Korach - Vigilant in Mitzvot

Speak to the children of Israel and take from them a staff for each father's house from all the chieftains according to their fathers' houses; [a total of] twelve staffs, and inscribe each man's name on his staff.

דַּבֵּר | אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְקַח מֵאִתָּם מַטֶּה מַטֶּה לְבֵית אָב מֵאֵת כָּל נְשִׂיאֵהֶם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מַטּוֹת אִישׁ אֶת שְׁמוֹ תִּכְתֹּב עַל מַטֵּהוּ

Bamidbar 17:17

 Asks the Noam Elimelech, why do they have to bring 12 staffs, for in the end the miracle that reaffirmed Moshe's authority occurred only to the staff of Aharon? And if you were to say that the other tribes would suspect that perhaps there staff could have been endowed with the same miraculous qualities as Aharon's staff, then they could have independently brought their staff to the ohel moed, and not brought them all together. Why bring 12 staffs and all at one time?

Shlach - For the Sake of Heaven

When the children of Israel were in the desert, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day. Those who found him gathering wood presented him before Moses and Aaron and before the entire congregation.

וַיִּהְיוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיִּמְצְאוּ אִישׁ מְקשֵׁשׁ עֵצִים בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת. וַיַּקְרִיבוּ אֹתוֹ הַמֹּצְאִים אֹתוֹ מְקשֵׁשׁ עֵצִים אֶל משֶׁה וְאֶל אַהֲרֹן וְאֶל כָּל הָעֵדָה

Bamidbar 15:32-33

The Or HaChaim HaKadosh asks, why does the verse present the "man gathering wood" before "the Sabbath day"?

Behalotechah - Overcoming Tests

On the day the Mishkan was erected, the cloud covered the Mishkan, which was a tent for the Testimony, and at evening, there was over the Mishkan like an appearance of fire, [which remained] until morning.
So it was always, the cloud covered it and there was an appearance of fire at night.
and according to the cloud's departure from over the Tent, and afterwards, the children of Israel would travel, and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would encamp.

וּבְיוֹם הָקִים אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן כִּסָּה הֶעָנָן אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן לְאֹהֶל הָעֵדֻת וּבָעֶרֶב יִהְיֶה עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן כְּמַרְאֵה אֵשׁ עַד בֹּקֶר
כֵּן יִהְיֶה תָמִיד הֶעָנָן יְכַסֶּנּוּ וּמַרְאֵה אֵשׁ לָיְלָה
וּלְפִי הֵעָלוֹת הֶעָנָן מֵעַל הָאֹהֶל וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יִסְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבִמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכָּן שָׁם הֶעָנָן שָׁם יַחֲנוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

Bamidbar 9:15-17

Asks the Slonimer Rebbe, the Torah is eternal and imparts deep messages, so what is the eternal message from this passage about a seeming set time in Jewish history?

Mishkan Within

The Slonimer Rebbe answers this by saying we all have a Mishkan, a holy dwelling place for Hashem, within ourselves. As it says in the Torah, "ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם" - Make me a Holy Place and I shall rest amongst them. It says "בתוכם" (them) not "בתוכו" (it), suggesting that Hashem didn't mean His holy resting place was merely the Mishkan (or later the Beit HaMikdash) but a holy resting place in each and every one of us.

This is further supported in our verse "וּבְיוֹם הָקִים אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן" (On the day the Mishkan was erected). It doesn't specify who erected the Mishkan, like saying "On the day that Moshe erected the Mishkan", rather the verse leaves that aspect open, to fit in with the notion each and every one of us must erect our own personal Mishkan.

Clouds of Unknown

The verse continues and we can expand on this thought, stating "the cloud covered the Mishkan". Clouds symbolize a haziness that covers our vision, making every step unknown and mysterious. This characterizes  our daily life where we constantly bombarded by messages and enticements that often have a concealed agenda that can undermine our spiritual life.

Fire of Desire

The verse expands further upon this concept, with "and at evening, there was over the Mishkan like an appearance of fire".  Fire symbolizes the yetzer hara (the evil inclination) that drives and consumes us. The nighttime is when we are particularly vulnerable to the lure of the yetzer hara, when under darkness we can be drawn in.

Travel Higher

This depicts our ongoing struggle, constantly confronted, day and night, by tests and challenges. Nevertheless the verse continues, saying "according to the cloud's departure from over the Tent, and afterwards, the children of Israel would travel".

As we are confronted by these challenges and overcome we 'travel', going higher and higher. This depicts the fulfillment of our journey, not just facing tests, but 'traveling' and growing closer in our relationship to Hashem.

Naso - The Shadow Follows

Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying: On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel

דַּבֵּר אֶל-אַהֲרֹן וְאֶל-בָּנָיו לֵאמֹר, כֹּה תְבָרְכוּ אֶת-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

Bamidbar 6:22

Asks the Kedushat Levi, what is the significance of the word "כֹּה"?

To understand this, the Kedushat Levi brings in the insights of The Baal Shem Tov. The Baal Shem Tov would admonish people through the verse in Tehillim (121): ה' צִלְּךָ - Hashem is they shade.

That is to say that just as one's shadow mimics the movements of the body, so also Hashem is reflected in our actions. Hashem  approaches us as an extension of our own actions. Thus we have to do mitzvot, give to charity, and have mercy on those less fortunate in order for Hashem to show similar traits towards ourselves.

Like He Does
This trait is called "כֹּה" - like he does. Hashem wants and desires to show goodness to Am Yisrael.  For it is known, that just as a calf wants to drink  its mother's milk, even more so the mother wants to feed her own offspring.

Preparation
For when one gets ready to step forward and pray before The Creator (blessed be He) whether for the Amida or any other supplication, our prayers need to be directed to Hashem and be pleasurable, rather than felt like a burden.  Like it says in Pirkei Avot:

Rabban Yochanan the son of Zakkai received the tradition from Hillel and Shammai. He would say: If you have learned much Torah, do not take credit for yourself---it is for this that you have been formed.

רבן יוחנן בן זכאי קיבל מהלל ומשמאי. הוא היה אומר

אם למדת תורה הרבה, אל תחזיק טובה לעצמך, כי לכך נוצרת

Mishna 2:8

That all of our spiritual efforts should be focused on pleasing Hashem.

Receiver
It is known that one who prays for himself, then he is known as receiver. That when one wants to receive something then he holds his hand out with the palm raised, and back of the hand down to the ground.

Influencer
When one prays to Hashem with focus and intent to please Hashem then he is known as an influencer, for it is as if his actions impact how Hashem will act. The influencer instead holds his hand with the palm face down.

Priestly Blessing
So also is how the hands of the Kohen are positioned for making the priestly blessing. For the Kohen holds his hands up with the palm outward, away from his face, like one who wants to influence. This is the explanation for the verse: "On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel" - "כֹּה תְבָרְכוּ אֶת-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל"

That is to say, the Kohen should bless Am Yisrael in order to please Hashem. And you should all be influencers upon Hashem and so likewise Hashem will have influence to all of us - goodness and blessings upon Israel.