* TORAH WEEKLY * Highlights of the Weekly Torah Portion and Haftorah. Plus Ani Ma'amin - The Rambam's 13 Principles of Faith. Parshas Tetzaveh For the week ending 11 Adar Rishon 5755 10 & 11 February 1995 =========================================================================== This issue is dedicated in loving memory of Rav Azriel Levin z"l by his family in Yerushalayim =========================================================================== Summary Hashem tells Moshe to command the Jewish People to supply pure olive oil for the Menorah in the Mishkan (Tent of Meeting). He also tells Moshe to organize the making of the Bigdei Kehuna (priestly garments): A breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a checkered tunic, a turban, a sash, a forehead-plate, and linen trousers. Upon their completion, Moshe is to perform a ceremony for seven days to consecrate Aaron and his sons. This includes offering sacrifices, dressing Aaron and his sons in their respective garments, and anointing Aaron with oil. Hashem commands that every morning and afternoon a sheep be offered on the Altar in the Mishkan. This offering should be accompanied by a meal-offering, and libations of wine and oil. Hashem commands that an Altar for incense should be built from acacia wood, and covered with gold. Aaron and his descendants should burn incense on this Altar every day. =========================================================================== Commentaries "And you shall take pure pressed olive oil for illumination" (27:20). The Jewish People are like the olive: Just as the olive only yields its oil after it has been crushed and squeezed, so Yisrael reveals its true stature only after suffering oppression. The Jewish People are like oil: Just as oil cannot mix with any other liquid, but rather floats above it, so too Yisrael rises above the nations and does not become assimilated in them. And most remarkably, despite being persecuted and subjected to the most severe ordeals, the Jewish People always rise above their oppressors and remain distinct from them. (Tzror Hamor) "...to kindle the lamp eternally" (27:20). When describing the mitzvah to kindle the Menorah in the Beis Hamikdash every day, the Torah uses an unusual expression: Instead of the word to light _ l'hadlik, The Torah says _ l'haalos, which means literally "to cause to rise up". Rashi explains that this is to teach us that the Kohen had to hold the taper to the wick of the Menorah's lamps until the flame of the lamp was burning by itself. The Torah is likened to light _ "A mitzvah is a lamp, and the Torah -- light." Just as with the Menorah, where the taper had to be held in place until the wicks were burning by themselves, so similarly, when teaching Torah to our talmidim, we must expend the time and attention to kindle in them a fiery enthusiasm until they themselves are `ablaze'. "This is what you shall offer upon the Altar: two sheep within their first year every day (lit. `to the day'), continually" (29:38). There are times in one's life when everything seems to be bathed in the rosy glow of the morning sun _ life is full of promise and optimism. There are times, too, when the future seems cloudy and obscure, when darkness and the uncertainty of night loom ominously. In the above verse, which describes the mitzvah of the daily offering, The Torah employs an unusual grammatical construction. Instead of saying B'Yom _ in the day, it chooses to say L'Yom _ to the day. From this anomaly, we learn that the shechita of the daily offering was to be done in direct sunlight _ the morning offering in the western part of the courtyard, so that the eastern wall should not block the rays of the rising sun; the afternoon offering in the eastern part of the courtyard, so that the western wall should not obstruct the rays of the setting sun. In our era, we no longer have the closeness to Hashem that results from the service of the Beis Hamikdash. However, in its place, we have the service of the heart _ prayer. Whichever light is shining into our lives, whether the optimistic rays of the rising sun, or the faltering evening twilight, we must take that light and illuminate our hearts to serve Hashem. (Heard from Rabbi Mordechai Perlman) Haftorah: Yechezkel 43:10-27 "Tell the House of Yisrael of the Beis Hamikdash and they will be ashamed of their sins" (43:10). Yechezkel's vision of the Third Beis Hamikdash, the ultimate incarnation of the Mishkan, is the subject of this week's Haftorah. Hashem says to Yechezkel: "Tell the House of Yisrael of the Beis Hamikdash" _ that you have already seen the Third Beis Hamikdash which will exist in the future, ready and finished down to its finest detail. Tell them that it is only their sins that are preventing the revelation of Hashem's House. Tell Yisrael what you have seen "and they will be ashamed of their sins" and return to Me. (Malbim) =========================================================================== Ani Ma'amin The Rambam's 13 principles of faith Principle #12: "I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Mashiach, and even though he may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come." o Who could expect an elderly couple like Avraham and Sarah to have a son? o Who could expect that Yaakov, who crossed the Jordan with no more than his staff in his possession, would become a wealthy man? o Who could expect that Yosef, who experienced so many troubles, would become a ruler? o Who could expect that Moshe, who was abandoned in the river, would develop into what he was? o Who could expect that Ruth, who was a convert, would be the mother of royalty in Israel? o Who could expect that David (the victim of so much persecution) would be king until the end of all generations? o Who could expect that Hashem would save Jewry in the days of Haman? o Who could expect that Yehoyachin would go free from prison? o Who could expect that Chananya, Mishael and Azarya would come out of the fiery furnace? o Who could expect that Hashem would restore the "fallen Succah of David" -- the Beis Hamikdash? Midrash Parshas Vayigash The history of our people is filled with so many wondrous events that we have no cause to wonder how we, in our present situation, can expect that in the days of Mashiach Hashem will gather in the exiles, rebuild the Beis Hamikdash and bless Israel with such extraordinary wealth that the boundaries of Jerusalem will be marked not with rocks but with gems and pearls. Chafetz Chaim, Machane Yisrael, Sha'ar Acharon, Perek 2 =========================================================================== Where do YOU find TW* ? Rick Turkel (rturkel@freenet.columbus.oh.us) writes: "I just thought I'd write and let you know how much your TW is appreciated. I get a copy via Internet subscription, and then give a copy of it to my rabbi, and also to two other friends who have not yet made it online. I've got them trained to the point where, if they haven't gotten their weekly fix by Wednesday, I get inquiries after my health. Keep up the good work!" 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