I WILL SANCTIFY THE TENT OF MEETING AND
THE ALTAR, AND I WILL CONSECRATE AHARON AND HIS SONS TO SERVE ME AS PRIESTS. I
WILL ABIDE AMONG THE ISRAELITES, AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD.
(Shemot 29)
I WILL ABIDE AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND I WILL NEVER FORSAKE MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.
(I Kings 6)
"If you follow my laws" - What is written there? "I will
establish My abode in your midst" - If you observe my commandments, I
will leave the heavenly beings and will descend and abide in your midst, as is
written (Shemot
29) "I will abide
among the Israelites", for it was on this condition that they
left Egypt, that they establish the Mishkan and that the Holy Presence rest in
their midst, as is written (Ibid)
"Let them make Me a sanctuary that I may among them", and
so He spoke to King Shelomo (I Kings 6:12), "With
regards to this house you are building... I will abide among the children of
Israel", if you do My bidding my presence will never leave you.
Why? Said Rabbi Ami: The
Holy One, Blessed Be He, desired that just as He has an abode above, He should
also have an abode below, for so He said to Adam: If you merit - just as I am king
over the celestial beings, so will I be king over the
earthly beings, as is written (Bereishit 2): "And
the Lord God took man" - the word vayikach [took]
denotes elevation, as is written (Ibid. 12) "And
the woman was taken to Pharaoh's palace" and similarly it says (Esther 2) "And Esther was taken to the
King's palace."
But he did not obey. Because
he sinned, He removed His presence from him.
When Israel rose, The Holy
One, Blessed Be He, said to them: You left Egypt only under the condition that
you erect for Me a dwelling place, and I will cause my presence to rest among
you, as is written (Shemot
25), "They shall
make for me a holy place." And so did He say to Shelomo "This
house which you are building... and I will dwell in the midst of the Children
of Israel... but if you and your children should leave me, I will wipe Israel
off the face of the land" (I Kings 6, and I Kings 9).
Why? Because these are
conditions between us, as is written "If you follow My laws
faithfully... but if you do not obey me... I will make your sanctuaries
desolate". Said The Holy One, Blessed Be He: Even if I leave,
should them repent, I will return. Therefore it is written (Hoshea 5:15), "And I will return to My abode
- Till they realize their guilt. In their distress, they will seek Me and beg
for My favor", as is written (Devarim 4:30) "When you are in distress because
all these things have befallen you" and afterwards I shall return my
holy presence to you.
Rabbi Yehuda says: If Israel
does not repent, they will not be redeemed, as is written, (Isaiah 30:15) "You shall triumph by stillness
and quiet."
Rabbi Shim'on says: Whether
they repent or not, when the appointed time arrives - they will immediately be
redeemed, as is written (Isaiah
60) "I the Lord will
speed it in due time".
Rabbi El'azar says: If they
do not repent of their own volition, The Holy One, Blessed Be He, will appoint
over them an evil king whose decrees are as harsh as Haman's and he will
subjugate them, and then they will repent, as is written (Isaiah 59:19) "For He shall come like a
hemmed-in stream which the wind of the Lord drives on" at that
time "He shall come as a redeemer to Zion."
(Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Bechukotai
3)
Dedicated to
the memory of my father-in-law, Yaakov Orlovsky, z"l, whose day of
remembrance always occurs at this time
The
first act of service which our forefathers were commanded to perform in the
Mishkan, was to light the eternal lamp, the ner tamid. This is analogous
to the creation of the world, the beginning of which is "And the Lord
said, Let there be light! And there was light" (Bereishit 1:3,
according to Y. Leibowitz, Seven Years of Discussion on the Weekly Parasha).
Many parallels between
Creation and the Mishkan can be detected, e.g., the creation of heaven and
earth paralleled by the curtains, the parochet paralleling the
firmament, etc. The ner tamid corresponds to the first light... that
light whose source is infinite and whose power is thousandfold greater than the
power of our sun... the light which was hidden away to serve the righteous in
the future to come:
"And
God called the light Day" - Are
not light and day synonymous?! Learn as follows: The light which was
created during the six days of Creation - to shine at day would serve no
purpose, because of the great brightness of the sun; it cannot shine at night,
because it was created only for day. Where is this light? It was hidden and set
aside for the tzaddikim in the world to come, as is written (Isaiah 30:26): "And the light of the moon
shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold
brighter than the light of the seven days." (Midrash Rabba
Bereishit, Parasha 3, Piska 6)
A
bit of this light, which was hidden away for the tzadikkim in the world to
come, flickered constantly in the sanctuary... the light of Bereishit, whose
source is the garment of The Holy One, Blessed Be He, the description of which
hints at the wondrous connection between supernatural energies and those of
earthly reality.
Rabbi Shim'on ben
Yehotsadak asked Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman, saying to him: I have heard that you
are a master of Aggadah; from whence was light created?
He replied: We learn
that The Holy One, Blessed Be He, wrapped himself in it as with a robe, and the
brightness of his glory shined from one end of the world to the other, as is
written: "He wraps himself in light as in a garment" (Midrash Rabba Bereishit Parasha 3, Piska
4)
The
nature of light is that it is drawn from its source and encircles the entire
world, its hues change, but its character is constant. Light is energy which
can nourish whoever is able to absorb it. It symbolizes enchanted concepts of
noble, mystical and spiritual ties between He who is incorporeal and earthly
human images. Light is comparable to Torah. That "Torah into which The
Holy One, Blessed Be He, looked and created the world" (Bereishit Rabba 1:1). The connection between
Torah, the world (and its inhabitants), and The Holy One, Blessed Be He, is a
circular connection in which light represents the true connection.
Said Rabbi Simon: Light
is mentioned here five times is, corresponding to the five books of the Torah:
"And God said Let
there be light" - corresponds to the Book of Bereishit in which The Holy One,
Blessed Be He, creates the world.
"And there was
light" - corresponding
to Shemot, in which Israel exits from darkness to light.
"And God saw that
the light was good" -corresponds to the Book of Vayikra, which is full with many halchot.
"And God separated
between the light and the darkness" - corresponding to the Book of Bemidbar,
in which He differentiates between those who left Egypt and those who will
enter the Land.
"And God called the
light Day" - corresponds
to the Reiteration of the Torah [Mishneh Torah - the Book of Devarim],
which is replete with regulations. (Midrash
Rabba Bereishit parasha 3, Piska 5)
Further
on, in Chapter 30, appears the phrase, "And when Aharon draws up the
lampwicks". In this expression direction is added to the lighting of
the lamps. The direction strives upwards, as part of the expression of the tie
between the celestial and the earthly. The flickering of the flame and its
perpetual movement... its striving upward... create an illusion of constant
symbolic movement, changing, attempting to break away from the menorah and to
ascend.
The lamp itself is a
fitting metaphor for Torah, containing the following characteristics: It is
a source, the flame comes forth from it; from itself it radiates heat and light
to its surroundings; it lights others without being diminished itself, and with
distance, the heat diminishes. It has a constant vitality, changes form,
changes color, leans to the right, straightens towards the left; it has
independent form, i.e., one cannot guess what it will look like the next
second, it is master to itself. Contact can transform objects, it can
obliterate them, and one must start it so that it can contribute to the
environment.
So
with the Torah. It is a flowing source, which radiates wisdom and knowledge to
the surroundings. Some act is necessary to start its action, and its effect diminishes
as one moves away from it. It has independent vitality, it is constantly
changing (p'shat and drash), with its flame it ignites others,
but remains whole.
The
source of this hidden light - the symbol of Torah - illumines the darkness of
the sanctuary... the natural pulse of the universe, of Israel, lives and exists
and illuminates forever, pulsating and hinting at tremendous treasures awaiting
uncovering... craving to go out into the light of the world.
"This terminology
for the lighting of the lamp appears in the Bible only in reference to the
service of the menorah. The language is precise, for the mitzva
is to light the wick "until the fire burns on its own" (Shabbat 21), meaning: The task of the
Torah teacher is to make himself superfluous! The priest should not place the
laity in a status of perpetual dependency upon him. From this we hear a warning
to teachers and student to practice mutual patience and forbearance. (Rabbi S.
R. Hirsch on "lehaalot ner").
It
is an educational principle of Torah study - the independence of the lamp is an
attribute of the student; when its flame raises on its own, it receives the new
movement, it spreads new light and movement, with different color and new
rhythm. The Torah does not exist for itself; its vitality derives from the
power of its diffusion and dissemination among students. Every student
innovates while learning, in accord with his thought and comprehension, and
thus the Torah is constantly recreated, like this flame, perpetually spreading
new light. The ner tamid, the hidden light, the Torah of Life moving
under its own power - the heart of the soul of the Hebrew nation, ceaselessly
illuminating the sanctuary with its warmth and light.
The
lighting of lamp from lamp and the dissemination of Torah has greater light
than the greatest lamp burning alone. The Talmud records a debate between Rabbi
Hiyya and Rabbi Haninah regarding the relative strengths of both:
"Whenever R. Hanina
and R. Hiyya were in a dispute, R. Hanina said to R. Hiyya: 'Would you dispute
with me? If, Heaven forfend, the Torah were to be forgotten in in Israel, I
would restore it by my argumentative powers.' To which R. Hiyya rejoined:
'Would you dispute with me, who achieved that the Torah should not be forgotten
in Israel? What did I do? I went and sowed flax, made nets, trapped deer, whose
flesh I gave to orphans and prepared scrolls [from their skins] upon which I
wrote the five books [of Moses]. Then I went to a town [which contained no
teachers] and taught the five books [of the Torah] to five children, and the
six orders [of the Talmud] to six children. And I bade them: "Until I
return, teach each other the Pentateuch and the Mishneh;" and thus I
preserved the Torah from being forgotten in Israel." (Bava Metsia 85b, Socino ed.)
The Talmud remarks on
the above: "This is what Rebbi [had in mind when he] said: 'How great are
the works of Hiyya!" (Ibid.)
The light of the ner
tamid, from which many lamps are lit, enlightens dark expanses and directs
the multitudes with its light.
"Behold! How the
words of Torah give light to man when he engages in them; but he who does not
engage in them and is ignorant, stumbles. He may be compared to one who stands
in the dark, when he walks he comes across a rock and collides with it, comes
to pit and falls in, knocks his face in the earth - why did he not have a lamp
in his hand! So the fool who possesses no Torah; he comes across a sin,
stumbles, and dies, for the Holy Spirit cries out (Proverbs 5) 'He will die for
lack of discipline". Discipline is nothing other than the words of
Torah, as is written (Ibid.
4) 'Hold
fast to discipline; do not let go.'
Why does he die? Because
he is ignorant of Torah, and goes and sins, as is written (Ibid), 'The way of the wicked is all darkness;
they do not know what will make them stumble.'
But those who study
Torah shine everywhere. This is comparable to one who stands in the dark and
holds a lamp in his hand; he sees a rock and does not collide. Sees a pit and
does not fall. Why? Because he holds a lamp, as is written (Psalms 119) 'Your word is a lamp to
my feet, a light for my path' and also (Proverbs
4) 'When
you run you will not stumble' and (Ibid.
20) 'The
lifebreath of man is the lamp of the Lord'.
Said The Holy One,
Blessed Be He: You watch over My lamp, and I will watch over yours. What is the
lamp of The Holy One, Blessed Be He? It is the Torah, as is written (Ibid
6) "For
the commandment is a lamp, the teaching is a light'. What is 'For
the commandment is a lamp'? When one performs a mitzvah it is as
though he lights a lamp before The Holy One, Blessed Be He, and revives his
soul, which is called 'lamp' as is written (Ibid. 20) "The
lifebreath of man is the lamp of the Lord'.
And what is 'the
teaching is a light'? Often a man's heart would like to perform a mitzvah
but his evil inclination says to him: 'Why should you perform a mitzvah and
reduce your wealth? Instead of giving [your wealth] to others, give it to my
son!' The good inclination tells him: 'Give for the mitzvah. See what is
written, "For the commandment is a lamp' . Just as a lamp,
when lit, even a million candles made of wax or fat can be lit from it, so
whoever gives for a mitzvah does not lessen his possessions. Therefore it says,
"For the commandment is a lamp, the teaching is a light'. (Midrash Rabba Shemot, Parasha 36, Piska 2)
Chayim Rubenstein works in education
The Holy Garments
Clothing is not only
protection against cold, is not only decoration, it is the first and essential
distinguishing factor of human society; it is - in man's moral sensitivity - man's
superiority over the beast. The rank and honor of man are recognized by the
signs attached to his clothes. Clothing is an expression of respect of Man. The
priests were given special clothing "for dignity and adornment."
... In His glory, God gave
man and his wife garments and dressed them. Thus we are told that a garment is
not only a consensual convention; it is an addition to the act of creation, a
kind of second skin given man, a more noble sort of physicality. How
beautiful Rabbi Meir's teaching which compares man to his Creator: "Garments
of light" - [The Hebrew for 'skin' sounds very much like
the Hebrew for 'light' - K.G.] - for in reference to The Holy One,
Blessed Be He, it is written (Psalms 104:2): "Wraps
Himself in light as in a garment." (Bereishit
Rabba, 20:29)
(From Benno Yaakov's commentary on Bereishit,
quoted by Nechama Leibowitz, z"l)
Said
Rabbi Eyneini bar Sasson: Why was the chapter on sacrifices placed adjacent to
the chapter on the priests' garments? To teach you: Just as sacrifices atone,
so do the garments of the priests atone.
(Bavli, Zevchim 88b)
The
choshen [breastplate] would atone for those who pervert justice,
as is written (Shemot
28) 'And you shall make a breastplate of judgement.
(Yerushalmi, Yoma, 7:3)
"You
shall make a breastplate of judgement, worked into a design" - The
Bible mentions 'design' only with regard to the ephod and the choshen,
because it denotes that the atonement it grants is for a private sin in
which thought is equivalent to action. This exists only in the case of avoda
zara - idolatry - as explained above with reference to the ephod;
the choshen is to atone for perversion of judgement, for
judgement is determined by the heart of the judge, for the judge has only that
which his eyes see, and it is in his power to call right left and left right,
depending upon the case and the person and the times and the place, and if the
judge says that this is the way he sees it, who can contradict him other than
God alone who investigates the hearts of men? Therefore the choshen was
worn on Aharon's heart, for judgement is assigned to the heart, and
therefore it was a creation of design to atone for the thoughts of
the judge [In Hebrew 'design' and 'thought' are related - K.G.] as is
written; "a breastplate of design; make it in the style of the
ephod", to teach that perversion of judgement is the equivalent to
idolatry, as Chazal said (Sanhedrin 7) "Appointment
of a dishonest judge is equivalent to planting an asheira - a sacred
post".
(Kli Yakar, Shemot 28)
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