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Upon it shall Aharon bring the spice incense up in smoke. (30:7)

The Mizbayach HaZahav, Golden Altar, also known as Mizbayach HaPenimi, Inner Altar,  and Mizbayach  HaKetores,  Incense  Altar,  was not used  for  the offering of animal sacrifices, but for burning ketores, incense. Nonetheless, it was called a mizbayach, derived from the root word, zevach, sacrifice. The concept of sacrifice is the reducing of something to nothingness. The burning of incense has such beneficial impact that it can defeat plagues, calamities, even death. The mysterious power of the incense burning explains the privileged place within the Mishkan reserved for the Golden Mizbayach upon which the ketores was burnt. Hence, its name –…

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And you, bring near to yourself Aharon, your brother…to minister to Me. (28:1)

The Yalkut (Shemos 247) makes the following somewhat cryptic statement: “Bring near to yourself Aharon, your brother.” This is to what the pasuk in Tehillim 65:5, “Praises to the one whom You choose/(select) and draw near,” is alluding: Praised is one whom Hashem selects, even though He has not brought him near; and fortunate is he whom Hashem has brought near, even though He has not chosen him. Who was chosen? Avraham Avinu, as it is written in Nechemiah 9:7, “You selected Avraham.” However, Hashem did not bring Avraham near. The Patriarch did so on his own. Yaakov Avinu was chosen…

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And you, bring near to yourself Aharon your brother… from amongst Bnei Yisrael to minister to Me. (28:1)

We wonder why Aharon received the position of Kohen Gadol, High Priest, as opposed to  Moshe Rabbeinu,  who was  clearly the  greatest  Jew  at the time. The Maggid, zl, m’Dubno gives a practical reason for this selection. The purpose of the Kohen Gadol is kaparah. He is the one who atones for the sins of the people and who must execute that service. Such a person must be from among the people – someone who understands them, whose appreciation of the average Jew is profound. One who understands their many foibles and misgivings is able to make sense of their errant…

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Aharon and his sons shall arrange it… before Hashem an eternal decree for their generations, from the Bnei Yisrael. (27:21)

There is an inspiring Midrash whose commentary on the pasuk “illuminates” for us the significance of, and proper attitude to the middah, character trait, of ha’koras ha’tov, gratitude. Hashem says, “I ask you to light the Menorah for Me not because I need the light. I want you to light it for Me as I illuminated for you (in the Wilderness). Thus, I will elevate your esteem in the eyes of the nations of the world, for they will then say, ‘Yisrael is lighting for the One Who lights for all.’” The Midrash continues by offering an analogy to a…

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They shall take for you pure oil…to kindle the lamp continually. (27:20)

Chazal teach that Hashem gave us the mitzvah of lighting the Menorah in the Bais HaMikdash, “not because I need the light.” After all, Hashem is the light of the world. “Rather, I command you to light for Me just as I provided illumination for you in the Wilderness. This will give you the opportunity to return the favor.” Horav Yeruchem Levovitz, zl, derives an important lesson from Chazal: A beneficiary who may, somehow, want to return the favor – let him do it. Chazal are teaching us a lesson in Torah etiquette. When someone does a favor for another…

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