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Surf A Little Torah PARASHAT TETZAVEH by Rav David Silverberg
Our weekly Torah reading currently focuses on the construction of the structure and components of the mishkan, the prelude, if you will, to the Bet Ha-mikdash. God's opening command in this regard, found in the introductory verses to Parashat Teruma, indicates that materials for this project were donated on a volunteer basis: "You shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart so moves him" (25:2). Later, however, we find one component of the mishkan funded by a mandatory tax. The silver ground-sockets, into which the planks of the mishkan were fastened, were fashioned by the half-shekel tax levied upon each individual among Benei Yisrael (see end of chapter 38). It has been suggested that this dichotomy between volunteerism and mandatory contribution reflects a similar balance required with regard to mitzva observance as a whole. On the one hand, we must perform the commandments out of a keen sense of obligation, recognizing God as the ultimate Authority and His commands as binding. Concurrently, however, our desire to serve the Almighty must bring us beyond the feeling of burden and encumbrance; the Torah calls upon us to invest our individual energies and talents to finding our own, unique direction in pursuing a relationship with the Creator. At this point, this dvar Torah can proceed in one of two ways. It can either emphasize the need for creativity and individuality in avodat Hashem, to strive beyond the strict letter of the law, or stress the importance of maintaining basic standards of religious observance before pursuing loftier goals. In the view of this writer, in today's day and age specifically the latter point requires emphasis. Contemporary perception of religion focuses very heavily - if not exclusively - on individual religious expression, the right and freedom of every person to chart his own path of spirituality. While the Torah undoubtedly encourages religious volunteerism and individuality, the "sockets" - the foundation and cornerstone of Torah life - are made from a sense of obligation. Searching for individual expression in Judaism before ensuring complete observance of halakha resembles a husband making a point to buy his wife flowers every week but neglecting to clean up after himself at home. The maintenance of basic standards of commitment in any relationship must precede any additional expressions of loyalty; the ordinary must come before the extraordinary. Without the sockets, fashioned by the mandatory half-shekels, the philanthropically-fashioned mishkan would collapse. Similarly, a practice of Judaism consisting of only volunteer worship and bereft of subjugation to the strictures of the Torah is bound to disintegrate. For one who serves God only in the manner in which he himself decides is, in effect, serving only himself. **I*** Yesterday, we noted the dual nature of Benei Yisrael's participation in the construction of the mishkan. While most of the raw materials were supplied by voluntary contributions, the ground-sockets that formed the base of the Tabernacle were fashioned from the mandatory half-shekel tax levied upon the entire nation. We noted that both these elements must characterize one's Torah observance: individual expression and volunteerism on the one hand, but a sense of duty and obligation on the other. Some have added in this context that the sages who divided the Torah into its parshiyot and entitled them accordingly had precisely this point in mind. The two parshiyot that present the instructions concerning the mishkan are "Teruma" and "Tetzave." The word "teruma" means voluntary donation, referring to the generous contribution of materials for the mishkan made by Benei Yisrael. This parasha is then followed by "Tetzave," which means, "You shall command," highlighting the obligatory nature of supplying materials for the mishkan. It is also worth noting the context in which this transition occurs: the oil used for lighting the menora. The "command" of which the opening verse of Parashat Tetzave speaks refers to the collection of pure oil from the people for the lighting of the menora. As some have noted, this itself sets Parashat Tetzave far apart from Teruma. Parashat Teruma opens with the request for voluntary donations of "gold, silver copper; blue, purple crimson yarns, fine linen, goats' hair, tanned ram skins, 'techashim' skins and acacia wood." Virtually all these materials are highly priced commodities. Before asking for donations of "oil and spices," the solicitation campaign begins specifically with the expensive materials. (It should be noted, however, that the most valuable items - the precious stones - are, for some reason, reserved for last in that list in Parashat Teruma.) The "commandment" of Parashat Tetzave, by contrast, refers to the relatively inexpensive commodity of oil. (Recall the impoverished woman who pleaded with Elisha in Melakhim II 4, whose final possession in her home was oil.) This perhaps teaches us important lessons regarding both religious volunteerism and obligation. Even the considerable sacrifices we make for Torah and mitzvot should be made with a sense of "teruma," with the gratification and good feeling that accompanies voluntary, charitable contributions. At the other extreme, even the less demanding areas of Jewish observance require a feeling of obligation, that we observe these laws not only because of the good feeling they engender, but because God instructed us to do so - "Tetzave." ***** Parashat Tetzave opens with the instructions regarding the oil used for lighting the menora in the mishkan. The verse requires that this oil possess the quality of "katit," literally translated as "well-beaten," referring to the thorough processing necessary to ensure the highest standards of purity of the oil. Rashi, citing Chazal, comments that a distinction exists in this regard between two purposes oil served in the mishkan: lighting the menora and frying the "menachot" - meal offerings. While the menora oil, as stated, required this high-quality oil, a lower standard of purity was acceptable for the "menachot." In an edition of "S.A.L.T." last year, we presented the analysis of the "Avnei Nezer" explaining this distinction. He suggested that the menora represents the light of the Torah, which is pure and pristine. The meal-offerings, most of which are consumed by the kohanim, symbolize one's livelihood. The Avnei Nezer thus explained that whereas the "light" - the spiritual guidance of the Torah - is pure and unadulterated, our day-to-day lives often bring us to situations of religious challenge. We must, however, conduct ourselves in this imperfect world guided by the perfect light of the Torah. This year, we add to this approach a similar idea posited by the Chatam Sofer. He, too, employs the popular associations between the menora and Torah, and the "menachot" with livelihood. Only he develops the relevance of "katit" in this regard somewhat differently. The fact that only the oil used for the menora must be "well-beaten" teaches us to "beat" ourselves, or wear ourselves down, only in our involvement in Torah. When dealing with "menachot," on the other hand, when we go about our mundane affairs, we should, as much as possible, minimize the level of "katit" - of physical and mental exertion. In a similar vein, the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Amital shlit"a, has often noted the unique importance of the mitzva of Torah study nowadays, when academic and professional degrees have become commonplace in the Jewish community. One who invests intellectual effort into any given field, argues Rav Amital, must at very least match that level of exertion in the area of Torah learning. One cannot "beat" himself in one area of life while staying relaxed when it comes to religious academic achievement. As demanding as one's professional life is, he must alwremember to afford Torah and mitzvot the highest priority. ***** The end of Parashat Tetzave introduces us to the "mizbach ha-ketoret," the incense altar, upon which the kohen would offer incense twice daily. One unique quality of the incense offering emerges from the Gemara in Masekhet Keritut (6b): "Any fast day which does not include any sinners from among Yisrael is not a [legitimate] fast day; for galbanum ['chelbena' in Hebrew] has a putrid odor, but yet the Scripture included it as one of the ingredients of the ketoret." In other words, the incense used in the Mikdash consisted of fragrant spices as well as the foul-smelling galbanum, which itself acquired a pleasant aroma when combined with the other spices of the ketoret. The Gemara derives from this composition of the incense a similar phenomenon in the social, religious makeup of the Jewish people: when the wicked and righteous join together, the latter can positively impact upon the former to produce a single, "fragrant" community. However, as Rav Meir Simcha Ha-kohen of Dvinsk notes, this blend can occur only when a genuine sense of unity prevails among Benei Yisrael. The influence of the righteous upon the iniquitous can take effect only when true brotherhood is felt between the different segments of the population. In light of this thesis, Rav Meir Simcha, in his work "Meshekh Chokhma," offers an enlightening interpretation of a verse towards the beginning of Yeshayahu. In a prophecy well known for its annual reading on "Shabbat Chazon" (the Shabbat immediately preceding Tisha B'Av), Yeshayahu laments in the name of the Almighty, "Bring no more vain meal-offerings, incense is offensive to Me" (Yeshayahu 1:13). The general context of these verses clearly reveals that this prophecy reprimands the people for devotedly conducting the Temple service while violating basic standards of ethical conduct. Rav Meir Simcha explains that for this reason the prophet singles out specifically the incense, calling it "an abomination." Whereas the nation was not unified, but rather engaged in petty bickering and discord, the goal of the ketoret has not been realized. The less righteous elements of society, symbolized by the galbanum, cannot be transformed by the pious citizens so long as disunity abounds. As a result, the incense in the Temple becomes an abomination: the foul-odor of the galbanum is not affected by the aroma of the fragrant spices. For the same reason, the Meshekh Chokhma writes, the prophet includes the meal-offering in his condemnation. The halakha states that whereas generally two or more people can offer a joint sacrifice, no such possibility exists with regard to the meal-offering. Only a single individual can bring such an offering. However, there does exist a concept of a communal meal-offering, one brought on behalf of the nation at large. The efficacy of such an offering, however, depends upon the nation constituting a single entity, rendering the offering an individual sacrifice rather than that of a group. Hence, claims Rav Meir Simcha, during the time of Yeshayahu, when people mistreated one another, the prophet accurately considered their meal-offerings "vain." Their disunity transformed their meal-offering from that of a single entity to one brought by a disjointed group of individuals, rendering it invalid and unfit for the altar. May our fragmented generation soon learn the lessons of the ketoret and meal-offerings, so that we may earn the privilege of bringing these sacrifices together in the rebuilt Bet Ha-mikdash. ***** Yesterday, we noted the quality of the "ketoret" - the incense offering, introduced towards the end of Parashat Tetzave - that it combines fragrant spices with the foul-smelling "chelbena" - galbanum. The mixture transforms even the foul odor of the "chelbena" into a pleasant aroma. Chazal derive from here the concept that in prayer, the entire Jewish nation - righteous and iniquitous alike - must come together in unity and harmony, so that the qualities of the pious can impact upon the others. Am Yisrael in its entirety thus transforms into a single, "fragrant" nation. This lesson of the ketoret may well relate to its dominant theme, that of the protective cloud it generates in the mishkan/Mikdash. (For a complete development of this idea, see Rabbi Leibtag's shiur on Parashat Tetzave at the Tanakh Study Center.) The incense-altar was situated in the "kodesh," the chamber in between the interior, hidden area of the "kodesh kodashim" ("holy of holies") and the "chatzer," the outdoor courtyard. The cloud emanating from the incense's placement on the coals atop the altar served as a "buffer," if you will, a protective shield guarding the people standing outside in the courtyard from the revelation of the Shekhina inside the inner chamber. The people weren't worthy of direct exposure to divine revelation; they beheld God's presence only through the shield generated by the ketoret. In light of yesterday's discussion, we may reformulate this principle as follows: Benei Yisrael can survive exposure to God's revelation only through the joining together of the various elements of the population. The ketoret, the merging of the different sectors of the Jewish people, protects the nation from the potential divine wrath resulting from God's revelation. Individually, one cannot hope to emerge meritorious from divine judgment, the natural outcome of revelation; only the nation as a whole, through the collective merits of its individual components, can withstand the Shekhina. Indeed, this theme is a dominant one in the Yamim Nora'im, particularly on Yom Kippur, the day of revelation. No single Jew can claim sufficient worthiness to stand before the Creator in judgment. We do so only by identifying wholeheartedly with the entirety of the Jewish nation, affording us the merits of one another as well as the national merits of our patriarchs. The inverse relationship between Yom Kippur and Purim is well documented in Jewish homiletics ("Yom Ki'purim"). Purim, too, was a critical day of judgment, when the future of the Jewish people was at stake. The same Jews of Persia who had been "scattered and dispersed," disjointed and fragmented, now "gathered in their cities," joining forces and working together for a common cause. Only through this unity did they successfully defeat their enemies and triumphantly survive this frightening day of judgment. Appropriately, we commemorate this victory of unity by sending gifts to one another and making charitable donations to the poor. On this day, like on Yom Kippur, all social barriers come tumbling down. We stand as one, unified nation, working harmoniously with one another to overcome the challenges confronting us. "In those days, and in these times," we can overcome the threat posed by our enemies only through unity - not only in government, but at every level of social interaction. ***** The source of Ta'anit Ester is somewhat obscure, a quality almost necessarily following from the fact that it merits no explicit mention in the Gemara. Today we will look at three general approaches regarding the underlying reason for this fast. The most common explanation views this fast as commemorative of a fast conducted during the time of Mordekhai and Ester. But even within this general position we find two conflicting views. Rabbenu Tam, cited by the Rosh and Ran towards the beginning of Masekhet Megilla, claims that this fast, which we observe on the thirteenth of Adar (the day immediately preceding Purim), commemorates the fast conducted on that same day in Ester's time. Although the Megilla makes no reference to such a fast, Rabbenu Tam presumes that the Jews in Ester's time fasted on the thirteenth as on that day they waged war against their intended executioners. As wartime warrants fasting and prayer, it stands to reason that the Jews engaged in just that on the fateful day of the thirteenth of Adar. 1) The Rambam (Hilkhot Ta'anit 5:5), by contrast, views this fast as recalling the fast observed "during the days of Haman," an apparent reference to the three-day faconducted in Shushan after the issuance of Haman's decree. The Rambam cites a textual reference from Megilat Ester to this fast (Ester 9:31), and considerable controversy exists as to the Rambam's intention in citing a verse. The Bach argues that in the Rambam's view, Ta'anit Ester attains the status of a full-fledged fast ordained by the Tanakh, as opposed to the conventional understanding that this fast is obligatory only by force of widespread custom. Consequently, contends the Bach, in the view of the Rambam Ta'anit Ester would not feature the leniency mentioned in the Shulchan Arukh (Rema, O.C. 686:2) concerning those feeling under the weather. The Arukh Ha-shulchan, however, strongly disputes this analysis of the Bach, insisting that even according to the Rambam, Ta'anit Ester has no stronger status than that of widespread custom. 2) Rav Yosef Karo, author of the Shulchan Arukh, composed a work called "Maggid Meisharim," in which he records the teachings revealed to him by a "maggid" (precise definition unknown, at least to me; apparently some kind of angelic being). According to this "maggid," this fast was instituted out of concern for inappropriate conduct that may result from the celebrations on Purim. A solemn fast day prior to the festivities helps guard one from sin on Purim day itself. 3) In a contemporary work of responsa entitled "Shut Shevet Hakehati," the author cites a fascinating approach to the fast posited by Kabbalistic thought. The Kabbalists maintained that Haman's decree was not entirely annulled; the Jews escaped it only in that generation. Future catastrophes that befell the Jewish people constitute, according to this view, a partial fulfillment of Haman's decree of annihilation. [The Kabbalists pointed specifically to the deadly Chmelnitzki uprising in 5408-9 as a fulfillment of Haman's edict.] We therefore observe a day of fasting and prayer to beg for the final elimination of Haman's plot against us. ***** Yesterday's "S.A.L.T." concluded with an intriguing approach to Ta'anit Ester based on the teachings of Kabbalah. According to this view, the Jews escaped Haman's deadly decree only for that generation alone. Persecution against the Jewish people in subsequent generations is perceived as the partial, ongoing fulfillment of Haman's edict. It is likely that even Kabbalistic scholarship has roots in the "revealed" Torah, such that even those of us untrained in the wisdom of Kabbalah may gain deeper insight into some - if only just a small handful - of its teachings. This particular insight may provide us with just an opportunity. One view in Chazal attributes Haman's decree to the Jews' having partook of Achashverosh's feast, a sin commonly understood as referring to assimilation. In fact, this Midrash does not criticize the Jews' consumption of non-kosher food at the royal banquet, but rather their having "benefited" ("nehenu") from the meal. In other words, they saw themselves as fully integrated into Persian society and culture. God therefore summoned Haman to remind the Jewish people that their "laws are different from those of any other people and they do not obey the king's laws" (Ester 3:8). While Benei Yisrael figured they could avoid persecution specifically through assimilation, Haman felt otherwise: "it is not in Your Majesty's interest to tolerate them" (ibid.). Although the Jews' repentance yielded them salvation from Haman's plans, the ongoing, tragic pattern of assimilation-persecution that has blood-stained Jewish history demonstrates the incomplete inculcation of this message. Apparently, the lesson of Shushan did not sufficiently survive the transfer of generations; Haman's decree remains. We therefore fast each year before Purim, beseeching the Almighty to spare us the deadly results of Jewish assimilation. Purim celebrates Benei Yisrael's victory over the threats posed by assimilation. Ta'anit Ester reminds us, however, that this victory has yet to be completed. David Silverberg
This shiur is provided courtesy of the Virtual Beit Midrash, the premier source of online courses on Torah and Judaism - 14 different courses on all levels, for all backgrounds. Make Jewish learning partof your week on a regular basis - enroll in the (c) YeshivHar EtzioAll rights reserved to Yeshivat Har Etzion Yeshivat Har Et
This shiur is provided courtesy of the Virtual Beit Midrash, the premier source of online courses on Torah and Judaism 14 different courses on all levels, for all backgrounds. MakeJewish learning partof your week on a regular basis - enroll in the (c) YeshivHar EtzioAll rights reserved to Yeshivat Har Etzion Yeshivat Har Et | ||||||||||||||||||||