B"H

Friday, Adar1 3, 5782 / February 4, 2022

This week's Parsha, Terumah, is about the building of the Mishkan (Tabarnacle) and its contents; the Aron (ark), the Kaporet (ark cover), the Shulchan (table), the Menorah (candelabra) and the Mizbe'ach (altar).  The Torah details the materials, measurements and construction of each component of the sanctuary.

The Torah states, "And they shall make an ark…and you shall overlay it with pure gold from within and from without… And you shall put into the ark the testimony (Two Tablets).  And you shall make an ark-cover of pure gold... And you shall make two Cherubim of gold at the two ends of the ark-cover... And the Cherubim shall be spreading their wings on high covering with their wings over the ark-cover and their faces one toward the other..."  

The Aron (ark) contained both sets of Tablets; the first Tablets, which Moshe broke when he saw the Jewish people worshipping the Golden Calf, as well as the second set of Tablets. There is an opinion that it also contained a Torah which Moshe wrote.

There are many lessons we can draw from the Aron.  The Aron was made of three boxes, which were placed one into the other.  The inner and outer boxes were made of pure gold. The middle box was made out of wood, for the Torah is called, " a Tree of Life." 

The Aron was covered with gold on the interior and the exterior. This teaches us that to comprehend the Torah, a person must be the same on the inside (in one's heart and mind), as on the outside (actions).

Due to the gold content and the Tablets, the Aron was extremely heavy!  Yet, when traveling, only four people carried the Aron, for as our sages say, "The Aron carried its carriers!"  This teaches us that Torah is not a burden,for it is the Torah which carries and uplifts the one who adheres to it.

Each of the two golden "Cherubim" on the ark cover had the face of a child and each had wings which extended over its head, as the Torah states, "And the Cherubim shall be spreading out their wings on high, screening with their wings the ark-cover, with their faces one toward the other."

The Cherubim teach us two very important lessons.  First, the guardians of the Torah are the children. Teaching our children Torah and the practice of mitzvot is the only way to guarantee our continuity.  

Also, that we must face and see each other.  There must be love and harmony between us.   These two factors were in fact the pre-conditions for G-d's giving the Torah to the Jewish people. 

SHABBAT  SHALOM – HAVE A GREAT & WONDERFUL SHABBAT

Montreal candle lighting time: 4:47 / Shabbat ends: 5:53

B"H

Tuesday, Adar1 7, 5782 / February 8, 2022

This week's Parsha, Tetzaveh, begins with G-d saying to Moshe, "And you shall command the Children of Israel, that they take to you pure olive oil, beaten for the light to cause the lamp to burn continually." This was a commandment that the Jewish people should contribute pure olive oil for the lighting of the menorah in the Mishkan (Tabernacle).

The oil used for the Menorah had to be pure olive oil processed ("beaten") especially for lighting the Menorah.  Only the first drop of oil of each olive was used for the lighting of the Menorah.

Many miracles were associated with the Menorah. The same amount of oil was placed in each of the seven cups to last through the night. However, a miracle took place each morning.  While six candles burnt out, one candle (Ner Ma'aravi) remained lit.  From this candle they lit the other candles.

The Midrash tells that Rabbi Chanina, who also served in the Beth Hamikdash related the following story: One year, the olives in Israel didn't produce enough oil. The Kohanim in the Holy Temple didn't have enough oil to fill the cups of the Menorah and in distress began to weep. A miracle occurred and although there was not sufficient oil, the candles burned even longer than before".

Our Rabbis observe that in the first verse of the Parsha we find a hint to the two Holy Temples and the third Temple which will be built with the coming of Moshiach. 

The numerical value of the words "beaten" (Katit), which the Torah uses to describe the process of producing the oil for the Menorah, is 830.  This alludes to the First Temple which stood 410 years and the Second Temple which lasted 420 years (totaling 830 years).

The words, "To cause the lamp to burn continuously," relates to the third Temple, when the lights of the Menorah will burn continuously, for it will stand forever.  May it be speedily in our days. Amen.

After the destruction of the Temples, the synagogue is considered a “miniature Temple.” In every synagogue there is a "Ner Tamid" a light which burns constantly, usually near the ark, where the Torahs are stored. This light commemorates the western lamp of the Menorah which burned continuously.

Although the Holy Temple in its physical form was destroyed, our home should be our personal Temple. It should be not only a physical home, but also a spiritual home in which G-d dwells, through our performance of mitzvot and the study of Torahin our home.

Jewish women and girls have been given the special mitzvah of carrying forth the lights of The Menorah, throughout the generations, by lighting the Shabbat candles at home and illuminating our personal Holy Temple and making it a G-dly home, shining brightly with the light of the Jewish spirit.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Wednesday, Adar1 8, 5782 / February 9, 2022

Most of this week’s Parsha Tetzaveh, is about the special garments which the High Priest (Kohen Gadol) and the regular priest (Kohen) were required to wear for their services in the Holy Temple.

Q.   What is unique about this week’s Parsha, Tetzaveh?

A.  Moshe’s name doesn’t appear in this week’s Parsha. In the first book of the Torah, Breishis (Genesis) he wasn’t born yet, so his name doesn’t appear yet. But in the beginning of the book of Exodus (Shmot), we learn about his birth, and his name appears in every Parsha of the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, except for this week’s Parsha, Tetzaveh.

Q.   Why doesn’t Moshe’s name appear in Parshat Tetzaveh?

A.   After the Giving of the Torah, when the Jewish people sinned worshipping the Golden Calf, G-d wanted to destroy them.  Moshe pleaded for his nation.  He told G-d, “If you do not forgive Your people then erase mefrom the Book which You have written(Torah).” 

Although G-d accepted Moshe’s request and forgave the people for their sin, however, because Moshe said, “Erase me from the Torah,” his name was “erased” from this week’s Parsha, Tetzaveh.

Q.   Why, of all the Torah portions, was this Parsha chosen to have Moshe’s name removed?

A.  Parshat Tetzaveh, each year, falls very close to the seventh day in the month of Adar, the day of Moshe’s passing. Thus, this Parsha was chosen also as a hint to the day of Moshe’s passing.  

Another reason why Parshat Tetzaveh was chosen to have Moshe’s name omitted: Originally, G-d intended that Moshe and his children will be the Kohanim (priests) to perform the service in The Temple. But, as we read in Parshat Shmot, Moshe, for an entire week, refused G-d’s request to go speak to Pharaoh to let the Jewish people out of Egypt. He was too humble to accept the role of leadership. G-d was not happy and sent Aaron to help Moshe with the mission.

As a result, G-d took away the priesthood from Moshe and gave it to his brother, Aaron, and his children. It would have been very painful for Moshe, who wrote the Torah, to have his name mentioned in this Parsha which deals with the priestly garments and sacrifices, which have been taken away from him. Thus, G-d omitted Moshe’s name in this Parsha.

Lesson: The fact that Moshe’s name was omitted in this Parsha, out of sensitivity to Moshe, teaches us how sensitive one must be to another person’s feelings.  

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY