Shalom Friends;
This week, our Parshat HaShevua, Parshat Tetzaveh is dedicated Lilui Nishmas for the Ninth Yahrtzeit of My Father: Me’ir HaKohen ben Shabtai HaKohen who was niftar on 9 Adar 5777. This vort also dedicated for the safety of the Chayalim, as well as for the good health and security of kol Am Yisrael.
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to subscribe by clicking on my email address below and, hopefully sponsor a Parshat HaShevua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, to subscribe 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)
Our Parshat Tetzaveh vort begins with the opening commentary of The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash (page 464) :
The Sidrah deals almost exclusively with the Kohanim: their selection, their vestments, and the inauguration service by means of which they and their offspring would become confirmed for all time as the special ministers of Hashem.
The Shem Mishmuel (Translated to English by Rabbi Zvi Belovski), Parshat Terumah cites R’ Shimon and follows with commentary (page 169) ;
Rabbi Shimon said: “These are the three crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of Kehunah and the crown of Malchut. But the crown of a good name is greater than them all.” [Shem Mishmuel citing Pirkei Avos 4:17]
Three of the primary objects in the holiest part of the [Mishkan, and later the] Beit HaMikdash had crowns, that is, golden rims decorating them: the Ark of the Covenant [the Aron HaKodesh], the Golden Table [the Shulchan], and the Golden Altar [the Mizbeiyah] had rims, but the Menorah did not.
The Aron HaKodesh, which contained the two tablets [the Aseret HaDivrot] given by Hashem to Moshe… corresponds to the crown of Torah [Shem Mishmuel citing Rashi on Sefer Shemos, Perek 25, posuk 11], the Mizbeiyach on which the Kohanim offered the incense corresponds to the crown of Kehunah [Shem Mishmuel citing Rashi on Sefer Shemos, Perek 30, posuk 3] and the Shulchan, on which the special bread was placed corresponds to the crown of Malchus [Shem Mishmuel citing Rashi on Sefer Shemos, Perek 24 — All three of these sources are based on Yoma 72b]
The Midrash [Shem Mishmuel citing Bamidbar Rabbah 14:9] tells… that the Menorah which had no crown corresponds to the crown of a good name.
This vort will discuss the Kohanim, the Kohen Gadol, their respective vestments and functions in the Mishkan, and later, the Beit HaMikdash. Rabbi Hershel Reichman provides commentary in his Sefer, “Living the Chassidic Legacy, Lessons Based on Shem Mishmuel” (pages 283 – 287) :
The Parsha deals with the bigdei Kehunah, the clothing that the Kohanim wore in the Mishkan, and later in the Beit HaMikdash. There were two sets of bigdei Kehunah. The first is called bigdei lavan, clothing worn by the regular Kohanim. The second is called bigdei zahav, including the golden components and worn only by the Kohen Gadol. Actually, the Kohen Gadol would normally wear both sets. He would wear the four white clothes, and on top of them he would wear an additional four articles of clothing, the bigdei zahav.
The four kinds of clothing worn by [both] the regular Kohen [and the Kohen Gadol] are pants, a shirt, a belt, and a turban…
In contrast, the bigdei zahav was more elaborate. On his forehead, the Kohen Gadol wore a tzitz — a gold plate with strings to fit onto his head. He also wore the me’il — a long cloak, the eiphod — an elaborate apron, and the choshen — a breastplate that held twelve precious stones. The Gemara [Rabbi Reichman citing Zevachim 88b] explains that these two sets of clothing functioned… providing atonement for the Jews for various sins.
The four bigdei lavan are associated with the four letters of G’d’s name of Havaya, while the four bigdei zahav are associated with G’d’s name of Adnus. Each of these names has four letters. The Zohar sees a connection between the two sets of four in both the letters of the two names and the two sets of four garments worn [the bigdei lavan by the regular Kohen and both the bigdei lavan and bigdei zahav by the Kohen Gadol].
…The meaning of this connection [between the respective bigadim and both of G’d’s names is that] these two names represent two different middos: chesed and din. These are the two pillars of Hashem’s creation and how He interacts with the world. In Chassidus and Kabbalah, chessed represents expansion. …Kindness involves reaching out to others and giving. Din, on the other hand, represents a movement of contraction, limitations and definition. In the system of justice, rules are well-defined.
Havaya is the name of chesed and expansion. This represents the limitless nature of G’d’s being and the infinite goodness and giving of His existence.
Adnus, by contrast, connotes contraction, law and limitations. In order for this world to function properly, G’d made nature and its rules, such as gravity, electricity, DNA structures, etc. The moral laws, the laws of Torah that Hashem has promulgated for humanity, are another set of important limitations. Any law that G’d places in the world comes from the root of din.
The very purpose of creation is for us to become more G’d-like, in our human way. We, therefore, have two sides to our personalities — chessed and din.
In Chassidus and Kabalah, chesed and din are represented by different colors. The color white [signifying Havaya] represents chessed, expansion. It has no special agenda. On a white background, any other color will appear with its integrity. Chesed is openness, giving, opportunity and expansion. The several colors of zahav – gold, yellow and red represent din [signified by Adnus]. Taking blood, for example, is a very strong judgement..
The two sets of clothing that the [Kohen Gadol or the] Kohanim wore, says the Zohar, represent the two middot.
The while garments of the Kohanim represent chesed [Havaya], and the golden clothing [worn on top of the white clothing] of the Kohen Gadol [Adnus] represent din.
[The white clothes worn by both the Kohanim and the Kohen Gadol] reflect good chesed, goodness and giving. The Kohen Gadol should be glowing with holy goodness. The Kohen Gadol adds four garments of gold on top of his own white clothing. These golden garments atone for the sins of din, crimes of cruelty and domination.
As we learn about the white and gold clothing [respectively] of the Kohanim [and of the Kohen Gadol], we think of how important it is for us to be committed to Torah study, to learn the right balance between expansion and contraction, of chesed and din. The regular Kohen, dressed in white, was the model of chesed. The Kohen Gadol, dressed in white and gold, was the model of the combination of chesed and din. We pray this model will become a reality for all of us, for every Jew and for every human being in the world.
Rabbi Goldin adds these comments from his Sefer, “Unlocking the Torah Text” (pages 248-250) :
Moshe emerges from the Torah as forthright and uncompromising, a man whose worldview, according to the rabbis, is summed up in the maxim “Let the law cut through the mountain.” Blunt and honest almost to a fault, Moshe is a leader who pursues truth and justice at all costs.
Aaron, on the other hand, exemplifies a very different leadership model. He is, above all, a man of the people who “loves peace, pursues peace and creates peace between man and his friend.” Negotiation, compromise and flexibility are the tools of his trade as he pursues interpersonal harmony within the nation.
Which of these leadership models is correct? Obviously, both — depending upon the circumstances. There are times when a leader must be uncompromising in his pursuit of right. At other times, however, flexibility for the sake of harmony and accord is the order of the day. A true leader must learn to apply the proper approach to the appropriate time and circumstance.
In the generation following Moshe and Aaron, the leadership styles are reversed, clearly indicating that both styles are at times appropriate for both roles. By clearly highlighting the delicate balance that shapes the origin of… governance, Hashem challenges us to merge the varied attributes of leadership and establish a model that will succeed at all times.
Once again this year, just before Purim, it seems that there is a lack of kindness of thought and word regarding the separation of governmental powers having been perverted — when political, governmental leaders are indecisive before the will of an American president on such issues as the Gaza “rebuild and governance.” Military leaders of one persuasion rise to command positions and are chosen and granted entry to powerful governmental positions at the expense of those military leaders who hold differing positions, who are Yirat Hashem and possessing fresh, pure ideas and kindness toward the security of Am Yisrael and with love of Eretz Yisrael. And we see a deep state where Supreme Court justices are still chosen by corrupt legal groups and where the nation’s governed, as represented by members of Knesset and a Prime Minister, have no say in appointment of judges at any level of the judiciary. This lack of appropriate Judicial reform leaves us with what amounts to a Judicial dictatorship.
The question again is, are Israeli politicians, judiciary, and top military brass, and Jewish politicians throughout the world imperiling our royal status, and in fact our national security, by their words, as well as their actions, or lack thereof? Arrogance, hubris and misguided compassion for the cruel on the part of these leaders led to unpreparedness for the animalistic, barbarous cruelty of thousands of Hamas terrorists and their “innocent civilian” buddies in their 7 October invasion and their murder of 1,200 to 1,400 Jews and taking of hundreds of hostages into Gaza with one remaining deceased hostage yet to return home for his Jewish ritual burial..
Isn’t it time, as Shem Mishmuel cites in his sefer (Translated to English by Rabbi Zvi Belovski, page 177), for Teshuva — “Cry and pray before Me. and I will accept you” (Shem Mishmuel citing Shemos Rabbah 28:4) from an arrogant and self-agrandising No-Win high military command echelon and a modern-day bunch of leftist miraglim politicians and judiciary?
May our government and military bring about the total and complete, Final and Decisive victory over Hamas, their 7 October so-called “civilians(sic)” collaborators and the entire terror cabal, B’Yad Hashem, and become Totally self-sufficient as to manufacture of military equipment and aircraft, weaponry, munitions — heavy munitions, as well as showing independence of actions responding to any threat, regardless of so-called “super powers.”
May we see, from here on, that border guard personnel at all points of possible danger are listened to and treated with respect and dignity. May we see our Chayalim totally eradicate Hamas, Islamic Jihad, those so-called “civilians(sic)” who collaborated on 7 October, as well as Hezbollah, the Houthies, the Mullahs of Iran and all their terror accomplices B’Yad Hashem and mandated by a government secure in it’s foremost service of, and emunah in HaKadosh Borchu, B’Ezrat Hashem! And may we see the restoration of true unity within Am Yisrael. May these words come to fruition B’Esrat Hashem.
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently re-settled in Gush Katif, once the IDF, by the Yad Hashem, destructs and eradicates the wild beasts of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, all other terror entities, and if necessary Iran, and that our brethren 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 in Homesh be rebuilt, as well as the buildings of Yishuv Elchanan, all at total government expense. May our Chayalim return from battle unharmed — physically, mentally and spiritually and may all of the remaining hostages brutally taken by the wild beasts of Hamas be liberated and brought home to their families. Baruch Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard is now in his sixth year at home in Eretz Yisrael and continues in a new chapter in his life. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her spirit and 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, the recent recovery of the remains of Tzvi Feldman as well as the recoveries of the remains of Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin from the Gaza War of ten 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. 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.
Moshe is available for editing of English language documents, articles, manuscripts and more. Please be in contact with him at olehchadash@yahoo.com for your English language needs.
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