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Home -> 5775 -> Tetzaveh

ועשית בגדי קדש לאהרן אחיך לכבוד ולתפארת

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5775

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

Much of the Parsha is devoted to describing the Bigdei Kehunah, Holy Vestments worn by the Kohanim, their construction and materials. Clearly, great significance is attributed to the manner in which the Kohen presents himself. Veritably, it is not only the Kohen – indeed, every Jew must maintain a dress code in which his attire is modest and does not call attention to the person’s body but rather to his personality and character. In order for one’s personality to be noticed, he/she should not be detracting others by having them focus on his/hers clothes – or lack thereof. Jewish People…

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Home -> 5775 -> Tetzaveh

פעמן זהב ורמון פעמן זהב ורמון על שולי המעיל סביב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5775

A gold bell and a pomegranate, a gold bell and a pomegranate on the hem of the Robe, all around. (28:34)

There is a debate between Rashi and Ramban concerning how the Paamonim and Rimonim, pomegranates and bells, were placed at the hem of the Meil. There were seventy-two pomegranates and seventy-two bells, which allude to the seventy-two possible shades of white which could render someone a metzora, spiritual leper. The Baal HaTurim explains that since the Meil, Robe, atoned for the sin of speaking lashon hora, slanderous speech, the number was appropriate, in that it reminded people of the evils of, and the penalty for gossiping. Rashi posits that each bell was followed by a pomegranate next to it. Ramban…

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Home -> 5775 -> Tetzaveh

והיה המזבח קודש קדשים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5775

The Altar shall be holy of holies. (29:37)

The Torah refers to the Mizbayach HaChitzon, Outer Altar, as Kodesh Kodoshim, “holy of holies,” while the Mizbayach HaPenimi, Inner Altar, which was used for burning the Ketores, Incense, and situated within the Heichal opposite the Aron HaKodesh, is referred to as kodesh, “holy” (only). The kedushah, sanctity, of the Mizbayach HaPenimi was greater than that of the Outer Altar. Why then is it referred to only as “holy.” The Mizbayach HaChitzon, Outer Altar, was also called Mizbayach Adamah, because its inside was filled with dirt; yet, it is called the “holy of holies.” What is the Torah teaching us?…

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Home -> 5774 -> Tetzaveh

ואתה הקרב אליך את אהרן אחיך ואת בניו אתו... לכהנו לי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5774

Bring to near to yourself Aharon, your brother, and his sons with him… to minister to Me. (28:1)

The Midrash teaches that Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to be Kohen Gadol, despite his position as facilitator of the Torah to Klal Yisrael. Imagine being the conduit through which our nation received the Torah. Yet, Moshe apparently wanted more; he sought the Kehunah Gedolah, High Priesthood. Hashem told Moshe, “I gave you the Torah. It was mine, and I gave it to you.” This was supposed to placate Moshe. How? Moshe did not deny his lofty plateau as the nation’s quintessential Rebbe; he wanted the Kehunah Gedolah – also! In his Shemen HaTov, Horav Zev Weinberger, Shlita, quotes the Talmud in…

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Home -> 5774 -> Tetzaveh

ועשית בגדי קדש לאהרן אחיך לכבוד ולתפארת

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5774

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

Kavod and tiferes are terms which are associated with the dignity of man and the requirement of manifesting this sense of reserve and class. When we mention the gadlus ha’adam, greatness of man, one immediately thinks of Slabodka, the yeshivah whose Mashgiach/founder, the Alter zl, of Slabodka, Horav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, was its primary exponent. I take the liberty of expounding on the subject and its intended impact on the Jewish imperative. When Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel was about to launch his yeshivah, he asked Horav Yisrael Salanter, zl, founder of the Mussar, character refinement, movement, “On which foundations shall…

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Home -> 5774 -> Tetzaveh

והם יקחו את הזהב ואת התכלת ואת הארגמן ואת תולעת השני ואת השש

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5774

They shall take the gold, the turquoise, purple and scarlet wool, and the linen. (28:5)

Moshe Rabbeinu was commanded concerning the construction of the Bigdei Kehunah, Priestly Vestments. For this purpose, he was to obtain gold, turquoise, purple and scarlet, various colors of dyed wool, from the people which were to be used to make the Eiphod, Cheshev ha’Eiphod, Choshen and Avnet. Sheish is flax/linen. Thus, the Bigdei Kehunah were constructed of shatnez, a mixture of wool and linen. Given the reality, one would conjecture that while shatnez is prohibited to be worn by a Jew, the Bigdei Kehunah constituted an exception to the rule. In other words, a dispensation is made for the Priestly…

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Home -> 5774 -> Tetzaveh

ופתחת עליו פתוחי חתם קדש לד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5774

And you shall engrave upon it, engrave like a signet ring Holy to Hashem. (28:36)

The Tzitz Hakodesh was a Head-Plate inscribed with the words Kodesh l’Hashem, Holy to Hashem, that was worn by the Kohen Gadol. These words were engraved on the Head-Plate similar to a signet ring. Pituchei chosam – “engraved like a signet ring” is used by the Gaon m’Vilna as an allusion to a statement made by Chazal. “Three keys (mafteichos, which have the same root word as pituchei) were not given to man. They remain in the domain of the Almighty (Only He can “open the door” to these events). They are: chayah, to give life to a child, the…

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Sruly Schnair
In Tetzaveh, 5754

“And you shall command Bnei Yisrael that they take unto you pure olive oil beaten for the light.” (27:20)

Rashi explains that the requirement of “kasis,” beaten, only applies to the oil used for the menorah. Oil which is used for menachos, meal offerings, does not have this stipulation. Horav S.Y. Zevin z.l. explains this halacha homiletically. The oil used for lighting the menorah symbolizes the light of Torah, while the oil used for the meal offerings represents man’s material sustenance. The Torah seems to admonish that “beaten” oil or “toiling” for the purpose of material sustenance is not a requirement. On the other hand, “ameilus”, toil, is an essential pre-requisite for Torah study and spiritual development. Torah study…

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Home -> 5773 -> Tetzaveh

ואתה תצוה את בני ישראל ויקחו אליך שמן זית זך כתית למאור להעלות נר תמיד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5773

And you shall command Bnei Yisrael and they shall take pure olive oil, crushed, for illumination, to light the eternal light. (27:20)

Yirmiyahu HaNavi says: Zayis raanan yifei pri toar kara Hashem shemeich. “A flourishing olive tree, a beautiful and shapely fruit Hashem has called Your Name” (Yirmiyahu 11:16). What did Yirmiyahu see that catalyzed his comparison of our ancestors to an olive tree? All types of liquids mix with one another, but oil stands by itself. So, too, Klal Yisrael does not mix with the non-Jews. As it says, V’lo sischatein – “You shall not be married to them.” The Sfas Emes explains that oil’s nature prevents it from mixing with water. Hashem has made the unique nature of the Jewish…

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Home -> 5773 -> Tetzaveh

ויקחו אליך שמן זית זך כתית למאור

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tetzaveh, 5773

They shall take for you pure, pressed olive oil for illumination. (27:20)

There were two forms of olive oil. First was the oil which was used for the Menorah. This was pure without sediments, derived from the first pressing. The olives were picked from the top of the tree, where they received the most sunshine. They were then pressed with a mortar – rather than ground in a mill. The second oil, which was the product of grinding and included within it tiny pieces of sediment, was appropriate only for the Menachos, Meal-offerings. Kassis la’ma’or, pressed for illumination; v’lo kassis la’Menachos, not pressed for the Menachos, say Chazal. The oil used for…

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