Weekly Sidra:  Naso (lift up)
Torah Portion: Vayikra / Numbers 4:21-7:89
Haftorah: Shofetim / Judges 13:2-25

“So Manoah said to the angel of HaShem, What is your name? We should like to honour you when your words come true.” The angel said to him, “you must not ask for my name; it is unknowable!” (Judges 13:17-18)

This week the Torah portion deals with the Nazarite vow.  The Haftarah parallels this by having an angel come to Manoah and his wife to announce the birth of a son (Samson).  He is also to be consecrated with the Nazarite vow.

Last year I touched on the importance of the Nazarite vow so that is not the focus here.  Rather, as I was reading this week’s Haftarah, I was struck by the angel of HaShem.  “You must not ask for my name; it is unknowable!”  Why can’t we know the name, surely there must be a name and the angel should know their own name?

I believe the answer is quite simple.  The angel had a job to do; it was to announce the birth of a son who would also be a Nazarite.  It is interesting that Manoah wants to know the name as a way of honouring the messenger.  Two very basic principles apply. First, honour is only to be bestowed on God alone.  Secondly, the angel was only concerned with doing his job, not with receiving honour.

These principles should also apply in our lives as well.  We should seek to honour God alone and simply focus on the task that he has given us.  What we do in the service of God should not be done for our own glory, but to bring glory to God.

I have to ask myself the question, when I see a “ministry” for God titled John Smith Ministries, is it really to honour God or John Smith?  Even our Rabbi Maran Yeshua asked many people not to divulge his name after he had healed them.

I write teachings on the weekly Torah portion for Beth Haderech.  I don’t put my name on them because it is not important who I am.  My goal is not to bring honour to myself or Beth Haderech for that matter.  It is simply to do what God has called me to do and to bring honour and glory to His Name.  Amen!!