The "Nasi"

The Tabernacle was inaugurated on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. Each of the first twelve days of this month, one of the tribal leaders, the "Nasi" of the tribe, offered inaugural sacrifices as the representative of his tribe. On these days -- traditionally after the morning prayers, but can be recited anytime throughout the day -- we recite the section of the Torah (from Numbers ch. 7) which describes the sacrifices of that day's Nasi.

The section from the scriptures is followed by the brief Yehi Ratzon, "May it be Your will..." prayer, in which we say, "...if I, Your servant, am from the tribe of ___ whose section of the Nasi I have read today in Your Torah, may all the holy sparks and holy illuminations that are included within the holiness of this tribe shine upon me, to grant me understanding and intelligence in Your Torah and my awe of You, to do Your will all the days of my life...."

On the thirteenth of Nissan, we read the totals of all the sacrifices, and then about the kindling of the Tabernacle Menorah -- the contribution of the Tribe of Levi. The Yehi Ratzon is not recited on this day.