Tetzaveh Parsha thoughts
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Close To Heart
The Choshen-stones were inscribed with the twelve tribes: ‘Aharon shall carry the names of the Jewish people in the Choshen upon his heart when he visits the Sanctuary, as a reminder before Hashem’.
We also insert the Urim V’tumim into the Choshen, so ‘Aharon will carry the Mishpat of the Jewish people upon his heart, constantly before Hashem’
What is this ‘Mishpat’? Why only with the Urim V’Tumim?
What is Urim V’tumim? This parchment with Hashem’s name created the energy that made the Choshen miraculously light up.
The Jewish nation exists as 1. a nation, chosen by Hashem. They have great ancestors and a grand destiny. The Shvatim names, fathers to the Nation, represent the entire nation. 2. a nation dedicated to Hashem. To live only for Him. This is represented in the Choshen: name-stones outside and Urim V’tumim within, are the Shvatim-nation with HaShem pulsating within.
Hashem manages this world with Nature. He suspends Nature for someone totally dedicated to Him. Though Hashem prefers Nature, He is obliged to the Tzaddik and must repay. Since things must work out for the Tzaddik, He even works miracles, contrary to the laws of nature, to do so.
Hashem cares for His Nation, taking them in account in world affairs. However He owes them nothing. When they totally devote to Him, however, He is obliged. He must make them happy.
These are the two pesukim; Aharon carries the names of the Jewish people before Hashem, that he keep an eye on them. No more. When the Urim V’Tumim is inside the Choshen, however, when totally infused with Hashem, then we have a suit upon Hashem. Aharon carries this suit (Mishpat) of the Jewish people before Hashem.
Isn’t it worthwhile to be devoted to Him? It can be done. It is not an overnight wonder. But its not impossibly difficult either. It means merely devoting oneself more today than yesterday…
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Establishing Divisions
Aharon lifted/waved the breast and leg of the Meluim ram: ‘it shall thereby be for Aharon and his sons, for it is a tithe, and this tithe shall be for them from the Jews’ sh’lamim, their tithe to Hashem’. Rashi explains that although the portions of this particular korban were not given to Aharon, – rather the leg was sacrificed and the breast was eaten by Moshe, – they were the vehicle to hallow the breast and leg of all future sh’lamims, that they were to be given as a gift to Aharon.
How exactly is this accomplished?
The operative here is: ‘for it is a tithe’. Aharon established that the leg and breast are not part of the body of the Korban, rather they receive separate treatment as a distinct and separate entity. This enables the leg and the breast to later be set as Aharon’s portion.
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Choshen And Ephod
The Gemarah explains ‘the Choshen will not move from the Ephod’ as prohibiting separating the Choshen from the Ephod. The two must be ever attached. Why indeed?
The Choshen was a plaque with the names of the twelve parts of Israel. It kept the Jewish people always before Hashem, at His attention. The Ephod was symbolized service of Hashem: an apron signifies ‘service’.
The two are intertwined. Our favored-nation status by Hashem it only because of our dedication to His Service. Our favor in Hashem’s eyes corresponds to our personal dedication to Him. If we slacken off, so do our benefits. The prohibition against separating the Choshen from the Ephod means that there are no free lunches. We merit the Choshen, our closeness, only because of the Ephod, our service.
Keep in mind…
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Good Shatnez
The belt the Cohen wore was of spun linen and red wool. Wool and linen are Shatnez, ordinarily forbidden, yet permitted in the Kohen’s belt. Why indeed was it made of shatnez? Is Shatnez extra good for doing the Avodah with?
The prohibition of shatnez as deriving from the basic incompatibility between wool and linen. They have opposite spiritual orientation and energies; they cannot act in harmony, for they are different to the bone. [-Zohar]
This certainly bears more explanation, (- I know nothing about it -) but here is the general scheme. Wool + linen are incompatible on the most basic level.
Korbanos express dedication to Hashem. Serving Hashem is common denominator to all creation, so when even opposing elements in the universe join forces to serve Hashem, this underscores the supremacy of Hashem: in His service all lose their personal characteristics to join the common goal of serving Him.
We specifically join these warring factions to illustrate how personal identities are nullified before Him. (The plague of Hail in Egypt had fire and water co-existed in the hail. That fire and water worked together was a Kiddush Hashem: they negated themselves to the high goal – doing Hashem’s will).
Sometimes people in Shul will quarrel. Sometimes its even justified. Yet for the common goal – kvod Shamayim – how can this be justified?
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Location, Location, Location
Where was the mizbeach hazahav? The Torah specifies ‘before the Peroches which is on the Aron (!), in front of the Kappores upon the Witness, where I meet you’. This sounds convoluted – surely it would have been clearer to say ‘opposite the Menorah in the Kodesh’ Why place it vis-à-vis the Aron?
‘When our love was strong we could sleep together on the side of a sword. Now that it is weak, even a sixty-cubic bed is too small for us both’ The Gemarrah comments that this has a source in the Torah; Hashem would meet His people under the wings of the Keruvim – a tiny place, for He loved them so much. The smallness of the space expressed His love. Later, at the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, Hashem complained there was no room for Him; the entire earth is too small for Him.
Meeting under the Keruvim showed love, and the Peroches providing privacy to the meeting was a further show of the intimacy between Hashem and His People.
The response to this privileged communion with Hashem is burning incense before the meeting-place, honoring this closeness.
The Torah is not simply placing the Mizbeach HaZahav, rather it explains its function: its all about the Peroches and Kappores. While specifying the place, it reveals the name and nature of Ketores.
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The king who married off his daughter, his only child. He told her: ‘I cannot ask that you stay here with me, yet I cannot bear separating from you. Please, – wherever you sojourn, make me a small room that I can stay there near you’.
Hashem gave his beloved daughter, the Torah, to us here on earth. He cannot separate from it. He asked us ‘Please make me a small Mishkan for me to stay in and be near the Torah’.
That’s why right after Matan Torah comes the Mishkan. [-Midrash]
The Maharal in Meseches Shabbos, comments on the statement that the Torah will one day be forgotten. He suggests it will not happen out of laziness or uncaring on the part of Klal Yisroel, but rather Hashem will leave His people. A side effect is that Torah, which He cannot part from, will come along.
What happened at the Churban? How did the Torah remain when Hashem’s home was destroyed? Perhaps shuls and yeshivot allow Hashem a place to stay amongst us. Hashem resides there, close to His beloved Torah.
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The Original Pants
The Pasuk talks of the pants the Kohanim wore, something like shorts. We refer to ‘a pair of pants’. In Yiddish and German they are called Hosen. The reason is that pants were not always connected; originally they were two separate long socks, or hosen. Very many years later some brilliant fellow realized the two halves can be joined together, and modern pants (‘a pair of pants!’) came into being.
Yet here in the Torah we have a pair of shorts, all one piece. It seems that clothing styles did not progress in an orderly fashion, from boxers to pants, rather old styles and forms were forgotten and later reinvented.
Perhaps ideas work much the same way; rather than logical development, things are forgotten and regressed, only to be approached from fresh directions and rediscovered. You think?
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