Uplifting those we encounter

This week’s Torah portion, Naso, continues the instruction to Moshe to take a census of the Jewish people. The previous portion discusses the census of the general population as well as the beginning of the count of the tribe of Levi, while this week’s portion continues with the remaining families of Levi.

The words the Torah repeatedly uses for taking the census are “naso es rosh,” literally, “lift up the head.” Some commentaries translate the phrase as “receive” the count of the people, while others understand it as “tally the heads.” Yet the simple meaning of the word naso is “to lift.” Why would the Torah describe a census as lifting the heads of the people?

In society, numbers can often make a person feel anonymous. A person becomes a statistic, another file, another face in the crowd. Large organizations and systems can unintentionally reduce human beings to numbers on a page.
The Torah teaches the opposite.

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“Naso es rosh” means that when you count a Jew, you lift them up. You help them recognize their worth, dignity and unique mission. A census in the Torah is not about reducing individuality; it is about affirming it.
This is the task of Jewish leadership: to uplift people.

This also explains another fascinating detail about the census itself. Who was Moshe instructed to assist with the counting? The leaders of each tribe. One might think that for the simple task of taking a census, anyone could have done the job. That would make sense if the goal were merely to count people. But if the purpose is to uplift them, to help each person recognize their unique place in the world and understand that they matter, then the leaders themselves must be present to “lift their heads.”

Two of my favorite stories of the Rebbe express this idea beautifully.

Rabbi Yosef Weinberg, a venerable Chassid and community leader, once related how late one night an acquaintance called him with an extremely urgent matter that needed to be brought to the Rebbe. Rabbi Weinberg hurried to 770 Eastern Parkway — Chabad Lubavitch headquarters — hoping to catch the Rebbe’s secretary before the Rebbe left for home. When he arrived, the secretary was inside the Rebbe’s room finishing up for the night. Because of the urgency, Rabbi Weinberg slipped the note into the door jamb, hoping the secretary would notice it.

To his dismay, the secretary walked out, the paper fell to the floor, and Rabbi Weinberg watched as the Rebbe himself bent down to pick it up.

Rabbi Weinberg felt terrible. He later wrote another note apologizing profusely for having caused the Rebbe to bend down to retrieve the letter. The Rebbe responded with a short but powerful message: “This is my whole purpose — to uplift, especially what others overlook.”

One of my fondest childhood memories is attending the Lag B’Omer parades with the Rebbe in the streets of Crown Heights. Thousands of children participated, alongside beautiful floats and lively marching bands. Rabbi JJ Hecht was the driving force behind organizing these massive events.

Before the 1987 parade, Rabbi Hecht was deeply anxious about whether everything would succeed and shared his concerns with the Rebbe.

After the parade concluded successfully, Rabbi Hecht turned to the Rebbe and said he hoped the Rebbe was satisfied with the event.

“Very much,” the Rebbe replied. Then he added, “What is with you? Why were you so worried about how the parade would turn out?”

Rabbi Hecht answered that the Rebbe had “schlepped me out” of my worried state.

“Schlepped you out?” the Rebbe responded. “Uplifted!” The Rebbe raised his hand high above his head and repeated, “Uplifted!”

That is the message of Naso.

Our task is not merely to count people, but to uplift them. To notice those whom others overlook. To help people recognize their value and potential. Sometimes all it takes is a kind word, encouragement, or simply making someone feel seen.

Let us all take the message of this week’s parsha to heart and strive to uplift every person we encounter, especially those whom others may overlook. PJC

Rabbi Yisroel Altein is the spiritual leader of Chabad of Squirrel Hill. This column is a service of Vaad Harabonim of Greater Pittsburgh.