Bostoner Torah Insights: Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English and Hebrew: Parshas Tetzaveh – 15 Adar Alef 5784
Bostoner Torah Insights - Yerushalayim
Bostoner Torah Insights
Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English
Parshas Tetzaveh – 15 Adar Alef 5784
Bostoner Rebbe shlit”a – Yerushalayim
Secretariat Email: bosto...@gmail.com
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The Sfas Emes quotes a Midrash that connects the Pasuk in Tetzaveh, "Now you shall bring your brother Aharon close to yourself…" (Shemos 28:1) with the Pasuk from Tehillim, "Had your Torah not been my preoccupation, then I would have perished in my affliction" (119:92). When Hashem told Moshe to initiate Aharon and his sons as Kohanim, Hashem knew what was in Moshe’s heart. Hashem reassured Moshe by telling him the Torah that was given to Moshe will be throughout all the generations, unlike the Avodah service given to Aharon, which will only exist in certain eras of Jewish History.
However, one could ask why Moshe was appeased by this response from Hashem. Unlike the Kehunah that was given to Aharon and his sons. The Torah was not given exclusively to Moshe Rabbeinu and his children, rather it was given to all of Klal Yisroel. Moshe was only the agent to relay the information from Hashem to Bnei Yisroel.
The answer may lie in the two vessels of the Mishkan that represent the Torah: the Aron and the Menorah. While the Aron represents the Torah both written and oral that was transmitted from Hashem to Moshe, the Menorah represents the Torah that is developed by man known as Chidushחידוש , where the Chachamim can use various Torah principles to expound the Torah and derive new laws. This is hinted to by the orbs and flowers etched into the design of the Menorah, known as Kaftor V'Ferach כפתר ופרח. As we find in the Talmud, R' Tarfon would often use the words Kaftor V'Ferach to express his wonder at a nuance proposed by one of the other Chachamim.
It was this wisdom of Chidush HaTorah that was given as an exclusive gift to Moshe and his descendants. Moshe was not commanded to transmit these Torah principles of derivation to the nation, but in his humbleness and generosity, he shared this gift with all of Klal Yisrael.
The eternal quality of the Torah is signaled by the word זכירה remembrance. All natural things are by their nature temporary, they live and die. Only those things that are above the laws of nature, such as the Torah and Klal Yisrael have this quality of eternity. In fact, it could be said that the eternal quality of Klal Yisroel is specifically because they observe the Torah and its Mitzvos. The Shabbos likewise has a Mitzvah of זכור, to Remember the Shabbos, because it too is eternal and comparable to a portion of the Next World.
When it comes to Amalek, who we will recall in Adar Bet through the reading of Parshas Zachor and Megillas Esther, the Mitzvah is to 'wipe out the remembrance of Amalek from under the Heaven' (Devarim 25:19). Amalek is the antithesis of Torah, whose core belief is of happenstance and chaos, casting doubt on the existence of Hashem, of Torah, reward and punishment and The World to Come. Amalek's mission is to demonstrate that nothing is eternal, especially Klal Yisroel, and therefore measure for measure they and their 'remembrance' must perish.
Another thing that Moshe Rabbeinu made that lasted forever was the 12 Lug of Shemen HaMishcha, the anointing oil, that was used to anoint the Mishkan, its vessels, Aharon and his sons and future Kohanim and Kings of Israel (Krisos 5b). The Yalkut Shemoni (Ki Tisa 387). The first of the ingredients listed is מר דרור Mar Dror or myrrh in English orמירא דכיא Meira Dachya in Aramaic Targum, which is the hint in the Torah toמרדכי Mordechai (Chulin 139b). Similarly, Purim and Megillas Esther are eternal. Although other books of Tanach may never be read from again publicly in the future, Megillat Esther will always be read and will never be nullified (Megillah Yerushalmi 1:5). Even if all of the holidays will become nullified, the Days of Purim will never be nullified (Midrash Mishlei).
May Hashem help us complete our battle with our current modern-day Amalek, keeping our soldiers from harm and returning our hostages safely to their families, as he did in those days at this time.
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