Moshe Marcovich

You shall make the planks of the Mishkan of Shittim wood, standing erect. (26:15)

The walls of the Mishkan were formed of huge planks of Shittim, acacia wood. The Midrash relates that Yaakov Avinu foresaw that one day Bnei Yisrael would build a Mishkan in the wilderness, in a place that evidently did not have such trees growing. He took trees with him when he left for Egypt. He planted these trees in Egypt, instructing his children to take the trees with them when they leave Egypt. It is interesting to note that Yaakov was not concerned about obtaining the various other materials necessary for the Mishkan. Targum Yonasan explains that these materials were…

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Moshe Marcovich In Terumah, 5758

You shall make the Mizbayach of Shittim wood…the Mizbayach shall be square. (27:1)

The Mizbayach, Altar, was to be perfectly square shaped. What special significance is there in the fact that the architectural design of the Mizbayach–and for that matter, the Mishkan, the Aron Hakodesh and the Shulchan–consisted of rectangular lines? Horav S. R. Hirsch, z”l, observes that all of nature’s products are symbolized by circularity. Only the human being, whose mind can impose limitations and parameters upon himself, is able to create objects with straight lines and angles. The circle represents the absence of limitation to freedom and autonomy. This lack of restraint reflects tumah, spiritual impurity. The rectangle, on the other…

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Moshe Marcovich In Terumah, 5758

You shall cover it with pure gold, from within and from without you shall cover it.

The Aron’s connection with the Torah is obvious. Indeed, the arrangment of pure gold both within and without symbolizes Chazal’s dictum that a Torah scholar’s public behavior must be consistent with his inner character. He cannot profess one set of beliefs in his relationship with Hashem while acting in a manner unbecoming a person of his spiritual stature in his interaction with people. A talmid chacham is–and should be–the embodiment of Torah. This should be reflected in his total demeanor. The Talmud, Berachos 28a, relates that when Rabban Gamliel was the Nasi, prince, he decreed that any student who was…

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Moshe Marcovich In Terumah, 5758

Speak to the Bnei Yisrael and let them take for Me a portion, from every man whose heart motivates him you shall take My portion. (25:2)

One would expect that it would be incumbent upon every individual to participate in the building of the Mishkan. Yet, the Torah’s standard is to take donations only “from every man whose heart motivates him.” Regarding other mitzvos, the Torah places emphasis upon activity, the ma’aseh ha’mitzvah. Of prime importance regarding the building of the Mishkan is that the individual displays unequivocal ratzon, good will and desire to give. Imagine, had the people not exhibited pure ratzon to contribute towards the Mishkan, the Mishkan never would have been built! It behooves us to understand the significance of this willingness to…

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Moshe Marcovich In Metzora, 5758

And I will put a plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possessions (14:34)

Chazal tell us that the possibility of tzaraas habayis was indeed good news. The Emorites had hidden treasures of gold in their houses during the forty years in which Bnei Yisrael wandered in the desert. When the Jews demolished the house in reaction to a plague, they would uncover the treasure. Rashi’s version of Chazal is that the tzaraas will be “upon them,” rather than “upon the house”. This implies that a hidden treasure will be discovered in all cases of tzaraas,even tzaraas ha’guf, leprosy affecting the body. The idea of hidden treasure within a human being is certainly a…

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Moshe Marcovich In Metzora, 5758

The Kohen shall command; and for the person being purified there shall be taken two live, clean birds….(14:4)

Ibn Ezra contends that the Kohen “takes” from his own money to supply the necessary components for the purification process. This is a bit unusual. When a person goes to a doctor to be healed, the physician expects the individual to pay for services rendered. Is the Kohen any different than a doctor? Why should he, the spiritual physician, pay for the healing process? The Torah should be as sensitive to the Kohen’s money as it is to the metzora! Al HaTorah identifies a practical reason for this distinction. The person who is stricken with tzaraas is an individual…

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Moshe Marcovich In Metzora, 5758

This shall be the law of the metzora. (14:1)

In the Midrash, Chazal recount the story of a rochel, peddler, who plied his wares in the villages surrounding Tzippori. He would proclaim, “Who wishes to buy an elixir of life?” Understandably, buyers from the entire area sought to purchase such a desirable commodity. Rabbi Yanai, who was studying Torah in the proximity of the peddler’s announcement, called down to him, “Come up and let me purchase your wares”. The peddler responded, “People of your caliber have no need for my wares.” Refusing to be brushed aside, Rabbi Yanai was determined to see this elixir. Finally, the peddler…

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Moshe Marcovich In Tazria, 5758

If a man will have on the skin of his flesh, a rising or a scab, or a bright spot, and it will become a tzaraas affliction on the skin of his flesh……it is a tzaraas affliction; the Kohen shall look at it and declare him contaminated. (13:2;3)

If we were to consider the avos ha’tumah, main categories of spiritual contamination, i.e.: tumas meis, corpse of a human being , sheretz, neveilah, dead bodies of large and eight small mammals, shichvas zera, zav, zavah, various body emissions, niddah, menstruate and yoledes, a woman who has just given birth, we would note that the one common theme among them is death or cessation of life. In one way or another, each one alludes to a termination of life, a lost opportunity for producing life, or a time frame in which reproduction is not a viable condition. Even the new…

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Moshe Marcovich In Tazria, 5758

Speak unto the Bnei Yisrael, saying, when a woman conceives and gives birth to a male. (12:2)

In the Talmud Niddah 30b Chazal describe the scenario of an embryo in its mother’s womb. They say that a light burns above his head, so that he is able to see from one end of the world to the other. Man enjoys no greater satisfaction and happiness than during his months in utero. He is also taught the entire Torah. Immediately before he is born, an angel catalyzes him to forget all of his learning. This well-known statement of Chazal stimulates a number of questions. First, why is the child taught in the womb? Would it not have…

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Moshe Marcovich In Shoftim, 5758

Who is the man who has built a new house and has not inaugurated it? Let him go and return to his house…and who is the man who has planted a vineyard and not redeemed it? …And who is the man who has betrothed a woman and not married her?…Who is the man who is fearful and faithearted, let him go and return to his house. (20:5,6, 7,8)

The Torah presents an unusual scene. The Kohen addresses the prospective soldiers as they prepare to go to battle. Those that are unsuitable for battle should leave the field, for fear that their own anxiety or lack of enthusiasm might erode the morale of their comrades. The Torah addresses four types of situations in which the individual ought to return home. First, the individual who recently built a house and has not yet had the opportunity to live in it. His fear is that someone else will move in to his home; second, is the individual who did not…

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You shall make the planks of the Mishkan of Shittim wood, standing erect. (26:15)

You shall make the Mizbayach of Shittim wood…the Mizbayach shall be square. (27:1)

You shall cover it with pure gold, from within and from without you shall cover it.

Speak to the Bnei Yisrael and let them take for Me a portion, from every man whose heart motivates him you shall take My portion. (25:2)

And I will put a plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possessions (14:34)

The Kohen shall command; and for the person being purified there shall be taken two live, clean birds….(14:4)

This shall be the law of the metzora. (14:1)

If a man will have on the skin of his flesh, a rising or a scab, or a bright spot, and it will become a tzaraas affliction on the skin of his flesh……it is a tzaraas affliction; the Kohen shall look at it and declare him contaminated. (13:2;3)

Speak unto the Bnei Yisrael, saying, when a woman conceives and gives birth to a male. (12:2)

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