Divrei Torah Tetzaveh
Torah Table of Contents
An Open and Shut Case, The Divrei Yisrael Practice What You Preach, The Divrei Yisrael A Dvar Torah from Reb Motti Rosen z"l, Tetzaveh
based on a ma'amar in Divrei Yisrael, Parshas Tetzaveh
"Ma'aseh Charash Even Pituchei Chosam - The work of a stone engraver, like the engravings of a signet." (Shemos 28:11)
Rashi explains that the first half of this refers to the work of a craftsman, an expert at working with stones. The Divrei Yisrael noticed that Rashi made a change - the pasuk refers to stone in the singular, while Rashi speaks of stones in the plural. Why did Rashi make this type of change, something that he usually doesn't do?
The Divrei Yisrael answers, showing that even in something that seems relatively minor such as this, Rashi has a lesson for us. The shift to plural hints at the following idea: the Torah is called "Stone" - the Tablets of Stone (luchos even); and the [work of the] Yetzer Hara (Evil Inclination) is called a "stone" - a heart of stone (lev even). Rashi is telling us that the expert craftsmanship for a "master stoneworker" on these two stones is Pituchei Chosam.
Literally, Pituchei Chosam means to "open what is closed or shut". In our case, the master artisan for stonework with our two stones is someone who understands how and when to open what is closed, and how to close that which is open. When it comes to Torah, the artisan is to open the closed hearts, similar to what we say in the tefilla: "V'hu Yiftach Libeinu B'Toraso - And He [G-d] will open our hearts with His Torah". On the other hand, he also needs to close what shouldn't be open - such as closing the eyes from seeing improper sights. The Yetzer Hara is also busy, trying to drag us down into the depths of sin and despair. Our hearts should be open, full of Torah thoughts and feelings, but the Yetzer Hara makes his best efforts to close it up, turning it into a heart of stone. The Yetzer Hara also tries to open what should be closed, attempting to attract us to sights that we shouldn't see, etc.
The Divrei Yisrael concludes, this is why Rashi spoke of two stones - the two are the Torah and the Yetzer Hara. Both require the craftsmanship of Pituchei Chosam - opening what is closed, and closing what is open.
Translated by Reb Eliezer Weger of Rechovot, a Modzitzer Chasid
based on a ma'amar in Divrei Yisrael, Parshas Tetzaveh
"And the opening for the head should be from within... [Shemos, 28:32]
The Divrei Yisrael comments that this pasuk [verse] fragment reminds us that one should not be two-faced, but rather consistent in one's actions matching one's statements. Because as it says, the mouth [the Hebrew word for "opening", pi, literally means "mouth"] should be from what is within.
This can also be applied to the leader who chastises the the people. It is imperative that the leader who chastises the people should do so from the heart, and he should include himself in his chastisement. (Translator's note: A preacher who says "do as I do, not as I preach", is exactly what the Divrei Yisrael is criticizing.) As we know from the holy sefarim, regarding the positive precept of chastising one's fellow Jew - when necessary, where it says to - one should chastise oneself along with his fellow! The verse can thus be understood as, "pi rosho - literally, the opening for the head - but here taken as, "the mouth [pi] of the leader [rosh], should be from within." That is, when a leader is chastising, his verbal chastisement must include himself.
Translated by Reb Yehuda Nathan of Brooklyn, a Modzitzer Chassid
What does Hashem Elokecha ask from you, but to fear Hashem Elokecha and to walk in His ways? (Dvorim, 10:13)
A Dvar Torah from Reb Motti Rosen z"l, grandson of Harav Shaul the Second Rebbe
"V'Attah Tetzaveh Es Bnei Yisrael" (Perek 27:20) At the beginning of the Parsha, Hashem tells Moshe to have Bnei Yisrael prepare oil for the "Ner Tamid."
The Baal HaTurim explains that the word "Tetzaveh," meaning should command, has the same gematria as the words "Nashim Tzaveh," women are commanded. He explains that this Pasuk is a remez to the candles a woman is commanded to light for Shabbos.
There are two questions that can be asked on this Perush. First, how does the Baal HaTurim come to this conclusion, and second, how does this connect to the Mishkan.
To answer the first question, we begin by examining the Pasuk. The Pasuk ends with the words "Ner Tamid." These words have the same gematria as the word B'Shabbos. The Pasuk begins with the word "V'Attah", which has the same gematria as the word "Bayis." So, we have "Nashim Tzaveh," "B'Shabbos" and "Bayis." What is it that women are commanded to do in the house for Shabbos - Neros - the mitzvah of lighting candles.
To answer the second question - how does "Neros" connect with the Mishkan? The Imrei Shaul in a discussion about "Inyanei Shabbos" (Daf Kof Mem Tes, Siman Yud Tes), brings down that the Mizbayach, the Shulchan and the Aron - the kaylim of the Mishkan - are keneged the three Avos, who are keneged Torah, Avodah and Gemilas Chasadim. Avraham is Gemilas Chasadim, which is the Shulchan. Yitzchak is Avodah, which is the Mizbayach. Yaakov is Torah, which is the Aron.
The other k'li in the Mishkan is the Menorah. The Menorah stood in the Darom - the southern part of the Mishkan (a remez to this is found in the gematria - the word "Ner" is gematria Darom). The Gemara says "Ratzah L'Chachma," if you want to get smart, "Yadrim," go to Darom. This is because the Menorah, which is in Darom, is the shefa of Chachma, wisdom. Chazal also tell us "Eesha B'Chochma," a woman with wisdom, "Bansa Baysah," builds her home. It is accepted that wisdom is found by women.
So, the Mizbayach, the Shulchan, and the Aron are symbolic of Torah, Avodah, and Gemilas Chasadim and the Menorah is Chochma. We said earlier that Torah, Avodah and Gemilas Chasadim are keneged the three Avos. What is the Menorah keneged?
The first reference we have towards Ner (Menorah) is when Yitzchak brings Rivka to his mother, Sarah's tent. Rashi explains there that when Sarah was alive her candles (Neros) burned from Erev Shabbos to Erev Shabbos. Upon her death, the candles were extinguished. When Rivka came to her tent, the candles began to burn again. It is from here that we can infer that Menorah (Neros) is a reference to the Eemahot. Also, the word "HaMenorah" is gematria "Eeshah," women.
Chazal teach us that every Jewish home is considered a small Mishkan. Just as the Mishkan requires four items to make it complete, the Mizbayach, Shulchan, Aron, and Menorah, so too does a Jewish home require four things for completion, Torah, Avodah, Gemilas Chasadim, and Chochma. The first three are brought to the home by a man and the fourth comes from the woman.
All when all four are there is the Mishkan complete. Both the Mishkan that was built by Bnei Yisrael in the desert and the small Mishkan that a husband and wife build together.
Submitted by Chumi Friedman, daughter of Reb Motti Rosen z"l
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