The priests' vestments and
their instatement are at the heart of Parashat Tetzaveh, while this theme is
flanked at the beginning and end by the respective citings of the oil for the
Menorah, and the description of the Altar of Incense. The previous Parasha
started with a free-will offering for YHVH (Ex. 25:2) – “trumah” – whereas this
one starts with a command to "bring [lit. “take”] pure olive oil beaten for the light, to set light
perpetually" (27:20 italics added). This order is denoted by "tetzaveh" - "you shall
command," the root being tz.v.h
(tzadi, vav, hey). “This type of command connotes instructions given by a
father to a son (I Sam. 17:20), a farmer to his laborers (Ruth 2:9), and a king
to his servants (II Sam. 21:14). It reflects a firmly structured society in
which people were responsible to their right to rule by God’s command. The
leader was then in a position to command the people and to expect their
obedience.” The Theological Wordbook of
the Old Testament further connects this root with "tzi'yoon"1,
which means a “signpost, a mark or a monument” as is found, for example, in Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) 31:21,
“Set up road marks for yourself."
Thus “command,” as in “mitzva,” usually
perceived only as a strict order or a dictate, has further and deeper
implications. Interestingly, “tetzaveh” is not the imperative form for
“command,” but is in male, second person future tense (i.e. “you shall command”),
which diminishes its intensity.
The Mishkan, as it was
named in the previous Parasha is now designated, in the very beginning of our
text, by a different title: Ohel Mo’ed (27:21). Last week we learned that the
edifice of the sanctuary/Mishkan was going be a “tent” – ohel – but now with
the addition of “mo’ed” it becomes
apparent that it will not only be a “mishkan” – a place of “dwelling” of the
Almighty’s Spirit (see also 29:45-46) – but it will also house the “appointed
meetings” with Him (ref. 29:42,43). The wording in 29:45-46: “I will dwell
among the children of Israel… that I may dwell among them,” reveals an even
greater reality – that YHVH desires and promises to dwell in and among His
people (hence the need for the perpetual daily burnt offerings, 29:38-42a)!
Last week we compared the Mishkan’s
building instructions with the six days of Creation (ref. Ex. 24:16). This week
we are also required to make a similar analogy. In Parashat Trumah the Menorah
was listed in third place, while here the oil for the "perpetual
light" is mentioned first, recalling of course the light mentioned in the
beginning of the Creation account. The instructions for making the oil
emphasize not only its purity and clarity (27:20, the word there
being "zach," denoting both), but also that it is to be made
by beating or pounding (the olives). This type of oil is therefore named "katit," the root of which is k.t.t. (kaf, tav, tav), meaning to “beat or crush." Made, as it is by crushing and pounding, this
oil is to be for a continual light (“ner tamid”). As such
it reflects very clearly our unchanging Messiah (Heb. 13:8) Who is without sin
and therefore pure (Heb. 4:15b), had been bruised and crushed (Is. 53:4), and is
the Light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5). An analogous description of Him as the
Anointed One Who is also the Word (John 1:1), and the way/path (John 14:6) is
found in Tehilim (Psalms) 119:105: "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path".2
It was up to the priests, A’haron and his sons, who were later to be anointed
with the anointing oil to "set" the oil and its lighting "before
YHVH" (27:21). Afterwards Moshe was "to bring near A’haron… and
his sons" to "himself" (literal translation for
"summoning" or "take for yourself," 28:1). In the process
of sanctifying the priests, Moshe was also told to, “take one bull and two rams
without blemish, and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and
unleavened waters anointed with oil," to make them of "fine wheat
flour" and to "put them into one basket" which he was, again, to
“bring near" (29:1-3, the translations may omit “bring near”).
Immediately after that, he was told once again "to bring near A'aron and
his sons to the opening of the tent of meeting…" (v. 4, literal
translation, emphasis added). In all three cases the verb is "karev," of the root k.r.v (kof, resh, bet/vet), meaning to “bring near or close.” This root is
also the root for "korban," “sacrifice” or “offering.”
In 29:8 we are told that A'aron's sons were to be "brought near," as was the bull, which was to
be slaughtered after the priests were to lay hands on it (v. 10). This is the
first instance of the "laying of
hands" – “samoch” (s.m.ch, samech, mem, kaf/chaf),
with the primary meaning of the verb being to “lean upon." In the case of the "laying of hands," as
is preformed here by the priests, there is an identification with the
"korban" which is about to give up its life, symbolizing ultimate
submission. Thus, the particular selection of verbs used here forms an introduction
to the sacrificial system and to its significance. It is by virtue of the
sacrifice that a “drawing near" to the Father can
occur, followed by "leaning"
and "relying"
on Him. According to King David, “though [a man] falls, he is not cast down;
for YHVH upholds - "somech" - his hand on him” (Psalms 37:24). In Tehilim
145:14 we read again: “YHVH upholds all
who fall.” It is also in YHVH’s hand that
the two trees/branches/sticks of Ezekiel 37:19 become one. But just before that
(v. 17), when they are still in the hand of the prophet, the latter is told to
“bring close” – ka’rev – those branches, one to the other (commonly translated
“join”).
The blood of the second ram, of the two that were to be slaughtered, was
to be put on the priests' right earlobe, right thumb, and the right big toe
(29:20). In their service to YHVH, these servants' relationship with Him was to
be marked by listening and obeying (which is denoted by one and the same word
in Hebrew), by doing His deeds, and walking in His paths.3
The priests' special vestments signified their unique position, while
each of the several items with which they were attired had its own particular
purpose. "And you shall make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for
glory and for beauty" (28:2,
40). The word here for "beauty" is "tif'e'ret," of
the root p.e.r (pey, alef, resh), which means to “beautify” and also a “turban.”
Our High Priest says of Himself in Yishayahu (Isaiah) 61: "The Spirit of
YHVH is on Me, because YHVH has anointed Me to… appoint to those who mourn in
Zion, to give them beauty - p'er - instead of ashes the oil of joy
instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of the spirit of infirmity,
so that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of YHVH, in
order to beautify - lehit'pa'er - Himself" (vs. 1,3). Once clothed in “beauty” these
ones render the beauty of holiness to YHVH, while exclaiming: "I will
greatly rejoice in YHVH. My soul shall be joyful in my Elohim. For He clothed
me with garments of salvation; He put on me the robe of
righteousness, even as a bridegroom puts on – literally “ministers as a priest”
- his ornament - p'er - and as the bride is adorned with
her jewels" (Is. 61: 10 italics added). The clothing items in this verse:
garments – b’gadim, robe - m’eel, and the “ornament” denoted by “p’er” are all
mentioned also in Sh’mot 28:2, 4. Notice in particular how the Yishayahu text
associates the bridegroom with the priesthood, making the prophetic
foreshadowing of Messiah as the Bridegroom and High Priest very evident.
In 28:12 and 28:29 A'haron is told to carry
the names of the sons of Yisrael (engraved in precious stones) whenever he
enters the Holy Place, as a memorial on the shoulders of the ephod and
on the breastplate of judgment over his heart, while the breastplate was
also for "a continual reminder before YHVH" (italics added). Further,
Moshe was told to "put the Urim and the Thummim into the breastplate of
judgment; and they shall be on the heart of Aaron in his going before the face
of YHVH. And Aaron shall bear the judgment of the sons of Israel
Golden bells and pomegranates were to be attached alternately to the
bottom of the High Priest's garment (28:33-35). The word for "bell"
is "pa'amon," its root being p.a.m. (pey, ayin, mem) which
means “foot, step, anvil, and time.” Unlike other words for Time, “et,” "zma'n,"
and “mo’ed,” which point to specific times, "pa'am" refers to "pulse"
or "beat," and thus to Time's continuous motion. “Once” (as
pertaining to time) is also “pa’am” (e.g. Gen. 18:2). With this meaning of
“pa’amon,” making reference to the marking of the passage of time, it is
interesting to note the function of its sound in this particular case. The bells
were to "be heard in his [Aharon's] going into the sanctuary before the
face of YHVH and in his coming out,
that he [Aharon] should not die"
(v.35, italics added). The pomegranates were used frequently as a decorative
motif (e.g. Jer. 52:22ff).
The fact that Moshe was
told (literally) to clothe A’haron and his sons (28:41) recalls B’resheet
(Genesis) 3:21, where we read: "And YHVH Elohim made coats of skin for the
man and his wife, and clothed them." It was the actions of “the man and
his wife” (sin) that had made necessary the ministry of interposing between man
and Elohim which was being entrusted now to A'haron and his sons.
The last article mentioned in this Parasha is the Altar of Incense. In
30:7-8 we learn that while attending to the altar, A'haron was also to attend
to the lights: "And Aaron shall
burn incense of perfume on it morning by morning; when he dresses the lamps he
shall burn it" (30:7). Thus our Parasha comes around full circle from its
beginning (with the lights/lamps) to the end. "When he dresses the lamps,
he shall burn incense upon it; which he did every morning when he went into the
holy place, where the candlestick with its lamps was. These he trimmed and
dressed, snuffed those that were ready to go out, lighted those that had gone
out, supplied them with oil and wicks, and cleared the snuff dishes, and the
like. Now near to the candlestick stood the altar of incense, so that when the
priest looked after the one, he did the service of the other. Hence we learn
that our intercessor and lamplighter is one and the same; he that
was seen amidst the golden candlesticks dressing the lamps of them appears at
the golden altar with a golden censer, to offer up the prayers of his
saints."4 (emphasis added).
1 Theological Wordbook of the Old
Testament, Vol. 2, ed. R. Laird Harris,
Moody Press, Chicago, 1980.
2
"In this world you stood in need of the light of the Temple
lamps are lit from its light. But in the
world to come, by virtue of that
lamp ["ner" - light], I shall
bring you King Messiah who is likened to
a lamp, as it is said (Ps. 132:17):
"There I will cause to flourish a horn
for David, I will set a lamp for Mine
anointed" (Tanhuma Tezaveh 8 –
an ancient commentary). Quoted from New
Studies in Shmot Part 2,
Nechama Leibowitz, trans. Aryeh Newman.
Eliner Library, Department
for Torah
Education and Culture in the Diaspora. Hemed Books Inc.,
3 Moses on the Witness Stand, Shlomo
Ostrovski, Keren Ahava Meshichit,
4 Gill commentary, Online Bible.
Hebrew Tools for Everyday Use
“Continual”, as
is used in the Parasha, is the common “tamid” – always, while the verb for
crushing the olives is used for... “beating up” or “hitting” in the Modern vernacular. We will learn how to use the imperative of
this verb and also how to say it in plural, masculine past tense (not trying to
encourage anyone to engage in a fight : ) “Bringing near” – karov – is also related
to our “relatives” who are called “k’rovim”, while “karov” is simply “close” or
“near”, but can also be “a relative” (singular). “Pa’am” – the pulse – has
become simply “once”, or if preceded by the definite article, “ha” (“ha’pa’am”)
means “this time”. We will end with “tamid” (“always”) once again, but this
time the prefix “mi” (“from”) which turns pa’am into “than ever”.
He always
commanded to beat up A’ahron
Hu tamid tzeeva
la’ha’kot et A’haron
This time
the relatives did not beat up Yosef
Ha’pa’am
ha’krovim lo hiku et Yosef
The light
is closer than ever
Ha’or
karov mi’tamid (lit. the light is close from ever)
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