Shalom Friends;
This week, our Parshat HaShevua, Parshat Tetzaveh is dedicated Lilui Nishmas for the Fifth Yahrtzeit of My Father: Me’ir HaKohen ben Shabtai who was niftar on 9 Adar 5777.
You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua.
Please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.
Best Regards,
Moshe Burt
olehchadash@yahoo.com
skype: mark.burt3
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Rabbi Shmuel Goldin, in his sefer “Unlocking the Torah Text” on our Parshat Tetzaveh notes (page 239):
For the first and only time [in Torah] since his introduction in the Beginning of Parshat Shemos, Moshe’s name is omitted from the entire Parsha. (Rabbi Goldin referring to Sefer Shemos, Perek 27, posuk 20 – Perek 30, posuk 10)
Rabbi Goldin, in his Parshat Summary (ibid, page 237) writes:
Hashem… commands Moshe concerning the fashioning of the bigdei Kehunah, the Divinely designed garments to be worn by Aaron and his sons respectively as they engage in the Sanctuary service. (Referring to Sefer Shemos, Perek 28, posukim 1-43)
The Parsha closes with a description of the rituals to be performed by Moshe during the seven days of preparation prior to the inauguration of the priesthood and during the inauguration ceremony itself. Referring to Sefer Shemos, Perek 29, posukim 31-46)
Throughout Parshat Tetzave, Hashem commands Moshe implicitly, as his name is omitted from our Parsha. Rabbi Mordechai Katz provides a profound discussion of one of the garments worn by the Kohen Godol in his sefer, Lilmod ULamed (pages 90-91):
Among the garments worn by the Kohen Godol was the Me’il, the coat. The Me’il was worn as a Kaporah, an atonement for sins involving Loshon Hora. (Rabbi Katz cites Erechin 16a, The Artscroll Stone Chumash, page 471 Zevachim 88b) This is indicated by the fact that the color of the coat was blue, as is the sky, an indication that our words rise to the sky and that we should therefore be wary of what we say.
…The neckline of the Me’il was tight, yet never ripped. This is a reminder to us to tighten our mouths when the desire to speak Loshon Hora is felt. The Me’il had bells hanging from the bottom. These bells were of two varieties, gold and cloth. The golden bells tinkled, while the cloth bells were silent. This indicates there are times that an individual should speak, while there are other times when he should not. The opportunity to perform a Mitzvah should encourage one to speak out, while one should remain silent as a cloth bell when the opportunity to attack others arises.
Rabbi Katz now discusses an added dimension regarding the gold bells (ibid):
What was the purpose of these bells?
Our Sages comment that the bells were there to remind the Kohen Godol of the need for humility in his actions. The clanging of the bells as he entered was a method of asking for permission before entering the House of Hashem.
The emphasis on humility seems to contradict the image of the Kohen Godol’s clothing displaying a sense of impressive royalty. However, there is no contradiction. What provides the Jews with a royal status? Simply their sense of humility and awe in the presence of the Holy One. It was, in fact, because of this humility that Hashem chose the Jews from among all of the other nations of the world to fulfill the royal position of the Chosen People.
The Artscroll Stone Chumash provides an added dimension to the Me’il and its bells (page 471):
…Its [the Me’il] color caused people to reflect on the sea that stays within its bounds and the heavenly bodies that never diverge from their assigned orbits and tasks. Man, therefore, should surely learn from them and not stray from from his role as a creature who must keep his power of speech pure and holy. (Artscroll Stone Chumash citing Kli Yakar) The bells that were attached to its hem rang whenever the Kohen Godol walked (Artscroll Stone Chumash citing Sefer Shemos, Perek 28, posuk 35) reminded listeners that some kinds of speech should never be heard.
The question is, are Israeli politicians and Jewish politicians throughout the world imperiling our royal status by their words, as well as their actions, or lack thereof?
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them, that the thrice expelled families of Amona be restored to their rebuilt homes, and the oft-destroyed Yeshiva buildings be rebuilt at total government expense; all due to alt-leftist-agendized, supreme court legalized Yassamnik gunpoint. Baruch Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard is now free of his parole and restrictions and that he is now in his second year at home in Eretz Yisrael. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her memory continue to lift Jonathan to at least 120 years. May the MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem — as with the return in April, 2019, via Russia, of the remains of Zachariah Baumel, as should the remains of the two chayalim from the Gaza War of seven years ago. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and prevent Chas V’Challila the handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. And may we soon and finally see the total end to the Communist Chinese corona virus pandemic and all like viruses and variants. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nei Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem Al’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bimhayrah b’yamainu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
Good Shabbos!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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