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Chassidut on the Torah |
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The week of Tetzaveh & Parshat Zachor, 5762 This week’s Dvar Torah is dedicated in honor of the marriage of Yaacov and
Rochel Haglers’ daughter. Overview (Exodus 27:20-30:10): The Jews are commanded to bring oil for illuminating the constantly burning lamp of the Tabernacle. Next are listed the instructions for making the priestly vestments of the priests and high priest. The priests, Aharon and his sons, were consecrated and installed into their holy positions through a series of sacrifices, sprinklings, ritual immersions, and garbing themselves in their priestly clothing. This procedure was repeated seven times along with sanctifying the altar. G-d commanded regarding the continual burnt offering and gave instructions for the building and offerings of the incense altar. Insights
We have now entered the month of Adar.
The Talmud says (Ta’anis 29a) that when Adar arrives “marbim
b’simcha,” we increase in happiness.
This instruction can be understood in two ways. First, it is important
that we increase in our own happiness and happy behavior. Also, that we increase in our
observance of the commandments, but in a happy way. The power to accomplish both of these is given to a Jew
during Adar. Adar is a month to take chances. What if you do not feel like
being happy? Try reminding
yourself how good G-d has been to you.
Simply not letting yourself think negative thoughts helps a lot. Acting in a happy way, thinking happy
thoughts, speaking happy ideas, acting in an expansive manner, will help push a
person over the top. Adar has a several interesting dates. One occurs this
Tuesday, the seventh of Adar—the birthday and yahrzeit (day of
passing) of Moshe. Many tzaddikim are born and pass out of this world on
the same day. Thinking that the date of Moshe’s passing was to be an eternally
tragic date for the Jewish people, Haman was overjoyed to see his lot for the
date to annihilate the Jews fall on this day. His ignorance that this day was
also Moshe’s birthday partly led to his subsequent downfall. The joy of the 7th of Adar is second
only to the two days of Purim.
Make an effort not to let it pass without some recognition. There is a famous Chassidic
saying about being happy: When
Mashiach arrives the nations will ask, ‘How did you Jews merit such miracles
and wonders?’ We will answer them, because “we were happy.” This is all foretold in Psalm 126/2-3
(traditionally sung after a meal before the recital of grace): “’Then the
nations will say, G-d made them great.’ G-d did has done great things for us;
we were happy.” Even in the face
of adversity, we were happy. Rearrange the letters of the word ‘Mashiach’
(îůéç)
and you get the word ‘will be happy’—yismach—(éůîç) (Otzar Pisgamai Chabad). [It is
worthwhile to look up the alternative explanation of the text in the context of
the whole Psalm] . * * * * * This Shabbat we read Parshat
Titzaveh. Titzaveh is unique in that it is the only weekly portion
in which Moshe’s name is not mentioned. The Ba’al Haturim explains that
when Moshe prayed to G-d to forgive the Jews for the sin of the golden calf, he
used himself as leverage. He said, “Forgive their sin, or if not, erase me from
the book that You have written.”
Moshe was justified in risking himself to save the Jewish people, but
since G-d did forgive them, Moshe’s statement should have been nullified.
Nevertheless, when a tzaddik says something, the Almighty sees it as a
command that must be fulfilled. This is the reason that Moshe’s name is not
mentioned. Meam Loez says G-d wanted to teach us how serious it is for a
person to project something negative upon himself, let alone someone else. This
is a good week to be extra careful with our power of speech. Wait a minute! The above is
somewhat negative and this is Adar. We should be happy. So what positive reason do we have for
this parsha not mentioning Moshe Rabbeinu’s name? The first words of the parsha
are, “And you—ata—(Moshe) will command the children of Israel…to raise
up an eternal light.” The Rebbe
explains that the word ‘ata’—you—is not just a pronoun. It reflects a
level of Moshe higher than his name. ‘You’ cuts away all that is superfluous,
goes directly to the essence of a person’s soul. This connects to the second word ‘titzaveh’—‘will
command.’ The Hebrew word for
command is from the root meaning ‘connection.’ A commandment is an action that connects us to G-d. The words ata titzaveh give
Moshe the ability to tie the Jewish people to G-d and thus be on the level of
an eternal light, as is described in the continuation of the verse. * * * * * Parshat Zachor is read for maftir. It describes how the
Amalekites picked off the stragglers as the Jews traveled in the desert after
leaving Egypt. We are commanded to remember what the Amalekites did to us and
to erase their memory. We fulfill this Torah obligation by hearing the reading
in synagogue. Parshat Zachor always precedes the holiday of Purim because
Haman was an Amalekite. Part of the celebration of Purim is the fulfillment of
the commandment to destroy Amalek. Donate a used laptop & get a tax deduction. Write to
director@ascent.org.il Rabbi Mordechai “Mo” Siev will be in the US for the next month. For an
appt. call 516-921-7949. |
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