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Every native in Yisrael shall dwell in booths (23:42)

Every Jew is commanded to dwell in a succah for the prescribed period of seven days.  Indeed, our ancestors went  to great lengths to ensure that they fulfilled the mitzvah of succah according to halachah.  A poignant story occurred concerning  Horav Mordechai M’Nedverne that, while its focus is not actually on Succos,  teaches us a timely lesson.  In Rav Mordechai’s city,  there was an outbreak of cholera, a very contagious plague.  The doctors warned the general populace to exercise extreme care in regard to sanitary conditions.  It just so happened that it was just before the festival of Succos.  Despite…

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You shall take fine flour and you shall bake it twelve loaves — on the Shabbos day, on the Shabbos day, he shall set in order before Hashem always. (24:5,8)

The twelve loaves of Lechem Hapanim symbolize the twelve tribes.  They simultaneously represent  a prayer for sustenance of the twelve shevatim and  an expression of our gratitude to the Almighty for His sustenance.  From the word “tamid“, “always,” we derive that the Shulchan, Table,  is never to be without its twelve loaves.  Just as the Kohanim were about to remove the past week’s bread in order to eat it, other Kohanim were at the same moment arranging the new weeks Lechem Hapanim on the table.  What is the significance of the coincidence of these two actions?    If a minute…

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Say to the Kohanim, the sons of Aharon, and tell them: Each of you shall not contaminate himself to a (dead) person among his people. (21:1)

Horav Chaim Mordechai Katz, zl, observes that Judaism sustains three levels of kedushah, holiness: that of a Yisrael, common Jew; that of a Kohen, member of the priestly family; that of the Kohen Gadol, High Priest. These three distinct individuals represent three ascending levels of Divine sanctity. The average Jew, the Yisrael or Levi who is not a Kohen, is a member of an “Am Kadosh,” holy nation, consecrated to the Almighty, separated from all that is impure and unclean. Just as Hashem is holy and unsusceptible to evil and contamination, the Yisrael who is to emulate Hashem is adjured…

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They shall be holy to their G-d and they shall not desecrate the Name of their G-d. (21:6)

It seems strange to present two extremes, holiness and desecration, in such close proximity. After all, is holiness not diametrically in opposition to desecration? It is like saying, “Be honest, do good, so not to be a bank robber! Is there not some compromise between kedushah and chillul? In addressing this question, Horav Shlomo Breuer, zl, claims that Hashem is very exact with His close/pious ones. He judges those closest to Him in a very strict manner, because a tzaddik’s “insignificant” error can have a strong effect upon the average Jew., The good performed by the righteous rarely causes a…

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I should be sanctified among the Bnei Yisrael. (22:32)

Every Jew is commanded to sanctify Hashem’s Name. A Jew’s total demeanor is to reflect his subordination to Hashem. His behavior must be admirable; his dealings with others, the height of integrity, his devotion to mitzvos, exemplary. This pasuk serves as the general commandment to give up one’s life, if necessary, to sanctify Hashem’s Name. It, therefore, seems strange that the Torah does not write this mitzvah in a stronger, more emphatic form. It simply says, “I should be sanctified.” Why does the Torah not say, “Sanctify My Name,” as a form of command. The Torah seems to take a…

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The son of the Yisraelite woman pronounced the name and blashphemed – so they brought him to Moshe…They placed under guard to clarify for themselves through Hashem. (24:12,13)

Two people were in jail awaiting their fate, the blasphemer and the m’koshesh eitzim, the one who desecrated Shabbos. They were placed in different cells for an interesting reason. The m’koshesh awaited his punishment – death. His punishment was certain. The fate of the blasphemer, on the other hand, was yet to be decided. Had they placed both of them in the same cell, the blasphemer would naturally assume that he was to receive the same fate as his cellmate – death. Since this was not certain, it would cause the blasphemer undue anxiety to think that he was also…

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“Say to the Kohanim, the sons of Aharon, and tell them.” (21:1)

The commentators question the repetition of the word runt, say (,rntu wrunt). Rashi cites the Sifra which views this redundancy as a special enjoinment to the Kohanim to speak to their children. By emphasizing to their children to guard themselves from contact with any form of tumah, spiritual contaminant, they will safeguard the holiness of their families. This explanation suggests that the second “amirah,” saying, was directed towards the children. The text, however, seems to imply that each “amirah” was directed to the Kohanim. Horav Elyakim Schlesinger, Shlita, contends that both “amiros” were intended for the Kohanim. Indeed, an important…

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“And they shall not shave an edge of their beard.” (21:5)

During the investure of the Leviim, the Torah commands them to shave their heads. The Recanti observes the disparity between the term used for the Levi –taharah, purity – and that used for the Kohen -kedushah, holiness. What is the significance of the distinction between the goal set for these two paradigmatic spiritual leaders? Horav Eli Munk, zl, explains that “purity,” the term used for the Levi, indicates a negative quality, the absence of contamination. On the other hand, kedushah, the term used for the Kohen, signifies a positive trait. When the Levi cut his hair short, he was symbolizing…

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“They shall be holy to their G-d.” (21:6)

The Kohen, whose life is devoted to serving Hashem, is to be relaxed during the avodah, service. He must be totally at ease, focusing all his efforts on executing his role to the best of his ability. Consequently, he is not to permit anything to divert his attention from the job at hand. Dealing with death tends to impede one’s concentration. The mere mention of death provokes anxiety. Hence, the Kohen is prohibited from coming in physical contact with a corpse. He may not even be under the same roof as a corpse. The Kohen must also be discriminating in…

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“He shall remain holy to you, for holy am I, who sanctifies you.” (21:8)

The Kohen is to be held in the highest esteem. He is to have the primary role in matters of holiness. What is the significance of emphasizing the Kohen‘s superiority in holiness? Horav Elyakim Schlesinger, Shlita, recounts an incident that occurred with the Chazon Ish, zl, and the Brisker Rav’s, zl, analysis of the episode. It happened that a noted talmid chacham, Torah scholar, became embroiled in a halachic dispute with the Chazon Ish. Upon hearing of this debate, the Brisker Rav commented that the Torah scholar was not really a scholar; rather, he was an am ha’aretz, illiterate. He…

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