Dear all,
It has been 40 years since the the Miners’ Strike and the pit closures of the 1980s. It is often recognised that the end of mining in the UK brought the end of a culture and way of life to towns across the country. It marked the conclusion of generations of mining work carried out with pride.
That work comes to mind when I read this week’s parashah, Nasso. In last week’s parashah we read, as we often do, about the work of the cohanim, the priests, Aaron’s descendants. They are, literally, the anointed ones, an elite: they receive tribute from the other Israelites, in order to make offerings to God.
This week, by contrast, we hear about what are seemingly less glamorous jobs. The Gershonites are responsible for carrying the cloths used in the Tabernacle; they are porters. So too are the Merarites, who are in charge of carrying the planks, bars, posts and sockets.
I am encouraged that the Torah tells us about the families who did these jobs. After all, they make possible the more holy work that takes place inside of the Tabernable. It reminds me of President Kennedy’s famous visit to NASA in 1962. He asked a janitor, carrying a broom, what he was doing. The janitor responded ‘I’m helping put a man on the moon, Mr President.’
I believe that Torah is teaching us about the dignity of work. Physical labour is as important as ritual. The porters of the Merarites and the Gershonites are a part of the process of making offerings to God inside the Tabernacle. Every step in that process is vital, and each piece of work is sacred.
Shabbat shalom!
Tim