From the priest’s lips, they will guard knowledge, and they will seek Torah from his mouth” (Malachi 2:7). Their role is essential to the spiritual well-being of the nation.

One of their most delicate roles is handling the case of the Sotah—the woman suspected of infidelity. If a husband doubts his wife, the Kohanim are the ones who carry out the ritual to reveal the truth and, hopefully, restore peace.

The wise understand: the Kohanim’s work goes far beyond these dramatic moments. Their mission is to guide, atone, and help us stay connected to God. Those who appreciate the Kohanim’s work are eager to support them in their sacred task.

But if a person refuses to give tithes, it’s clear that he fails to appreciate this sacred work. So, Divine wisdom arranges that he will eventually find himself in a situation where he needs the Kohanim’s service—not for lofty purposes, but for something far more humbling, like confronting a doubt in his own home. 

And then, perhaps, he will come to acknowledge the contribution of the Kohanim—at least for their modest role in restoring order and peace within the family.

(Adapted from Mishlei Yaakov pp. 313-314. Berachot 63a)