"And you bring near to yourself your brother!"(Exodus 28:1) Adar Rishon 14, 5784/February 23, 2024 Two of the most beautiful lines in the entire Torah appear in this week's reading, Tetzave, one right after the other: "And you bring near to yourself your brother Aharon, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel to serve Me as kohanim: Aharon, Nadav, and Avihu, Eleazar, and Itamar, Aharon's sons. You shall make holy garments for your brother Aharon, for honor and splendor." (Exodus 28:1-2) Bring near to yourself your brother... and make holy garments for your brother... for honor and splendor! When we remove the particulars of HaShem's instructions to Moshe and instead focus on the underlying universal message we are overwhelmed by the love that HaShem has for all of us and the supreme imperative in His eyes that we draw near, rather than push away one another, and that in our hearts and our mind's eye we clothe our fellow man in honor and splendor - bechavod vetif'eret. Hasn't HaShem been trying to convey this message to mankind from the very beginning of time? He created a partner for Adam, He castigated Cain after he murdered his brother Abel, He felt regret when the generation of the flood descended into violence and anarchy, and bore witness to the inability of the children of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov to eschew envy and animosity toward one another. It was only the sons of Israel who, when threatened with an irreparable disaster were able to overcome their differences and embrace one another. At last, G-d witnessed the potential of mankind to bring their brothers near to themselves and to clothe their brothers with the honor and splendor of love and respect and empathy and concern. The unity that the brothers exhibited set the stage for the eventual exodus from Egypt, led by two brothers so close to one another that at times in the Hebrew text of the Torah, they are grammatically referred to as one person. Our sages tell us that Moshe's reluctance to take on the task of leading Israel out of Egypt was out of respect for his older brother Aharon. Certainly he deserved the honor. Moshe could not be convinced otherwise until HaShem assured him, saying "Is there not Aharon your brother, the Levite? I know that he will surely speak, and behold, he is coming forth toward you, and when he sees you, he will rejoice in his heart." (ibid 3:14) And to Aharon, HaShem said, "Go toward Moshe, to the desert." And true to G-d's word, Aharon "went and met him on the mount of G-d, and he kissed him." (ibid 3:27) No jealousy, no bitter rivalry, just the unique joy of brotherly love expressed by a kiss. Clearly, however, the precious gift of brotherly love, of unity and empathy, is not a given. It is something that we must work toward, an instinct buried deep within our souls that we must strive to awaken. So many obstacles await us: jealousy, differences of opinion, different beliefs, different aspirations can all drive a dangerous wedge between us. How do we overcome this? Our Torah reading, Tetzave, provides us with the necessary starting point. Throughout the entire portion, which spans from Exodus 27:20 to Exodus 30:10, Moshe's name is not mentioned once. It is the only Torah reading from the birth of Moshe that his name is not mentioned. Loving our brother, drawing him near and granting him honor and splendor is not about us. It's all about the other. And only by embracing the other and making him our brother do we rediscover ourselves. Significantly, our sages cite the very reason that Moshe's name does not appear in parashat Tetzave. When Moshe is confronted with the debacle of the golden calf and he stands before HaShem on behalf of his people, asking for Divine forgiveness for his brethren, he gives G-d an ultimatum: "And now, if You forgive their sin But if not, erase me now from Your book, which You have written." (ibid 32:32) When given a choice, HaShem or his fellow man, Moshe unequivocally chose his brethren. And HaShem, not offended but overjoyed, forgave the people. G-d, our father, like any parent, just wants His children to get along, to stand up for one another just as Moshe did, to simply be there for one another. Brothers at odds with one another is a recipe for disaster. Israel has learned this many times throughout our long journey through history, most recently this past year. Only one year ago the children of Israel in the land of Israel were at each other's throats over differences that seem so insignificant today. Our enemies, seeing the division, struck with deadly and barbaric force. The shock of seeing so many of our people murdered, tortured, raped and dragged into captivity, awoke at once our brotherly instinct. We embraced, we drew near, we filled our hearts with a unity of purpose, and brothers risked and sacrificed their lives for others. In an instant our eyes were open to see the honor and splendor of our brothers. In brotherhood, in the bonds of love for one another we are victorious. With true, undying love for one another all things are possible. Even the building of the Holy Temple! There is no other expression in heaven or on earth of the meaning and potential of brotherhood than the Holy Temple, "a house of prayer for all nations." (Isaiah 56:7) In HaShem's house we are all equal, we are all brothers. In HaShem's house we draw near to our brother and clothe our brother in splendor. And who is the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest who stands before HaShem in the Holy of Holies on behalf of all mankind, just as Moshe stood before HaShem on Mount Sinai? He is our brother. His honor is our honor and his splendor is our splendor. The Kohen Gadol bears the names of the twelve sons of Israel upon his shoulders and upon his heart, just as we all must, ready to defend, ready to embrace, ready to love. The Temple Institute is dedicated to realizing this dream of brotherly love and respect made manifest in the courtyards of the Holy Temple, a place of peace, a place of brotherhood. If you also long for this dream, for the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy that "many peoples shall go, and they shall say, 'Come, let us go up to HaShem's mount, to the house of the G-d of Yaakov, and let Him teach us of His ways, and we will go in His paths,' for out of Zion shall the Torah come forth, and the word of HaShem from Jerusalem," (Isaiah 2:3), then draw near and join us! Support the work of the Temple Institute! . |
Take For Me An Offering! "HaShem spoke to Moshe saying: Speak to the children of Israel, and have them take for Me an offering; from every person whose heart inspires him to generosity, you shall take My offering... And they shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst!" Today, HaShem still longs to dwell among His people, here in the holy city of Jerusalem, atop the Temple Mount, where both the first and second Holy Temples once stood. The Temple Institute is dedicated to doing everything in our power to help make HaShem's dream come true in our day. Join us as we work together to make for HaShem "a house of prayer for all nations!" |
Tune in to this week's Temple Talk, as Yitzchak Reuven dwells on the commandment to "make holy garments for your brother," talks about how clothes make the kohen, and how the Kohen Gadol_ is our brother before HaShem! Having passed along to Moshe the details for building the Tabernacle and its sacred vessels, HaShem now focuses on the splendid garments of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest). Aharon, brother of Moshe, and his sons and their descendants till the end of time are to be the kohanim who serve HaShem on behalf of all Israel in the Holy Temple. |
Help To Build The Holy Temple In Our Time! Donate Generously To Help The Sacred Work Of The Temple Institute! Every contribution helps to rebuild the Holy Temple in our Time! |
Keeping the mind focused is one of life's great challenges. Nevertheless, staying focused is of supreme, even life saving importance for the Kohen Gadol performing his service in the Holy Temple. Hence the seventy two golden bells attached to the hem of his blue robe. Tetzaveh (Exodus 27:20 - 30:10)
Parashat Tetzaveh is read on Shabbat:
Adar Rishon 15, 5784/February 24, 2024 |
Haftara For Shabbat Parashat Tetzave
Ezekiel 43:10-27): "You, Son of man, describe the House to the House of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; let them measure its plan. And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, let them know the form of the House and its scheme, its exits and its entrances, and all its forms, and all its laws and all its teachings, and write it down in their sight so that they keep the whole form thereof and the laws thereof, and do them...'" |
Become a Member of the Temple Institute! Introducing the Temple Institute's new membership card, in PDF format to conveniently download onto your phone. We are issuing the new membership cards to all new donors and will soon be sending the new card to our veteran donors, as well! (If you are expecting to receive your card, please check your spam folder!) |
Parashat Tetzave: The Blue Tunic (Me'il) Of The Kohen Gadol _"And you shall make the robe of the ephod completely of blue wool. Its opening at the top shall be turned inward; its opening shall have a border around it, the work of a weaver. It shall have an opening like the opening of a coat of armor; it shall not be torn. And on its bottom hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and crimson wool, on its bottom hem all around, and golden bells in their midst all around..." (Exodus 28:31-35) |
Am Yisrael Chai - The Nation Of Israel Lives! This hit song in Israel, recorded by popular Israeli singer, Eyal Golan, has been lifting the spirits of citizens and soldiers alike throughout these trying times of terror and war and international hostility. The video includes an English translation to the lyrics, and at 0:58, 2:16, 2:24, and 3:20 features clips of the golden menorah produced by the Temple Institute which stands in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem's old city... |
A Golden Bell From The High Priest's Hem A Voice Message from the Holy Temple: In 2011 archaeologists in the City of David uncovered a golden bell with a buttonhole. Archeologists Eli Shukrun and Ronny Reich announced, "It appears the bell was sewn on the garment of a man of high standing in Jerusalem at the end of the Second Temple period (first century C.E.)." Could this bell have fallen from the hem of the High Priest's blue tunic? |
Parashat Tetzave: The Choshen (Breastplate) Of The Kohen Gadol "You shall make a choshen of judgment, the work of a master weaver. You shall make it like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue, purple, and crimson wool, and twisted fine linen shall you make it. It shall be square [and] doubled; its length one span and its width one span. And you shall fill into it stone fillings, four rows of stones." (Exodus 28:15-17) |
Rare Stone Box From The Second Temple Period Discovered In The City Of David A rare and mysterious, multi-compartment stone container dating back to the days of the Second Temple that serves as evidence of the destruction of Jerusalem two millennia ago has been put on display for the first time at the Israel Museum in the capital. |
The Chamber Of The Vessels The kohanim gathered in the Chamber of the Vessels to bring out the 93 gold and silver vessels that would be used in the course of the day (Tamid 3:4). The Mishna (Shekalim 5:6) mentions another wing of this room that was used for contributions from the public: “Whoever wished to contribute a vessel to the Temple would cast it into the Chamber of the Vessels, and once in 30 days, the treasurers would open it” and review the contributions for suitability. |
Parashat Tetzave: The Ephod "They shall take the gold, the blue, purple, and crimson wool, and the linen, and they shall make the ephod of gold, blue, purple, and crimson wool, and twisted fine linen, the work of a master weaver. It shall have two connected shoulder straps at both its ends, and it shall be entirely connected. And its decorative band, which is above it, shall be of the same work, emanating from it: gold, blue, purple, and crimson wool, and twisted fine linen..." (Exodus 28:5-8) |
Parashat Tetzave: The Golden Incense Altar "You shall make an altar for bringing incense up in smoke; you shall make it out of acacia wood. It shall be one cubit long and one cubit wide, a square, and two cubits high; its horns shall be one piece with it. You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top, its walls all around, and its horns; and you shall make for it a golden crown all around..." (Exodus 30:1-3) |
Parashat Tetzave: Garments Of The Kohen Gadol "And you bring near to yourself your brother Aharon, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel to serve Me as kohanim: Aharon, Nadav, and Avihu, Eleazar, and Itamar, Aharon's sons. You shall make holy garments for your brother Aharon, for honor and glory. And you shall speak to all the wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, and they shall make Aharon's garments to sanctify him, so that he serve Me as a kohen..." (Exodus 28:1-4) |
Red Heifers & The War In Gaza! In a recent article (Hebrew) by journalist and Temple Mount expert and activist Arnon Segal, he pointed out the following fascinating observation: "Viewing search data about 'red heifer' on Wikipedia in Arabic and English jumped dramatically from the moment Israel's current war in Gaza broke out on October 7th. The number of searches conducted in Hebrew has not changed. Why? Delusional as it sounds to a Jewish ear, in the enemy's mind, the war is about the red heifers." |
Mikdash Monday - Shana Me'uberet (Leap year) - Part 3 “These are the set times of Hashem, the sacred occasions, which you shall celebrate each at its appointed time.” (Vayikra 23:4) |
The Chambers In The Southern Part Of The Court: The High Priest's Immersion Chamber Located next to the Chamber of Avtinas was the Immersion Chamber of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest). As can be seen in the picture on the lower left, the Kohen Gadol is ascending the winding staircase to the Kohen Gadol’s Ritual Bath on Yom Kippur, on the second floor of the Azara, above the Parva Chamber (with the open door, where the animal hides were processed). |
Praying For Victory At The Tomb Of Joshua Last week thousands of Israelis gathered at the tomb of Joshua bin Nun, the student of Moshe, who led Israel's conquest of the land of Israel, to pray for Israel's victory over her enemies and for the release of the Israelis being held hostage in Gaza. |
This Week, Parashat Tetzave - Honoring Our Brother! In this week's Torah reading, Tetzave (Exodus 27:20 - 30:10) Israel is instructed to prepare the garments that the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) and his fellow kohanim will wear when performing the service in the Tabernacle. Moshe is instructed to draw his brother Aharon near to him and to clothe him in glory and honor. This is the way we all are to treat our brothers! |
Shavua Tov From The Temple Mount! "For the conductor, a song of David. May HaShem answer you on a day of distress; may the name of the G-d of Yaakov fortify you. May He send your aid from His sanctuary, and may He support you from Zion. May He remember all your meal offerings and may He accept your fat burnt offerings forever. May He give you as your heart desires, and may He fulfill all your counsel. Let us sing praises for your salvation, and let us assemble in the name of our G-d; may HaShem fulfill all your requests." (Psalms 20) Shavua tov - have a good week!_ |
Build a House for HaShem! "Be strong and have courage! Build a House for HaShem!" In this scene from a film soon to become an integral part of the Temple Institute's Jerusalem based Visitors Center experience, the prophet Samuel charges King David with the task of building the Holy Temple! |
The Glory of this Last House Shall be Greater than the First! "The Glory of this Last House Shall be Greater than the First!" In this scene from a film soon to become an integral part of the Temple Institute's Jerusalem based Visitors Center experience, Zerubavel from the house of David and Kohen Gadol (High Priest) Yehoshua consult with the prophet Haggai who instructs them to waste no time in rebuilding the Holy Temple! |
Red Heifers Arrive In Israel! On Thursday, September 15, 2022, 5 PM, 5 perfect, unblemished red heifers arrived in Israel from the USA. A modest ceremony was held at the unloading bay of the cargo terminal at Ben Gurion airport, where the new arrivals were greeted and speeches were made by the incredible people who have put their hearts and souls and means into making this historic/prophetic day become a reality. |
Biblical Red Heifer Could Bring Million Visitors To Samaria The Ancient Shiloh heritage site will soon host a Red Heifer research center. Hundreds of visitors flocked to Shiloh in Samaria’s Binyamin region on Thursday to welcome a biblically pure red heifer. The 22-month-old cow, which was brought to Israel from the United States, found a new home at the Ancient Shiloh heritage site, where the biblical Tabernacle once stood. |
Blessings from the holy city of Jerusalem!
Yitzchak Reuven
The Temple Institute |
|
Posts