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, a memorial before Hashem’. The Urim V’tumim was in the Choshen, so ‘Aharon will carry the Mishpat of the Jewish people upon his heart, constantly before Hashem’
What is ‘Mishpat’? Why does it need the Urim V’Tumim? What is the Urim V’tumim?
The Jewish nation exists as 1. A nation with certain ancestors, and a specific destiny. This is represented with the names of the Shvatim, the Nation’s fathers. 2. A nation dedicated to live with Hashem, who was written in the Urim V’tumim. This was a parchment with Hashem’s name, and it created the energy that lit the Choshen up.The Choshen with name-stones outside and Urim V’tumim within, represented the Shvatim-nation, pulsating with HaShem.
Hashem manages this world through Natural law. However He suspends Nature for someone totally dedicated to Him. Although Hashem prefers Nature, He is obliged to the Tzaddik and helps things work out for him, even if He needs to work miracles to do so. So too, Hashem cares for His Nation, always taking them in account in world affairs. Yet He owes them nothing. But when they are devoted to Him, He helps them in return.
Aharon carries the names of the Jewish people before Hashem; may He keep His eye upon them. When the Urim V’Tumim is inside the Choshen, however, – when totally infused with Hashem – then we have much more, an actual suit upon Hashem. Aharon carries this suit (Mishpat) of the Jewish people before Hashem.
Is it worthwhile to be totally devoted to Hashem? Sure it is, but it seems awfully daunting. Yet as it can be done, then it must be done. Not overnight, and not by next week, but yet not impossible. How? It’s by going small – merely by devoting oneself a bit more today than yesterday…
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Choshen And Ephod
The Gemarah explains the verse: ‘the Choshen will not move from the Ephod’ as prohibiting the separating of 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 symbolized service of Hashem: an apron = 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. Hashem does not play favorites. We merit the Choshen, our closeness, only because of the Ephod, our service.
Pray keep that 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 derives 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] (- would they have bones, that is…)
Korbanos express dedication to Hashem, common denominator to all creation. When opposing elements join forces to serve Hashem, His supremacy is affirmed: in His service all join together, -even enemies – for serving Him is the universal goal. Joining wool and linen illustrates Hashem’s overarching mandate.
(The plague of Hail in Egypt had fire and water co-existing in the hail. That fire and water worked together was a Kiddush Hashem: they negated themselves before the higher goal – doing Hashem’s will!)
Sometimes people in Shul will quarrel. Sometimes its even justified. Yet in perspective of the greater common goal – kvod Shamayim – can this be acceptable or 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 slept together on the side of a sword. Now that it’s weak, even a sixty-cubic bed is small for us’ [- common aphorism, quoted in the Gemarrah]
The Gemarah 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 very 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 provided privacy to that meeting. This further demonstrated the intimacy between Hashem and His People. In response to this privileged communion with Hashem we burn incense before that 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; a tribute to our relationship!
Do you make sure to celebrate your own relationships?
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Keeping Close
The king married off his daughter, his only child. He told her: ‘I cannot ask that you stay here with me. Neither can I bear separating from you. Please, I beg of you! Wherever you sojourn, make me a small room to stay near you’.
Hashem gave his beloved daughter, the Torah, to us down here on earth. Yet He cannot bear separating from it. He asks us ‘Please make me a small Mishkan for me to stay in, to be near My beloved 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. As a side effect, Torah, from which He cannot part, will come along with Him.
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 among us. Hashem resides there, close to His cherished Torah. He is still Here!!
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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 (or maybe absentminded – his wife grew tired of trying to find his matching hose…) 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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Keeping A Distance
Whats not to love about the Mishkan?
Living close with Hashem breeds taking Him for granted, not reverencing Him properly. He is An Awful (Norah) King, not one to trifle with. He is not your pal. Can one dwell alongside Hashem yet not lose perspective?
The Kohein Gadol wore clothes ‘for Honor and Glory’ The Ramban explains that although the simple meaning is that his clothes were to his own honor and glory, the truth is that the clothes reflect on the Honor and Glory of Hashem, and that’s why he wore them.
I suggest, that the clothes he wore served as a constant reminder to all, that Hashem lives here. This is no tourist site, but rather a place where Hashem, the G-d of Honor and Glory, lives. Watch out!
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Mishkan Is What?
What’s the Mishkan about?
The Rambam writes in Mitzvah 20 that the Mishkan was a house to serve Hashem in. Its function was to enable us to serve Him. His presence there was merely a side issue. The Ramban, on the other hand, writes that the Mishkan was to enable Him to dwell among us. The service we performed there was incidental to its true mission.
In our Parsha the pasuk says ‘they will know that I am Hashem who took them from Egypt to dwell among them…’ Rashi cryptically says: I took them out so that/on condition that I dwell among them. The Ramban explains that Rashi means that in return for taking them out, the Jews must provide a Home for Him.
The Ramban further explains the pasuk to mean, that when He will dwell among the Jewish people, and they will see his Presence day in, day out, they will live with the cognizance that He had taken them from Egypt, a cognizance which otherwise erodes over normal living. (This itself is a very significant statement!)
And he quotes the Ibn Ezra, as saying that the end-goal of the Exodus was that we serve Him. He elaborates on this thought; we think of Hashem dwelling among us as our need – Hashem honors us with His presence. But according to the Ibn Ezra it can mean something else too: Hashem needs us, for He needs us to empower Him. He gains power through our service, and so the Mishkan is actually for Him, not us.
This sort of binds the all together: the Mishkan is a place to serve him. It also is a place that serves His needs of dwelling among us. And it is something we owe Him, in return for His taking us out. All true at the same time.
Or in other words; we serve Him, which then empowers Him. Meaning that He dwells among – or via – us…
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The Royal Placeholder
The Korban Tamid is specified as being:
A constant Olah , for all generations, at the portal of the Ohel Moed, before Hashem, where I will commune with you there to speak to you, and I will commune with the Jewish people there, and Hallow it with my Holiness. Why is this detail at all relevant?
The Midrash tells that when Rebbe, Rav Yehuda Hanasi would walk, he always had Rav Yossi the Long with him, who towered over the crowds. To find Rebbe was easy – just look for where Rav Yossi was. Rav Yossi was a placeholder for Rebbe.
So too, Hashem is never seen. However He has an angel who is His placeholder. The angel can be seen, and wherever that angel is, Hashem is too. And, says the Midrash, prayer before that angel is effective, for it really prayer before Hashem. The angel is merely His placeholder.
Hashem manifested before the Jews via his communion with Moshe from within the Keruvim. Sacrifice before that manifestation constitutes sacrifice before Him. When the Torah specifies that the sacrifice to be done there, its not merely telling us where to sacrifice; its really telling us why!
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The Meil is described as ‘the Meil of the Ephod’. What in the world does it have to do with the Ephod??
Perhaps the only proper clothes the Kohen Gadol wore were the Ephod and Choshen. All else were accouterments and accessories or for specific purpose, such as a belt to tie it all together and pants for covering his nakedness. But not the Meil, rather the Meil was an an accessory for the Ephod.
What does this mean to us today?
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Mindfullness
The Chinuch comments that the Bigdei Kehuna were very strange. The belt the Kohanim wore was thirty two amos long – perhaps sixty feet! The hat was sixteen amos long – thirty feet! The sleeves reached until the fingers, and the hem of the meil reached the ground. Hardly comfortable, or casual wear… Why did the Torah mandate such weird dress?
The awkwardness was intentional – wearing unusual obtrusive dress made the kohen acutely aware of his being in service. He needed reminding. He needed to know that he was a kohen, serving Hashem. He needed focus.
Sometimes the clothes we choose are a message for us. Not a statement to others, but as a statement to ourselves, reminding us of who we are….