Parashas Tzav

This week’s parashah discusses the Laws of the Korbanos. It Begins with Hashem telling Moshe צַו אֶת אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת בָּנָיו לֵאמֹר זֹאת תּוֹרַת הָעֹלָה הִוא הָעֹלָה..., Command Aharon and his sons saying: This is the teaching of the Olah-offering, this is the Olah-offering…

Rashi explains that the term tzav, command, implies that they were being encouraged or urged, immediately and for generations to come.

What was so important about this particular command that made it imperative for them to be so impelled? Furthermore, why the redundancy; why not just say This is the teaching of the Olah and go straight into conveying the laws?

Rashi explains that since the meat of the Olah-offering was completely burned – unlike other korbanos where the kohen generally gets a portion to eat – the kohanim needed to be cautioned to treat the Olah with alacrity.

Perhaps there is another lesson as well. One being taught to the Kohanim and to all generations.

The kohen was involved with many sacrifices each day. After awhile, any korban might come to be viewed as “just another offering.”

The Torah here is telling us: This is the teaching of the Olah-offering. This is THE Olah-offering – definitively. This one is IT. Don't lose sight just because you deal with many offering. Each one must be treated like it is the one and only offering. Perhaps this is the offering that will tip the scales for the entire world (see Rambam, Hil. Teshuvah 3:4).

This is a lesson not just for Kohanim, but l’doros, for all generations: No matter how much we have done, how many mitzvos, how many blatt gemara we have learned, how many acts of chessed we have done, this is THE olah, this next mitzvah must be treated as if it is the only one.

May we yet merit to bring the Olah-offerings and the Pesach-offering in the Beis haMikdash this year.

Gut Shabbos.

Parashas Vayikra

"Vayikra" the first word of this week's parashah, is written with a diminutive aleph.

Rashi tells us that "vayikra," "and he called," is a term that reflects affection. Each time Hashem addressed Moshe, he first “called” to him with love.

On the other hand, the word "vayikar," "and he chanced upon" - the word used when Hashem speaks to the non-Jewish prophets - reflects an impersonal, cold, functional interchange.

Moshe did not want to flaunt the special relationship he enjoyed with Hashem, and would have preferred to hide it by writing "vayikar." However, Hashem had commanded that word in the Torah be "vaykira." Hence, the "compromise" of the small aleph.

In a similar vein, in last week's parashah, we are told that Moshe carried out his charge of assembling the Mishkan. At each step we are told that he did so "as Hashem commanded Moshe" – not, as would be expected, “as Hashem commanded him.”

Moshe discharged his duties to the nth degree, but he did so with no ego; it was not "as Hashem commanded 'him'," – because Hashem had spoken with him – but "as Hashem commanded Moshe," – because Hashem had spoken, and Moshe took no pride in his status.

In each person's life, there are times he (or her) is called upon to play a role: to lead, to teach, to accomplish.

These parshiyos remind us that though Hashem may have called us and commanded us with love and in His grace to do what needs to be done, it should never be about us.

To the extent that we lessen our focus on ourselves, we will surely be granted greater success in fulfilling Hashem's Will. And that’s what it’s all about.

Gut Shabbos.

Vayakhel-Pekudei

Parashas Pekudei begins with the phrase אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת..., these are the accountings of the Mishkan, the Mishkan of Testimony….

Rashi explained that the Mishkan, as the “dwelling” for the Shechinah, bears testimony to the world that Hashem overlooked the Jewish Nation’s sin of making the Eigel, the Golden Calf.

The truth of the matter is that the Mishkan’s construction was outlined in the previous parashah. Its final assembly is first outlined at the end of this parashah. Why does the Torah choose this point in the naarative to mention that Hashem rested his spirit among the Jewish Nation?

Perhaps the lesson is this: The beginning of Parashas Pekudei consists of a detailed accounting of the materials donated for the Mishkan’s construction, highlighting the absolute integrity of Moshe and those who together with him collected the contributions and constructed the Mishkan.

To bring the Shechinah to rest in the Mishkan, it wasn’t enough that, as detailed in Parashas Vayakhel, everything was built perfectly to specification. The Mishkan also had to be built with total integrity.

Only as the Torah describes the meticulous honesty of all involved does it become apparent that the Divine Presence would make its home in Mishkan, and that it would bear witness to all that Hashem had overlooked the sin of the Eigel.

May we all merit to live our lives with integrity, and to bring a greater measure of Hashem’s Presence into this world.

Gut Shabbos.

Ki Sisa

In this week' s parashah, we are told the requirement for everyone to contribute a half-shekel towards the census. Everyone was commanded to give the same amount -- "the wealthy man should not add, and the poor man shall not deduct from the half-shekel... to atone for your soul."

Purim highlights for us the power of a single person to change to course of history. Whether it be the Haman who could have succeeded in annihilating an entire nation, Achashveirosh, who encouraged the genocide, Mordechai who was steadfastly committed to what was right and who turned around the nation, or Esther, who risked her life to achieve the turnabout.

But there is more.

Following the Megillah reading on Purim, we say (based on Meseches Soferim 14:6, Yerushalmi Megillah 3:7), "Cursed is Haman...blessed is Mordechai...cursed is Zeresh...blessed is Esther...and Charvonah, too, is to remembered positively."

Haman, Mordechai, Zeresh, Esther -- they are the stars of the show. But what did Charvonah do?

When Achashveirosh was incensed at Haman and decided to kill him, Charvonah is the one who informed Achashveirosh of the gallows Haman had erected. In fact, according the the gemara (Megillah 16a), Charvonah had actually been in on the plot to hang Mordechai, so now he was trying to ingratiate himself with the King and Queen.

So for that 1-line bit-part Charvonah gets honorable mention alongside the big boys?

Machtzis Hashekel teaches us that the wealthy man and the poor man are -- in a sense -- equal. Every individual has something to contribute, everybody a role to play.

Some may have starring roles. Others are walk-ons. None are extras.

Even if we see that others have more talents and abilities and knowledge than us, we still have our equally important half-shekel to give. If we give it, we are up there with them, if we are discouraged and don't, we have failed.

Charvonah played his part. His small piece made the puzzle complete. He gets mention alongside the larger players.

May we be granted the wisdom and the ability to recognize and undertake our roles in this world, and change it for the better.

Gut Shabbos.

Purim

Throughout the Torah, we find that it is always better for a person to do a mitzvah himself, rather than through a messenger.

There is one exception to this rule, and that is the mitzvah of Mishloach Manos, sending gifts to others on Purim. Not only it is preferable to send it with a messenger, some opinions maintain that you may not fulfill the mitzvah if you deliver it yourself.

Rabbi Moshe Goldberger recently suggested a beautiful insight into why this is so.

The miracle of Purim occurred through hester Panim, with God remaining “behind the scenes.” It was a miracle, but the events seemed to transpire naturally; God's Hand was hidden.

A primary lesson of Purim is that whatever happens to us is also from Hashem. The person harming us, offending us, damaging us or helping us is not really the one impacting us, he is just a messenger of Hashem.

Mishloach Manos is meant to reinforce this message. We send it with a messenger – he is the one delivering the package, but he is not the giver of the gift.

May we always be blessed as the beneficiaries of Hashem’s kindness – and may we always recognize His Hand and thank Him for all He does for us.

A Freilichen Purim

Parashas Tetzaveh

In these week's parashah, we are taught how the individual kohanim were inaugurated into their role as servants in the Mishkan and Beis HaMikdash.

As part of that process, they would bring korbanos, and some of the blood would be placed on the kohen's ear, the thumb of his right hand and the thumb of his right foot.

It would seem that the message is that when one dedicates himself to be a Servant of Hashem, he must commits himself to listen - represented by the ear - to study and understand his obligations; to act - represented by the hand - to do what is required of him; and to avoid - represented by the foot - to stay or go away from anything that is inappropriate.

Interestingly, we find that a metzorah undergoes the identical procedure during his purification process. Tzaraas, we are taught, is not immediately brought upon a person. First it strikes his home, then his clothing. If he still does not get the message and change his ways, then his body becomes afflicted by tzaraas.

As this person becomes purified, we send him the message: learn your responsibilities, act properly, and avoid inappropriate situations.

It is also possible that the Kohen must undergo the same process as the Metzorah because it is a kohen who purifies the Metzorah. To ensure that the kohen treats the Metzorah with dignity and sympathy, we have the kohen undergo a similar procedure. Having been on the receiving end, he is in a better position to understand the Metzorah's feelings, and he will be far more effective in inspiring the Metzorah to do a full teshuvah and live a proper life.

May we all use all of faculties properly and dedicate them to serving Hashem.

Gut Shabbos
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