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Parshat T'tzaveh

Aharon and his sons Nadav, Avihu, Elazar, and Isamar are chosen by God to serve as kohanim (priests). They were commanded to light the menorah and keep it burning continuously (as a ner tamid)in the Mishkan. The oil was provided by members of the community. In the Mishkan, the kohanim needed to wear special garments. Aharon, as the kohen gadol (high priest) had very distinctive vestments. Aharon and his sons were invested in their positions. Various sacrificial offerings were brought by the kohanim on a daily basis.

“And thou shalt command (t’tzaveh) the Children of Israel that they take unto thee pure olive oil, beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually”. Why does the Torah use the expression, “take unto thee pure olive oil, beaten for the light…”? Olive oil is often used by the sages as a metaphor for the Jewish people. Olives do not have to undergo an elaborate process to extract the oil from inside. A little pressure releases their treasured product (which already existed inside of them). So too, each Jew possess that spark of divinity inside of them. Whether the Jew is fully observant or not, each of us shares that spark. A little pressure is all that is needed to overcome the outside pressure to suppress it.

The Sfas Emes, the Chassidic Rebbe of Ger, writes that each Jew contains within him the divine spark ready to be kindled. The light from the Menorah was designed to mimic the divine light of God. Before Pesach, we are commanded to search for nay remaining chametz by the light of a candle. Not indirect light from the Sun or the Moon (or a room), but through a direct use of flame. The flame reaches upward, drawing energy from its source (the wax or oil). This is the divine light (“va yehi or” from Bereshit) that was present at the beginning of the Creation (before the Sun and the Moon).

It is interesting to note that the name of Moshe is never mentioned in this parsha. One interpretation is that Moshe was so angry with God for threatening to destroy the Children of Israel that he demanded to be “blotted out” from his book. God fulfilled his wish by writing Moshe out of this chapter as punishment for his rash display of anger. This teaches us that there is a correct way to approach people. Even if the point being made by Moshe was correct, he should not have threatened God that way. The old cliché “you catch more flies with honey, than with vinegar” is apt. recall that Moshe is never mentioned in the Pesach Haggadah either! This may reflect the need to recognize that we owe our deliverance not to Moshe (a man) but to God (Blessed be He).

Returning back to the ner tamid, we read in Mishlei, “k’ner tamid v’torah or”; for miztvot are a lamp and Torah is a light”. In Tehillim (Pslams) we read “You are a lamp unto my feet”. In Isaiah, the prophet writes, “You will be a light in the darkness…” One can only be a “light” if one has the correct “oil”. We merited the Mishkan and the Torah because at Mt. Sinai the Israelites chanted “na’aseh v’nishma”; “we will do and we will hear”. The word “nishma” alludes to the soul; that inner self within each of us. Three times a day we say in the Shema:“And you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart and all of your soul…” The sages say “even if He takes your soul away.” This concept was fully recognized by our rabbinical martyrs who suffered horrible torture and death at the hands of the Romans.

Why does the Torah use the expression “beaten for the light”. Surely, all that is needed is for the olives to be put into a mechanical “press” and out comes the oil. “Beaten” is a little harsh and what comes out is oil not light! In Physics, there is phenomenon called “piezoelectricity”. If certain types of quartz crystals are placed under pressure, they will release a visible spark of static electricity. This is a momentary spark. To release another spark, the pressure must be relieved and then applied again. Thus, the “oil” that the crystal releases is “light” only happens if the crystal is “beaten” (in the sense of periodic additions of pressure). In the same way, the oil had to be beaten (just as gold needs to be beaten into shapes; likewise iron or steel) to make these malleable substances yield their product. In the desert, The Children of Israel were subjected to the harsh climate of that wilderness. In a sense, they emerged from Egypt perfectly malleable to be formed and shaped by their Maker. They emerged, forty years later, as a Nation, ready to assume its place in the world.

The sages speak about the “evil inclination” called the “yetzer hara”. This is the inner voice inside of us telling us not to perform mizvot and study Torah. It is responsible for lust, honor, vanity, and pride. According to the Chofetz Chaim (Rabbi Yisroel Meir Kagan from Radin), the soul becomes a palace for God’s presence. It is illuminated for Him by the performance of mitzvoth and the study of Torah. When God says “Let them build me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell within them”, the Torah is referring to our soul (or our house) as the Sanctuary. We dress the soul in garments both physical and spiritual. Our body serves as a physical garment and must be sustained and kept healthy. Our mind can serve as a highway for learning and ritual performance.

The Torah and mitzvot become the spiritual garments for our thoughts, speech, and actions. A lamp is used to carry with a person during a journey in the darkness. The lamp carries the light and serves as a vessel. Without the vessel, one could not hope to use the light in a productive way. With the proper vessel, light becomes a valuable tool for our progression and striving. The Torah is our spiritual light and the mitzvoth are the vessels that carry it for tikkun olam (repairing the world and making it a better place).

The ner tamid was to burn continuously. Rashi comments that this means that the wick was to be lit so that the flame rises by itself. Thus, once the process begins, the light of Goodness will burn continually in each Jew. If you watch a Shabbat candle closely, you will notice that while it is burning, the size of the wick exposed remains more or less the same. The candle itself may be shrinking, but the flame itself remains intact. We must remain just as vigilant as our own flame burns but our bodies grow older.

Whether we have a lot of strength or not; whether we have a lot of money or not; whether we have a lot of spare time or not, each of us must do what he/she can to keep the flame of Judaism, the flame of Torah burning continuously. Like the burning bush that was not consumed, the wick of “yiddishkeit” burns despite the consuming aspect of assimilation and intermarriage. We must make every situation work. We cannot adapt the Torah to modern times, but maybe we can adapt modern times to the Torah. Maybe that’s what it means to be “conservative”.

	Oceanside Jewish Center Weekly Parsha By Jonathan Wolf
	Parshat T'tzaveh Aharon and his sons Nadav, Avihu, Elazar, and Isamar are chosen by God to serve as kohanim (priests). They were commanded to light the menorah and keep it burning continuously (as a ner tamid)in the Mishkan. The oil was provided by members of the community. In the Mishkan, the kohanim needed to wear special garments. Aharon, as the kohen gadol (high priest) had very distinctive vestments. Aharon and his sons were invested in their positions. Various sacrificial offerings were brought by the kohanim on a daily basis. “And thou shalt command (t’tzaveh) the Children of Israel that they take unto thee pure olive oil, beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually”. Why does the Torah use the expression, “take unto thee pure olive oil, beaten for the light…”? Olive oil is often used by the sages as a metaphor for the Jewish people. Olives do not have to undergo an elaborate process to extract the oil from inside. A little pressure releases their treasured product (which already existed inside of them). So too, each Jew possess that spark of divinity inside of them. Whether the Jew is fully observant or not, each of us shares that spark. A little pressure is all that is needed to overcome the outside pressure to suppress it. The Sfas Emes, the Chassidic Rebbe of Ger, writes that each Jew contains within him the divine spark ready to be kindled. The light from the Menorah was designed to mimic the divine light of God. Before Pesach, we are commanded to search for nay remaining chametz by the light of a candle. Not indirect light from the Sun or the Moon (or a room), but through a direct use of flame. The flame reaches upward, drawing energy from its source (the wax or oil). This is the divine light (“va yehi or” from Bereshit) that was present at the beginning of the Creation (before the Sun and the Moon). It is interesting to note that the name of Moshe is never mentioned in this parsha. One interpretation is that Moshe was so angry with God for threatening to destroy the Children of Israel that he demanded to be “blotted out” from his book. God fulfilled his wish by writing Moshe out of this chapter as punishment for his rash display of anger. This teaches us that there is a correct way to approach people. Even if the point being made by Moshe was correct, he should not have threatened God that way. The old cliché “you catch more flies with honey, than with vinegar” is apt. recall that Moshe is never mentioned in the Pesach Haggadah either! This may reflect the need to recognize that we owe our deliverance not to Moshe (a man) but to God (Blessed be He). Returning back to the ner tamid, we read in Mishlei, “k’ner tamid v’torah or”; for miztvot are a lamp and Torah is a light”. In Tehillim (Pslams) we read “You are a lamp unto my feet”. In Isaiah, the prophet writes, “You will be a light in the darkness…” One can only be a “light” if one has the correct “oil”. We merited the Mishkan and the Torah because at Mt. Sinai the Israelites chanted “na’aseh v’nishma”; “we will do and we will hear”. The word “nishma” alludes to the soul; that inner self within each of us. Three times a day we say in the Shema:“And you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart and all of your soul…” The sages say “even if He takes your soul away.” This concept was fully recognized by our rabbinical martyrs who suffered horrible torture and death at the hands of the Romans. Why does the Torah use the expression “beaten for the light”. Surely, all that is needed is for the olives to be put into a mechanical “press” and out comes the oil. “Beaten” is a little harsh and what comes out is oil not light! In Physics, there is phenomenon called “piezoelectricity”. If certain types of quartz crystals are placed under pressure, they will release a visible spark of static electricity. This is a momentary spark. To release another spark, the pressure must be relieved and then applied again. Thus, the “oil” that the crystal releases is “light” only happens if the crystal is “beaten” (in the sense of periodic additions of pressure). In the same way, the oil had to be beaten (just as gold needs to be beaten into shapes; likewise iron or steel) to make these malleable substances yield their product. In the desert, The Children of Israel were subjected to the harsh climate of that wilderness. In a sense, they emerged from Egypt perfectly malleable to be formed and shaped by their Maker. They emerged, forty years later, as a Nation, ready to assume its place in the world. The sages speak about the “evil inclination” called the “yetzer hara”. This is the inner voice inside of us telling us not to perform mizvot and study Torah. It is responsible for lust, honor, vanity, and pride. According to the Chofetz Chaim (Rabbi Yisroel Meir Kagan from Radin), the soul becomes a palace for God’s presence. It is illuminated for Him by the performance of mitzvoth and the study of Torah. When God says “Let them build me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell within them”, the Torah is referring to our soul (or our house) as the Sanctuary. We dress the soul in garments both physical and spiritual. Our body serves as a physical garment and must be sustained and kept healthy. Our mind can serve as a highway for learning and ritual performance. The Torah and mitzvot become the spiritual garments for our thoughts, speech, and actions. A lamp is used to carry with a person during a journey in the darkness. The lamp carries the light and serves as a vessel. Without the vessel, one could not hope to use the light in a productive way. With the proper vessel, light becomes a valuable tool for our progression and striving. The Torah is our spiritual light and the mitzvoth are the vessels that carry it for tikkun olam (repairing the world and making it a better place). The ner tamid was to burn continuously. Rashi comments that this means that the wick was to be lit so that the flame rises by itself. Thus, once the process begins, the light of Goodness will burn continually in each Jew. If you watch a Shabbat candle closely, you will notice that while it is burning, the size of the wick exposed remains more or less the same. The candle itself may be shrinking, but the flame itself remains intact. We must remain just as vigilant as our own flame burns but our bodies grow older. Whether we have a lot of strength or not; whether we have a lot of money or not; whether we have a lot of spare time or not, each of us must do what he/she can to keep the flame of Judaism, the flame of Torah burning continuously. Like the burning bush that was not consumed, the wick of “yiddishkeit” burns despite the consuming aspect of assimilation and intermarriage. We must make every situation work. We cannot adapt the Torah to modern times, but maybe we can adapt modern times to the Torah. Maybe that’s what it means to be “conservative”.