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D''vrei Mordechai

by Reb Mordechai Rosen z"l
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What does Hashem Elokecha ask from you, but to fear Hashem Elokecha and to walk in His ways? (Devorim, Perek Yud, Pasuk Yud Gimmel)

PARSHAS TEZAVEH

 

"V'Attah Tezaveh Es Bnei Yisrael"(Perek Chof Zayin Pasuk Chof) At the beginning of the Parsha, Hashem tells Moshe to have Bnei Yisrael prepare oil for the "Ner Tamid."

The Baal HaTurim explains that the word "Tezaveh," meaning should command, has the same gematria as the words "Nashim Tzaveh," women are commanded. He explains that this Pasuk is a remez to the candles a woman is commanded to light for Shabbos.

There are two questions that can be asked on this Perush. First, how does the Baal HaTurim come to this conclusion, and second, how does this connect to the Mishkan.

To answer the first question, we begin by examining the Pasuk. The Pasuk ends with the words "Ner Tamid." These words have the same gematria as the word B'Shabbos. The Pasuk begins with the word "V'Attah", which has the same gematria as the word "Bayis." So, we have "Nashim Tzaveh," "B'Shabbos" and "Bayis." What is it that women are commanded to do in the house for Shabbos - Neros - the mitzvah of lighting candles.

To answer the second question - how does "Neros" connect with the Mishkan? The Imrei Shaul in a discussion about "Inyanei Shabbos" (Daf Kof Mem Tes, Siman Yud Tes), brings down that the Mizbayach, the Shulchan and the Aron - the kaylim of the Mishkan - are keneged the three Avos, who are keneged Torah, Avodah and Gemilas Chasadim. Avraham is Gemilas Chasadim, which is the Shulchan. Yitzchak is Avodah, which is the Mizbayach. Yaakov is Torah, which is the Aron.

The other kali in the Mishkan is the Menorah. The Menorah lay in the Darom - the southern part of the Mishkan (a remez to this is found in the gematria - the word "Ner" is gematria Darom). The Gemara says "Ratzah L'Chachma," if you want to get smart, "Yadrim," go to Darom. This is because the Menorah, which is in Darom, is the shefa of Chachma, wisdom. Chazal also tell us "Eesha B'Chochma," a woman with wisdom, "Bansa Baysah," builds her home. It is accepted that wisdom is found by women.

So, the Mizbayach, the Shulchan, and the Aron are symbolic of Torah, Avodah, and Gemilas Chasadim and the Menorah is Chochma. We said earlier that Torah, Avodah and Gemilas Chasadim are keneged the three Avos. What is the Menorah keneged?

The first reference we have towards Ner (Menorah) is when Yitzchak brings Rivka to his mother, Sarah's tent. Rashi explains there that when Sarah was alive her candles (Neros) burned from Erev Shabbos to Erev Shabbos. Upon her death, the candles were extinguished. When Rivka came to her tent, the candles began to burn again. It is from here that we can infer that Menorah (Neros) is a reference to the Eemahot. Also, the word "HaMenorah" is gematria "Eeshah," women.

Chazal teach us that every Jewish home is considered a small Mishkan. Just as the Mishkan requires four items to make it complete, the Mizbayach, Shulchan, Aron, and Menorah, so too does a Jewish home require four things for completion, Torah, Avodah, Gemilas Chasadim, and Chochma. The first three are brought to the home by a man and the fourth comes from the woman.

All when all four are there is the Mishkan complete. Both the Mishkan that was built by Bnei Yisrael in the desert and the small Mishkan that a husband and wife build together.



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