PARSHAS TETZAVEH

9 ADAR 5772 | 3 MARCH 2012

Parsha Perspectives

R A B B I Z . SK L A R

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You shall make garments of sanctity for Aaron your brother for glory and splendor. (Numbers 28:2)

is why Aaron was privileged to wear the choshen mishpat. We dont all run for office, but we are all faced with situations in which others receive recognition and appreciation. Like Aaron, we can gracefully acknowledge that anothers promotion does not negate our own self-worth. Congratulating him or her does not diminish our standing in society but makes us into better people. We can rest assured that G-d notices our willingness to give others their due and in turn will do the same for us.
Rabbi Sklar can be reached at [email protected]

ne of the eight priestly garments worn by Aaron the High Priest was the choshen mishpat. This was a breastplate that was not merely a beautiful masterpiece displaying the twelve tribes names and precious stones; it also miraculously lit up with answers to the most challenging questions relating to Jewish law and national importance. What made Aaron worthy of being given this distinguished honor? The Midrash Raba (Numbers 4:14) says it was due to Aarons exemplary character traits. The Talmud (Shabbos 139a) further elaborates that because Aaron would rejoice in his heart over Mosess success (Numbers 4:14), he was honored with wearing the choshen mishpat over his heart.
Rabbi Pam explains that when G-d first appointed Moses as the leader of the Jewish people with the mission of freeing them from slavery in Egypt, Moses repeatedly refused to accept the position. He gave various reasons why he was not the right person for this task, but G-d knew that his main consideration was his older brother, Aaron. Four decades earlier, when the Egyptian bondage was particularly difficult, Moses had escaped from Egypt after killing an Egyptian taskmaster who had been mercilessly beating a Jewish slave. The onus of leadership during these arduous times fell upon his brother Aaron. When G-d wanted to appoint Moses as the leader, Moses felt that Aaron would be justifiably upset by his brothers promotion at his own expense. But G-d reassured Moses that Aaron would not be envious at all; rather, he would be elated despite his own loss of status. This, the Talmud explains, is why Aarons virtuous heart was worthy of wearing the miraculous choshen mishpat. To fully comprehend the significance of Aarons actions, Rabbi Pam gives a contemporary example. In a political campaign, both contenders have two speeches prepared on election night. Clearly, the winning candidate has an easier time delivering his victory speech than the one making a concession speech. The loser must put on a good face and congratulate the individual hes been competing with for months. He must put aside his feelings of hurt and rejection, facing the painful realization that the majority of voters rejected him. When he delivers his congratulatory speech, he may seem fine outwardly, but deep down he is resentful and outraged at his opponents victory. When Moses was appointed leader of the Jewish people, Aaron did not simply put on a smile; he felt genuinely happy for his brother and helped him many times. That

WORD of the WEEK

Twelve precious stones that are placed on the breastplate of the High Priest are found in the Torah portion this week. One is sapir (Exodus 28:18). Some identify the sapir as sapphire, based on the Greek Septuagints translation, sappheiros. Other sources claim that the sapir of the Torah is a clear gemstone, either crystal or diamond (Radak, Sefer Hashorashim). The Ibn Ezra (Exodus 24:10) maintains that it is a translucent red stone, and some say that it was lapis-lazuli, a blue gemstone (Aryeh Kaplan, Living Torah, ad loc.). The Sages (Sifri, Parshas Behaaloscha 43) maintain that the Tablets of the Law were made of sapir, and the Zohar (2:272:1) states that the staff of Moses was also made of sapir.

Table Talk
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F O R D I S C U S S I O N A R O U N D T H E S H A B B AT TA B L E

A QUESTION FOR THE RABBIS

The Talmud (Arachin 16) says that each of the garments worn by the High Priest atoned for common sins; in fact, every aspect, every detail of the garment atones for a different aspect of the sin. The Meil (poncho) was made out of sky blue wool and had 72 golden bells alternating with colorful pomegranates (made out of fabric) hanging from the bottom hem. These bells tinkled as the High Priest entered the Temple. The Meil atoned for the sin of speaking badly about other people (lashon hara). The bells were required to ring when the High Priest entered the Temple. If they didnt, it was a capital offense. What connection could chiming bells have with not speaking badly about others? The Meil had a thick woven border around the neckline. It was forbidden to tear this sewn lip of the Meil. What could tearing the lip symbolize that the Torah should forbid it? The Tzitzis (fringes) was another priestly garment that contained blue strings; the blue of the Tzitzis was to remind us of the blue sky, which would remind us of G-d. But unlike the Tzitzis, the Meil was the only priestly garment completely woven out of techeiles. What might the blue of the Meil represent?

HEY, I NEVER KNEW THAT

ne of the items worn by the High Priest was the tzitz, the gold foreheadplate, inscribed with the words, Holy unto G-d. The Talmud (Sukkah 5a) discusses the exact location of these words. Rabbi Elazar Ben Rav Yossi is quoted as saying, I saw the tzitz of the High Priest in Rome and Holy unto G-d was written on one line. There are numerous places in the Talmud where rabbis are cited has having seen various Temple items in Rome. Josephus Flavius (The Jewish War, 7:158) writes the following: Vespasian decided to erect a Temple of Peace. This was very speedily completed and in a style surpassing all human conception. For, besides having prodigious resources of wealth on which to draw, he also embellished it with ancient masterworks of painting and sculpture; indeed into that shrine were accumulated and stored all objects for the sight of which men had once wandered over the whole world Here too, he laid up the vessels of gold from the Temple of the Jews, on which he prided himself [emphasis added]. Ironically, Vespasians Temple of Peace was the place where the spoils of his wars were displayed, including the treasures of our Temple, and was, very likely, the place where our sages saw these holy objects.

he Code of Jewish Law (Yoreh Deah 265:12) states that it is customary to serve a festive meal after a circumcision (bris milah). Various sources are cited for this custom; some (Gaon of Vilna, ad loc.) refer to Abraham preparing a feast after circumcising Isaac, and some (Beer Hagolah, ad loc). refer to the statement in the Talmud (Shabbat 130a) that the Jews will always perform this mitzvah with joy. Rabbeinu Bachya (Genesis 17:13) cites a verse in the Torah portion this week as the source for this custom. The verse (Exodus 29:33) states that the kohen-priests are obligated to eat the offerings, and since the bris is compared to offering a sacrifice, the fulfillment of the mitzvah of eating the offering is accomplished by eating a festive meal after the bris.

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