Parsha Q&A - Tetzaveh

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Parsha Q&A

Parshas Tetzaveh

For the week ending 9 Adar 5758; 6 & 7 March 1998
Contents:
  • Parsha Questions
  • What's Bothering Rashi?
  • I Did Not Know That!
  • Recommended Reading List
  • Answers to Parsha Questions
  • Answer to "What's Bothering Rashi?"
  • Back issues of Parsha Q&A
  • Subscription Information
  • Ohr Somayach Home Page
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    Parsha Questions

    Answers | Contents

    1. What two precautions were taken to assure purity of oil for the Menorah?
    2. How was Aharon commanded to kindle the Menorah?
    3. What does tamid mean in reference to the Menorah?
    4. What does Kehuna mean?
    5. Name the eight garments worn by the Kohen Gadol.
    6. To what does Rashi compare the ephod?
    7. In which order were the names of the Tribes inscribed on the ephod?
    8. The stones of the ephod bore the inscription of the names of the sons of Yaakov. Why?
    9. For what sins did the choshen mishpat atone?
    10. What are three meanings of the word mishpat?
    11. What was lacking in the bigdei kehuna in the second Beis Hamikdash?
    12. Which garment's fabric was woven of only one material?
    13. When the Kohen Gadol wore all his priestly garments, where on his head was the tefillin situated?
    14. What does the word tamid mean in reference to the tzitz? (two answers)
    15. Which garments were worn by a kohen hediot?
    16. During the inauguration of the kohanim, a bullock was brought as a sin offering. For what sin did this offering atone?
    17. Moshe was commanded to wash Aharon and his sons to prepare them to serve as kohanim (29:4). How were they washed?
    18. What was unique about the bull sin-offering brought during the inauguration of the kohanim?
    19. How did the oil used for the meal-offering differ from the oil used for the Menorah?
    20. What does the crown on the mizbach haketores symbolize?


    Rashi never just comments; something in the text always impels him to do so. Rashi’s comments are answers to unspoken questions and difficulties arising from a thoughtful reading of the Torah. Therefore, anyone who wants a true understanding of Rashi’s classic Torah commentary must always ask

    "What’s Bothering Rashi?"

    Concerning the Menorah in the Temple, the Torah says "Aharon and his sons shall arrange (ya'aroch) it from evening until morning.…" (Exodus 27:21)

    Rashi comments on "from evening until morning: "Give it its measure of oil which can burn from evening until morning. The Sages estimated this measure as half a lug for the long nights of Teves (December). The same measure applies for all nights, and it doesn't matter if oil is left over."

    This comment appears strange. Why does Rashi abandon the simple meaning of the verse, i.e., that the oil should burn from evening until morning?

    What's bothering Rashi? Answer

    I Did Not Know That!

    "Like the work of a stone craftsman, written clearly like the engraving on a signet ring, engrave the two stones on the names of the Children of Israel." (28:11)

    A signet ring's image is engraved backwards so that when it is pressed into wax to seal a document its impression will read forwards. But is it logical that the names of the Tribes would be written backwards on the breastplate?

    Maharil Diskin explains, therefore, that the names of the Tribes were indeed inscribed backwards - like a signet ring - but on the backs of the precious stones. The names were viewed by looking through the transparent stones. When viewed from the front, the names appeared forwards.

    Recommended Reading List

    Ramban
    28:2
    Royal Robes
    28:5
    Trustworthy Treasurers
    28:30
    Divine Communication Through "Urim V'Tumim"
    29:9
    Donning of the Kohen's Garments
    30:1
    The Incense Altar
    Malbim
    28:4
    Mystical Significance of the Garments

    Sefer Hacinuch
    98
    The Menorah Lights
    99
    Inspiration from Attire
    102
    Respect from Eating
    103
    Respect from Smelling

    Answers to this Week's Questions

    All references are to the verses and Rashi's commentary, unless otherwise stated

    1. 27:20 - The olives were pressed and not ground; and only the first drop was used.
    2. 27:20 - He was commanded to kindle it until the flame ascended by itself.
    3. 27:20 - It means that it should be kindled every night.
    4. 28:3 - Service.
    5. 28:4,36,42 - Choshen, ephod, me'il, kesones, mitznefes, avnet, tzitz, and michnasayim.
    6. 28:6 - A woman's riding garment.
    7. 28:10 - According to the order of their births.
    8. 28:12 - So that Hashem would see their names and recall their righteousness.
    9. 28:15 - For judicial errors.
    10. 10. 28:15 - 1) The claims of the litigants; 2) The court's ruling; 3) The court's punishment.
    11. 28:30 - The Urim V'Tumim - the "Shem Ha'meforash" placed in the folds of the choshen.
    12. 28:31 - The fabric of the me'il was made only of techeles.
    13. 28:37 - Between the tzitz and the mitznefes.
    14. 28:38 - 1) It always atones, even when not being worn; 2) The Kohen Gadol must always be aware that he is wearing it.
    15. 28:40,42 - Kesones, avnet, migba'as, and michnasayim.
    16. 29:1 - The sin of the golden calf.
    17. 29:4 - They were immersed in a mikveh.
    18. 29:14 - It is the only external sin-offering that was completely burned.
    19. 29:40 - Oil for the Menorah comes only from beaten olives. Oil for meal-offerings may come from either beaten olives or from ground-up olives.
    20. 30:3 - The crown of Kehuna.


    Answer to "What’s Bothering Rashi?"

    Question Contents

    The Hebrew word ya'aroch means either "arrange" or "estimate." It would seem to mean "arrange" here, as all translations have it. But this would imply that the arranging should be done all night long, from evening until morning; or any time at night, starting from evening until the morning. But neither of these meanings seems reasonable. So Rashi tells us that here the word ya'aroch here means "estimate" - estimate the measure so there will be enough for it to burn from evening until morning.

    (Based on Dr. Avigdor Bonchek's book "What's Bothering Rashi?" Feldheim Publishers)

    Written and Compiled by Rabbi Eliyahu Kane & Rabbi Reuven Subar
    General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
    Production Design: Lev Seltzer
    HTML Design: Eli Ballon
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