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ונועדתי שמה לבני ישראל ... ושכנתי בתוך בני ישראל

Sruly Schnair
In Tetzaveh, 5786

I shall set My meeting there with Bnei Yisrael … I shall rest My Presence among Bnei Yisrael. (29:43,45)

Midrash Rabbah (Shemos 33) “quotes” Hashem as saying, “I sold/gave you My Torah – I sold Myself with it.”  This may be compared to a king who had one single daughter whom he loved very much.  Another king betrothed her and now asked permission to take his new wife to his country.  The father replied, “She is my only daughter. On the one hand, I cannot divest myself of her. On the other hand, she is your wife and must follow her husband.  I ask only that, wherever you set up your home, you construct a small room for me,…

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Home -> 5786 -> Tetzaveh

ועשית בגדי קדש לאהרן אחיך לכבוד ולתפארת

Sruly Schnair
In Tetzaveh, 5786

You shall fill it with stone mounting, four rows of stone … and the fourth row, tarshish, shoham and yashfeh. (28:17, 20)

You shall make bigdei kodesh, vestments of sanctity.  Were they used for sanctity or did they become holy when Aharon wore them to perform the Priestly service, or did the artisans craft them with the intention of making them holy?  Perhaps it was their designation for the Kohen Gadol who would perform the Divine Service in the Sanctuary that lent holiness to these vestments.  Clothing on its own is not intrinsically holy. When it is worn by a saintly person in the course of his performing a holy function, however, it transforms from garment to holy vestment.  Once the garments…

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Home -> 5786 -> Tetzaveh

ומלאת בו מלאת אבן ארבעה טורים אבן... והטור הרביעי תרשיש, ושהם, וישפה

Sruly Schnair
In Tetzaveh, 5786

You shall make vestments of sanctity for Aharon, your brother, for glory and splendor. (28:2)

Lashon Kodesh contains layers of nuance whereby various words translated similarly actually present subtle differences. In Sheimos HaNirdafin, Horav Shlomo Wertheimer, zl, devotes an entire sefer to distinguishing between these synonyms.  With regard to friendship, the Torah breaks it down to three primary terms:  chaver; rei’a; and yedid.  Each expresses a different dimension of human connection which gives us an insight into the true meaning of friendship. The most common term is chaver, which is a friend by chibur, attachment.  This means that the relationship is not one of emotion, but rather, of commitment.  A chavrusa is a study partner…

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Home -> 5785 -> Tetzaveh

וכפר אהרן על קרנתיו אחת בשנה ... קודש קדשים הוא לדי

Sruly Schnair
In Tetzaveh, 5785

Aharon will cleanse its thorns once a year … it is holy of holies to Hashem. (30:10)

Rashi explains that the Mizbayach, Altar, is a Kodesh Kodoshim, Holy of Holies Its sanctity is supreme, designated for this service exclusively.  We derive from Rashi that the Mizbayach HaKetores, Incense Altar, is considered Kodesh Kodoshim, since no other service (the application of blood on the horns of the Mizbayach on Yom Kippur) was performed on it.  (The daily Ketores, Incense, was also offered on it.)  In his commentary to the pasuk, the Malbim posits that the focus of Kodesh Kodoshim is not the Mizbayach, but Aharon HaKohen.  Thus, the Torah is informing us that Aharon Hakohen performed the service…

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תרשיש ושהם וישפה

Sruly Schnair
In Tetzaveh, 5785

Tarshish, Shoham and Yashfeh. (28:20)

Chazal (Bereishis Rabbah 71:5) teach that the yashfeh was the stone of Binyamin.  Being the son of Rachel Imeinu, who remained silent when her sister took her place on the night that she was to be married, he symbolizes silence. Thus, he is represented by the yashfeh stone, which stands for yeish peh, there is mouth; something can be said, but he remained in control and was silent. As a result of Rachel Imeinu’s commitment to the middah, attribute, of shetikah, her two sons personified the maintenance of self-control in speech.  Indeed, although Binyamin was well aware that Yosef has…

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ואלה הבגדים אשר יעשו חושן ואפוד

Sruly Schnair
In Tetzaveh, 5785

These are the garments that they shall make: a Choshen and an Eiphod. (28:4)

Midrash Tanchuma (Shemos 27) explains that the Choshen, Breastplate, which included the Urim v’Tumim worn over Aharon HaKohen’s heart, was middah k’negged middah, reward measure for measure.  When Hashem charged Moshe Rabbeinu with leading Klal Yisrael out of Egypt, he initially refused to accept the role.  He claimed that his older brother, Aharon, had been serving as the leader of the people. He did not want to hurt his feelings. Hashem told him that, not only was Aharon not upset, he was actually filled with joy over his younger brother’s selection. Thus, Hashem said, “The heart that was happy over…

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Home -> 5785 -> Tetzaveh

ואתה תצוה את בני ישראל

Sruly Schnair
In Tetzaveh, 5785

And you should command Bnei Yisrael. (27:20)

On the surface, v’atah, and you, is an unusual formulation for Hashem to use to command Moshe.  Usually, He calls him by his name, Moshe, followed by tzav, command; or dabeir, speak. Noticeably, the Torah does not mention Moshe Rabbeinu’s name in the entire parshah. His missing name is the subject of much exegesis. The Be’er Mayim Chaim posits that v’atah, is a higher level of communication, reflecting a closer relationship with the Almighty than what is represented by calling Moshe by his name. Horav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro, zl (Be’er Yaakov), explains that when Hashem speaks to Moshe on the…

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Home -> 5784 -> Tetzaveh

שבעת ימים ילבשם הכהן תחתיו מבניו אשר יבוא אל אהל מועד לשרת בקודש

Sruly Schnair
In Tetzaveh, 5784

For a seven-day period, the Kohen who succeeds him from his sons, who shall enter the Ohel Moed to serve in the Sanctuary shall wear them. (29:30)

The son of the Kohen Gadol (if he is worthy) takes precedence over any other Kohen to succeed his father. Two Kohanim actually served in the positions of Kohen Gadol – the regular High Priest – and Kohen Mashuach Milchamah – a Kohen Gadol ordained specifically prior to the nation’s entrance into a war. This latter one was a specially designated Kohen Gadol whose purpose it was to address the nation and give his charge before the battle, encouraging them that Hashem will protect them. The Kohen Mashuach Milchamah is forbidden to marry a widow and may pose questions to…

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Home -> 5784 -> Tetzaveh

ונשא אהרן את שמות בני ישראל בחשן המשפט על לבו

Sruly Schnair
In Tetzaveh, 5784

Aharon shall bear the names of Bnei Yisrael on the Choshen Hamishpat (Breastplate of judgment) on his heart. (28:29)

Aharon HaKohen merited to wear the breastplate on his heart due to the manner in which he accepted Moshe Rabbeinu’s appointment as the leader of the Jewish People. Prior to Moshe’s entrance on the scene, Aharon had been the Navi and leader of the Jewish people. Suddenly, his position transformed from leader to assistant. Not only did Aharon not complain, but the Torah says V’roacha v’somach b’libo, “He will see you and he will rejoice in his heart” (Shemos 4:4). Aharon’s humility was such that he manifested no ego whatsoever when he lost his position to his younger brother. This…

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Home -> 5784 -> Tetzaveh

ויקחו אליך שמן זית זך כתית

Sruly Schnair
In Tetzaveh, 5784

And they shall take for you pure, pressed olive oil. (27:20)

Chazal (Midrash Rabbah, Shemos 36:1) quote the pasuk in Yirmiyahu (11:16), Zayis raanan yefei pri to’ar kara Hashem shemecha, “Hashem named you verdant olive tree, fair, with choice fruit” to indicate the comparison of Klal Yisrael to olive oil. Chazal state three characteristics of the Jewish People which mimic the characteristics of olive oil. First, the olive does not give forth its oil until it has been smashed and pressed. Likewise, (some of) the Jewish People return to Hashem through teshuvah, repentance, once they have suffered at the hands of anti-Semites of all creeds, who have persecuted them with all…

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