Parashat Naso contains one of the most repetitive sections in the Torah.
The leader of each tribe brings the exact same donation to the Mishkan.
The silver bowl.
The flour and oil.
The offerings.
Again and again, the Torah repeats the entire list.
A human editor probably would have condensed the section dramatically:
“The remaining tribes brought the same gift.”
But the Torah does not do that.
Each offering is listed separately.
Each leader is named individually.
Why?
Perhaps because no act of giving is truly repetitive.
Even when the gift outwardly looks the same, each offering comes from a different heart, a different family, a different story.
And perhaps this is true in family life as well.
So much of grandparenting is built from repeated moments:
the same bedtime stories,
the same songs,
the same recipes,
the same questions,
the same family gatherings,
the same phone calls.
These moments can begin to feel ordinary precisely because they happen over and over again.
But children are often shaped through repetition more than novelty.
Research consistently shows that repeated family rituals and predictable moments of connection help create emotional security, belonging, and resilience. Long before modern psychology articulated this, Torah already understood that repetition forms identity.
Love itself is repetitive.
Shabbat comes every week.
Prayer repeats daily.
The seasons return each year.
And relationships deepen not only through dramatic moments, but through consistent presence over time.
Many grandparents quietly wonder whether the small things they do still matter.
The yearly gathering.
The familiar meal.
The repeated stories.
The check-in phone call.
Parashat Naso seems to answer: yes!
So much that they are worth describing again and again.
How can I make these moments?
1. Joyful. Repeat one small joyful ritual this week with a child or grandchild. A special greeting, a song, a silly game, a favorite snack. Familiar joy creates emotional safety.
2. Intentional. Think about one repeated experience you want your grandchildren to associate with you. Warm hospitality? Listening carefully? Blessing them before Shabbat? Choose one thing to cultivate consistently.
3. Connection. Reach out even briefly this week. Strong relationships are often built less through intensity and more through accumulated moments of presence.
Wishing you a Shabbat of joyful, intentional connection,
Rabbanit Sharona Hassan
Founder of Grand Plan
The next round of Becoming the Grandparent You Want to Be begins this week! Sign up now! Participants describe it as 'life-changing.' Check it out here. Many grandparents assume this workshops is only for people who live near their grandchildren or spend constant time with them. It’s not.
At its heart, Becoming the Grandparent You Want to Be is about something deeper: reflecting on the kind of presence, wisdom, warmth, and legacy you want to bring into your family and the world.
Whether your grandchildren are nearby or far away, toddlers or adults, this course is an opportunity for personal growth, Jewish reflection, and intentional becoming.
Because grandparenting is not only about proximity. It is about presence.
If you have any questions, please reach out to me. I want you to be there.
You can also sponsor a weekly connection email or Connecting Jewish Grandparents podcast episode in honor or memory of someone you love.
A parent. A grandparent. A child.
It is a meaningful way to connect generations while supporting conversations around Jewish continuity, family connection, and legacy.
https://grandplan.kit.com/profile/sponsorship
Did you know that the weekly parasha in Israel is out of sync with the rest of the world and they are reading Behaalotecha this week? In this week's podcast, I explored the struggle being out of sync for grandparents.
Did you watch last week's podcast for this week's portion?
Did you watch last week's podcast for this week's portion?
