Parshat Acharei Mos
In 16:2 Hashem tells Moshe to tell Aharon. "ואל יבא בכל עת אל הקדש...ולא ימות" - that he cannot just walk into the Holy of Holies whenever he wants... and he will not die.
Rashi adds that this is so he should not die the way his sons died.
His sons died because they brought unauthorized sacrifices in the Holy. They did not just walk in. Also over there the commentaries search for alternative explanations that were the cause of their deaths. Such as they decided halacha in front of Moshe, or they entered the Holy while inebriated, etc.
So how does this warning compare to the death of Ahaon's sons?
The only answer I can think of offhand is that it is referring to the method of death. The punishment would be the same even though the offense is different (slightly).
Showing posts with label mikdash. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mikdash. Show all posts
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Monday, March 12, 2007
women of valor
Parshat Va'Yakhel
In 35:22 it says, " And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought nose-rings, and ear-rings, and signet-rings, and girdles, all jewels of gold; even every man that brought an offering of gold unto the LORD."
This statement of the Torah is juxtaposed with a statement we read last week in Ki Tisa.
There, Aharon suggested the men bring the jewelery of their wives. We are told he was hoping the women would refuse to part with their jewelry, effecting a delay in their plans. Aharon was wrong in his assumption because the men did not wait for the agreement of the women, rather they simply took the jewelry.
The righteous women refused to be part of the Golden Calf fiasco and refused to give up their jewelry to the point that it had to be forcefully taken from them. Here, the women along with the men happily participated in donating from their personal items and jewelry on behalf of the construction of the mikdash.
the women in the Torah constantly show their dedication to Hashem's path, even when the men constantly fail.
In 35:22 it says, " And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought nose-rings, and ear-rings, and signet-rings, and girdles, all jewels of gold; even every man that brought an offering of gold unto the LORD."
This statement of the Torah is juxtaposed with a statement we read last week in Ki Tisa.
There, Aharon suggested the men bring the jewelery of their wives. We are told he was hoping the women would refuse to part with their jewelry, effecting a delay in their plans. Aharon was wrong in his assumption because the men did not wait for the agreement of the women, rather they simply took the jewelry.
The righteous women refused to be part of the Golden Calf fiasco and refused to give up their jewelry to the point that it had to be forcefully taken from them. Here, the women along with the men happily participated in donating from their personal items and jewelry on behalf of the construction of the mikdash.
the women in the Torah constantly show their dedication to Hashem's path, even when the men constantly fail.
donating your time and energy
Parshat Va'Yakhel
The parsha starts off with Moshe describing the need for people to donate the various items for the mikdash construction. He goes through the whole list of items; gold, silver, copper , various cloths and hides, various expensive dyes, oils, spices, stones and gems. Then in 35:10 the passuk says, "וכל חכם לב בכם יבאו ויעשו את כל אשר צוה ה" - and all wise people among you should come and make that which Hashem has commanded. Then it continues listing more items.
Why is this handiwork donated by the wise-hearted person in the middle of the list of items to be donated?
Not everybody can donate. Sometimes it is beyond a persons means to donate an expensive item to a shul, or in this case to the mikdash. He just cannot do it. He might feel bad that everybody else is donating while he is not, but he still cannot.
But maybe he has a skill. Maybe he can help out in a way other than by giving his money. Maybe he can donate his time, roll up his sleeves and physically do things for the shul/mikdash..
The passuk is telling us, I believe, that this type of a donation is equal to the donations of the gold, silver, spices, and boards of wood for the beams of the mikdash. A person who cannot donate the money, or prefers to donate of his unique skills, is on equal footing with other donors.
The parsha starts off with Moshe describing the need for people to donate the various items for the mikdash construction. He goes through the whole list of items; gold, silver, copper , various cloths and hides, various expensive dyes, oils, spices, stones and gems. Then in 35:10 the passuk says, "וכל חכם לב בכם יבאו ויעשו את כל אשר צוה ה" - and all wise people among you should come and make that which Hashem has commanded. Then it continues listing more items.
Why is this handiwork donated by the wise-hearted person in the middle of the list of items to be donated?
Not everybody can donate. Sometimes it is beyond a persons means to donate an expensive item to a shul, or in this case to the mikdash. He just cannot do it. He might feel bad that everybody else is donating while he is not, but he still cannot.
But maybe he has a skill. Maybe he can help out in a way other than by giving his money. Maybe he can donate his time, roll up his sleeves and physically do things for the shul/mikdash..
The passuk is telling us, I believe, that this type of a donation is equal to the donations of the gold, silver, spices, and boards of wood for the beams of the mikdash. A person who cannot donate the money, or prefers to donate of his unique skills, is on equal footing with other donors.
Monday, February 26, 2007
concern for each Jew
Parshat T'Tzaveh
In 28:29-30 the passuk tells us, " וְנָשָׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת-שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחֹשֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּט, עַל-לִבּוֹ--בְּבֹאוֹ אֶל-הַקֹּדֶשׁ: לְזִכָּרֹן לִפְנֵי-ה', תָּמִיד...וְנָתַתָּ אֶל-חֹשֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּט, אֶת-הָאוּרִים וְאֶת-הַתֻּמִּים, וְהָיוּ עַל-לֵב אַהֲרֹן, בְּבֹאוֹ לִפְנֵי ה'; וְנָשָׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת-מִשְׁפַּט בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל-לִבּוֹ, לִפְנֵי ה'--תָּמִיד" - And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the LORD; and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.
The passuk tells us two issues about Aharon carrying Bnei Yisrael on his heart. Once about the names and once about their concerns.
The names of Bnei Yisrael indicate something personal. Aharon has to think about every Jew all the time. Whenever he goes into the Holies, he must have the welfare of every individual Jew in his heart.
The judgement of Bnei Yisrael refers to the concerns of the people. When Aharon goes into the Holies, he must bring with him the worries and concerns of the people.
The act of Aharon (or any Kohen) entering into the Holies and performing the obligations, is not a power trip, nor is it an act limited to the benefit of himself or the nation on some sort of macro level. Aharon must have at the top of his concerns the needs, the worries, the concerns of every individual Jew.
That is a lesson for anybody in leadership positions. You are there representing the people. You are not in place in order to personally benefit, though that might very well be a result of such positioning. You are there in order to look out for the needs of the people. You are there to remember each person and his concerns, and you are to bear them on your heart at all times. That should be what drives and motivates you to act.
In 28:29-30 the passuk tells us, " וְנָשָׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת-שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחֹשֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּט, עַל-לִבּוֹ--בְּבֹאוֹ אֶל-הַקֹּדֶשׁ: לְזִכָּרֹן לִפְנֵי-ה', תָּמִיד...וְנָתַתָּ אֶל-חֹשֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּט, אֶת-הָאוּרִים וְאֶת-הַתֻּמִּים, וְהָיוּ עַל-לֵב אַהֲרֹן, בְּבֹאוֹ לִפְנֵי ה'; וְנָשָׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת-מִשְׁפַּט בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל-לִבּוֹ, לִפְנֵי ה'--תָּמִיד" - And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the LORD; and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.
The passuk tells us two issues about Aharon carrying Bnei Yisrael on his heart. Once about the names and once about their concerns.
The names of Bnei Yisrael indicate something personal. Aharon has to think about every Jew all the time. Whenever he goes into the Holies, he must have the welfare of every individual Jew in his heart.
The judgement of Bnei Yisrael refers to the concerns of the people. When Aharon goes into the Holies, he must bring with him the worries and concerns of the people.
The act of Aharon (or any Kohen) entering into the Holies and performing the obligations, is not a power trip, nor is it an act limited to the benefit of himself or the nation on some sort of macro level. Aharon must have at the top of his concerns the needs, the worries, the concerns of every individual Jew.
That is a lesson for anybody in leadership positions. You are there representing the people. You are not in place in order to personally benefit, though that might very well be a result of such positioning. You are there in order to look out for the needs of the people. You are there to remember each person and his concerns, and you are to bear them on your heart at all times. That should be what drives and motivates you to act.
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