Parshat Naso

There is a huge question on the flow of ideas in Parshat Naso. When different topics in the Torah are placed next to each other, "s'michus parshiyot", we know that it has great significance and we must learn a lesson from it. There are 6 topics in Parshat Naso and they all seem very random! We have the camp arrangement, metzorah, dinei asham, sotah, nazir, and finally birchat kohanim. There are many explanations to the s'michus ha'parshiot. One answer given is that there are word and phrase associations between all of the topics and maybe Hashem placed them all here together to make it a clear mnemonic device for us to remember them!
The answer given by the Ibn Ezra is amazing. He explains that there is a clear flow between all of these topics. If you have a camp, he explains, you need to keep it holy and therefore any problem causers like the metzorah need to be kicked out. The metzorah sinned intentionally and therefore he'll then need to bring a korban asham. A sotah also sinned intentionally and will need to being a korban asham. A sotah sinned using and over abundance of wine, and a nazir, the next topic, must refrain from drinking any wine. Lastly, the nazir is "kadosh la'hashem" and kohanim are also kadosh to Hashem. This now seems very logical!
One last explanation comes from the Ralbag. He explains that in every camp there must be an order. First we have to get the bad out of the camp. So for shalom in your camp, get the metzorah out of there. Sotah then connects because before you can have shalom in the camp, you must have shalom bais, shalom in your home, first! Then parshat nazir connects because no one can have shalom bais with out shalom b'atzmo, shalom with in yourself. Lastly, once you have shalom b'atzmo you can get the ultimate shalom given by the kohanim, "Va'yasem lecha shalom"- Hashem will put final peace upon you.
(This shiur was given in stern by Mrs. Schechter)

May we all have a shabbos filled with shalom and simcha!
-Leah Moskovich