#4 Tetzaveh- Moshe missing II

Moshe died on the seventh day of Adar, which usually occurs during the week when Tetzaveh is read in Shul. Since his death took place during this week, his name is not mentioned once in the entire Parsha. The Magen Avraham says that even when its a leap year, the people who fast on the seventh of Adar (the day Moshe died) should fast in the first Adar because there are opinions that the year Moshe died was a leap year and that he died in the first Adar. 

What are other reasons Moshe's name is not written in this weeks Parsha?

#3 Tetzaveh- Moshe Rabeinu Missing?

In this weeks Parsha, Parsha Tetzaveh, Moshe's name is not mentioned. It says in Perek 27 Pasuk 20 

And you shall command the children of Israel, and they shall take to you pure olive oil, crushed for lighting, to kindle the lamps continually.

כוְאַתָּה תְּצַוֶּה | אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ שֶׁמֶן זַיִת זָךְ כָּתִית לַמָּאוֹר לְהַעֲלֹת נֵר תָּמִיד:

This is the only Parsha since Moshe was born in which him name does not appear (except for one Parsha that is spoken by Moshe). Why is this? The Baal Haturim says that in Chait Hagegal Moshe told Hashem "If You do not [forgive them,] erase me from the book that You have written" (Exodus 32:31). Although Moshe might not have meant what he said, the words do come with consequences and therefore Moshe's name was left out of the Parsha. 

#2 Tetzaveh- Ephod?

In Pasuk Daled it says, אֵלֶּה הַבְּגָדִים אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשׂוּ חשֶׁן וְאֵפוֹד וּמְעִיל וּכְתֹנֶת תַּשְׁבֵּץ מִצְנֶפֶת וְאַבְנֵט וְעָשׂוּ בִגְדֵי קֹדֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ וּלְבָנָיו לְכַהֲנוֹ לִי:

What is an ephod?

Rashi explains that there is no tradition regarding what the ephod is but suggests that Ephod was something that the Cohen girded on his back and was about the width of a man's back. However, there is no clear, sure answer as to what it looked like. 

What other possibilities are there for the Ephod looked like? What could it symbolize? 

#1 Tetzaveh-Choshen?

In pasuk tet vav it says:

וְעָשִׂיתָ חשֶׁן מִשְׁפָּט מַעֲשֵׂה חשֵׁב כְּמַעֲשֵׂה אֵפֹד תַּעֲשֶׂנּוּ זָהָב תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתוֹ:

"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."

Why is the Choshen called the "Choshen of Judgement"?

Rashi gives two answers:

1) It attoned for mistaken decisions made by the courts of judgement.

2) It itself provided clear rulings for the nation- different stones would light up on the choshen and if they were read in the correct way it would give the Kohen clear answers.

What are other reasons the choshen is called the Choshen of Judgement? Are there any other unique aspects of the choshen?  

Teruma #4- why these donations?

In פרק כח, פסוק ב-ג it says Everyman should take a portion of his gold,silver and copper and turquoise wool and purple wool and scarlet wool and goats hair and other stuff. And to give as much as their hearts motivate  them.
Why are these things needed? These items seem to be random is there anything significant about them?
Rashi says the copper and gold and everything was required for the work of the Mishkan or the outfits for the כהנים

Teruma #3- One Mishkan

In this week’s Parsha Hashem commands Bnei Yisroel to build the Mishkan.

Why does the Torah tell us that the Mishkan is to be “one”?

 The Ibn Ezra states that just as the Shulchan needs every section in order to be complete, so too Hashem’s world needs every component in order to be complete. All of Hashem’s creations that were listed in Breishit contribute to the makeup of the world. Each creation is significant in its own way. Without each creation the world would not be complete.

What are other reasons that the Torah tells us that the mishkan must be “one”?  What are other meanings of this commandment?Why is this significant?

Teruma #2- who should build?

Parshat Terumah goes into extensive detail of the construction of the Mishkan. The parsha covers many components of the parsha, one of which is the Aron Hakodesh, otherwise known as the Holy Ark.

In this Parsha, Hashem's commandment to Moshe to build the Aron differs from his command to design the other components of the Mishkan. For the other parts of the holy Mishkan, Hashem commanded Moshe, "You should build...", which take note, is singular. Then when Hashem commands the Aron to be built, He says, "They should build the Aron", which is plural!

Why did the command change? Why this difference?!   

The Midrash Rabbah on Shemot explains that when Hashem commanded, "They should build the Aron", it was a specific commandment from Hashem that every single Jew had to personally contribute to the building of the Aron( so that they could all merit the Torah), unlike the rest of the components of the Mishkan.

Teruma #1- Heavy Lifting or Not So Much?

In this weeks parsha, Parshat Termuah, the building of the Mishkan is described. 

In Perek 25: 11: the Torah says, "וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתוֹ זָהָב טָהוֹר מִבַּיִת וּמִחוּץ תְּצַפֶּנּוּ"

This translates to "And you shall cover it with pure gold on the inside and on the outside you shall cover it".

Talmud Bavli 72B says that Betzalel, the architect of the Mishkan, was to make 3 arks, one of gold for the inside, one of gold for the outside and one made of wood in the middle. The question is raised of the wooden, inner ark, why not just make it gold? The Mishkan is a very holy place, surely expense was no issue, so why "downsize" the center ark and make it out of wood?

The Daat Zekenim answers that had the ark been made of 100% gold it would have been too heavy to carry. 

From here we can learn an important lesson about God's consideration of Bnei Yisrael in the Midbar. The ark carried the broken remains of the shattered tablets, the ultimate sign of Bnei Yisrael's rebellion against God. By making transporting these symbolic remains easier for Bnei Yisrael, Hashem was essentially making a concession despite their egregious sin, demonstrating His mercy and glory in a tangible way.  

Q1) Why else was the center ark wooden? 

Q2) Where else do we see this idea of Hashem making concessions for Bnei Yisrael?

Q3) Is there any other significance to the particular materials used in the Mishkan?

Mishpatim #4- milk and meat

Do not cook a kid in its mother’s milk.-Exodus 23:19

In Parshat Mishmatim, the law of having meat and milk together is proclaimed. Shaloh

says that meat represents the “divine attribute of justice” and milk as “the attribute of mercy”,

therefore they shall not mix. Rabbeinu Bachayei says that when Mashiach comes we can eat

milk and meat together. If it is going to be allowed after Mashiach is here, then why can’t we

eat milk and meat together now?

Mishpatim #4- set them free

In Parashat Mishpatim 21:2 the Torah states:

“If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall work for six years, and on the seventh he shall be free and clear.”

In 6:13 in the Torah it is stated that Hashem commanded Moshe and Aaron to go to the Jewish people. The Yerushalmi (Rosh Hoshana 3:5) asks: What did Hashem command them?

Apparently, there was a specific Mitzvah explained at the time of Yitziat Mitzraim and this was the emancipation of Hebrew slaves. There is proof in Yirmiyahu as is quoted that Hashem commanded the Jewish people to send their Hebrew slaves free at the end of seven years. (34:13)

Question:We only find Mitzvot that were given before Matan Torah to be mentioned if they were relevant at that time. The emancipation of slaves however would not apply until the Jews inhabited israel. Why then is it singled out to be given before the rest of the Torah?

Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz explains that it goes against human nature to send one’s slave free. A person becomes used to the role of a master and even if the slave wants freedom the master may not grant freedom. Therefore, the Torah wanted the Jewish people to be introduced to this commandment at the time they were being liberated from slavery and while they were experiencing the overwhelming joy of freedom. The occasion of Yetziat Mitzrayim was a time to be remembered by the Jewish nation forever, therefore, the commandment of emancipation of slaves was given earlier, as well in this weeks parsha, to prove the violation is inexcusable.

Shabbat Shalom!

Mishpatim #3- Why pierce his ear?

. וְהִגִּישׁוֹ אֲדֹנָיו אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים וְהִגִּישׁוֹ אֶל הַדֶּלֶת אוֹ אֶל הַמְּזוּזָה וְרָצַע אֲדֹנָיו אֶת אָזְנוֹ בַּמַּרְצֵעַ וַעֲבָדוֹ לְעֹלָם: his master shall bring him to the judges, and he shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever.

Why do we bore his ear? Why that part of the body? 

Rashi says, the ear heard on Har Sinai "Do not steal" and yet this person went and stole (which is why he's becoming a slave) therefore, it makes sense to bore (make a hole) in his ear as opposed to another body part.

 What are other reasons for boring the ear as opposed to other body parts? Why does this need to be done by a door post? How do they know which ear to bore?

Mishpatim #2- capital punishment?

יב. מַכֵּה אִישׁ וָמֵת מוֹת יוּמָת: One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.

In this weeks Parsha Beni Yisroal are at Har Sinai and Moshe is telling them more laws that they need to follow. One law that Moshe says is "One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death"  Rashi asks what if he didn't strike a man what if he struck a woman or a child would he get killed?  Rashi then quotes a different passuk to prove that even if he killed an woman or a child he would get killed. In Vayikra it says that if a man strikes "any human being he will be put to death" which includes woman and children. In Vayikra it does not mention that the person has to die. Therefor you might think that any blow can subject you to the death penalty.  Therefor the passuk in Mishpatim comes to tell us in order to be liable for the death penalty the victim must die. Do you think it is fair to say that if you kill someone you should be killed or is it to harsh of a punishment? Why would the Torah not have one passuk for this law? Meaning why doesn't the Torah just combine the pissukim and say One who strikes any human being so that he dies should surely be put to death?

Mishpatim #1- Donkey help

ה.״כי תראה חמור שנאך רבץ תחת משאו וחדלת מעזב לו עזב תעזב עמו״ 

This Pasuk roughly translates as " when you see the donkey of your enemy lying under its burden you will stop from helping him, you shall surely help along with him" 

This Pasuk seems very unclear and contradictory, should you help your enemy's donkey or not? 

Rashi tries to clarify and mentions how the word "עזב" does not translate to its usual meaning of abandonment in this Pasuk. Rather in this case  "עזב" means providing aid or help. This solves the contradiction of the Pasuk; however we then have the problem of this interpretation not making sense in context. Rashi bring multiple cases where "עזב" translates to aid or help in order to solidify his point.

Are there any other translation of "עזב" that might fit better in the context of the commandment? 

Yitro #4- Shabbos and Maan

Shmot 20:11 11. For [in] six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.		יא. כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה יְהֹוָה אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ אֶת הַיָּם וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר בָּם וַיָּנַח בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי עַל כֵּן בֵּרַךְ יְהֹוָה אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת וַיְקַדְּשֵׁהוּ:

According to Rashi, Shabbat was sanctified through the miracle of the Maan. Why is it so special that a double portion of maan was given for Shabbat? It was not really double because one was for Friday and one was for Shabbat. What was it about the double portion that proved that Shabbat is so special?

He answers is that on all the other days, if any Mann was left over, by the next day it would become wormy, but on Friday the maan that was left over for the next day for Shabbat was perfectly good. This proved that Shabbat was a very special holy day.

Yitro #3- Why named "Yitro"

 "Be the thermostat"

וַיֹּאמֶר חֹתֵן משֶׁה אֵלָיו לֹא טוֹב הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עֹשֶׂה:

17. Moses' father in law said to him, "The thing you are doing is not good.

In this parsha, Yitro seems to have a rather small part, so why do we name the Parsha after him? Naming the Parsha after the Luchot would seem to be more appropriate! Rashi even adds that this Parsha was written out of order--that the Luchot story happened before Yitro's scene, so why does the Torah go out of its way to name the Parsha after Yitro?

Rabbit Lipschitz brings a Mashal of a Jew asking a man for help.  The Jew brings the man into his house and explains that his thermometer is broken.  The man is puzzled, and explains that the Jew means to say that his thermostat is broken.  The Jew then says that they are basically the same thing, and then the man explains that the Jew is wrong.  A thermometer only measures the temperature; whereas the thermostat measures the temperatureand then does something about it.

So, Yitro is like the Thermostat because he was able to see the problem facing Moshe, and fix it.

What could be another reason as to why this Parsha is called Parshat Yitro? Are there other reasons why we view Yitro in such a positive light? What other Parshas are possibly written out of order? 

Yitro #2- Commandment #2

You shall not have the gods of others in My presence.

ג. לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים עַל פָּנַי:

לא יהיה לך: למה נאמר, לפי שנאמר (פסוק ד) לא תעשה לך, אין לי אלא שלא יעשה, העשוי כבר מנין שלא יקיים, תלמוד לומר לא יהיה לך:

This is the second of the 10 commandments from Hashem. Rashi asks why this was said. He says that the reason it says “you shall not have” is because one needs to know that they cannot keep for themselves an idol that was already made. 

What are other interpretations for this commandment? Where else in the Torah do we see the 10 commandments? Why did Hashem give us this commandment?