Torah Teasers Parshas Tetzaveh
The Miracle of the Ner Maaravi The candles of the Menorah were filled with oil to last through the night. The Ner Maaravi miraculously lasted all day until the next night. Rav Yehonoson Eibushitz asks, “If so, why did they bother filling it with enough oil for the night, if a few hours later it would burn through a Nes? Also, why was Chanukah such a surprising Nes if the Ner Maaravi witnessed the same Nes every day?”
He answers that daytime is a time of Chesed, and Hashem does many Nissim by day. Nighttime, however, is a time of Din and not a time of miracles. Therefore, the Ner Maaravi was filled with oil for the nighttime, and a Nes during the day was not a huge revelation. The Nes of Chanukah, which occurred at night, was a far bigger Nes than the Nes of the Ner Maaravi.
Dama Ben Nesina Is Immortalized Through Binyomin’s Stone Chazal tell us that one time the Avnei Yashfei from the Choshen were lost. The Chachomim located one in Ashkelon in the possession of a Dama ben Nesina. We all know how they wanted to buy it, but Dama would not wake his father up to sell it. This story is the paramount example of Kibud Av VaEim.
The Meshech Chochma says that it is no coincidence that the lesson of Kibbud Av VaEim is learned through the Avnei Yashfei. Each stone had engraved on it the name of one Shevet. Teh Yashfei was the stone of Binyomin. Binyomin was the only one of the Shevatim that did not cause his father grief in the story of Yosef’s mechira. All the other Shevatim did not reveal the truth because of a Cheirem that that they agreed to (including Hashem, Yitzchok, and Yosef). Binyomin did not know about the Mechira and thus did not withhold any information from Yaakov. Since his Kibud Av was complete, the great lesson was learned from his stone.
The Smell Of A Rebel Returning Home Rav Yehonoson Eibshitz writes that there are two terms to describe one’s clothing. “Beged” which comes from the root word Boged or traitor and rebel. The other word is “Simla” which by reversing the letters means Shalem or Shleimus, complete. If so why are the Bigdei Kehuna of Aharon HaKoheim referred to as Begadim?
The Mikor for this is the Medrash by Yaakov Avinu when he came to Yitzchok for a Bracha wearing Eisav’s clothing. The pasuk says (Toldos 27:27), “Vayarach Es Rei’ach Bigadav; Yitzchok smelled the fragrance of his clothing.” The Medrash says Rei’ach Bogdav, the smell of the rebellious ones in Bnei Yisrael. The most rebellious ones smelled beautifully, because Baalei Tshuva are higher when they return than Tzaddikim who never sinned.
Similarly, Aharon played a role in the Chait HaEigel, and the Mishkan was a Kapara for that Chait. Each of Aharon’s eight garments were Michaper on a different Chait. This is why the Torah calls them Begadim. They had the beautiful scent of Chait turned into a Mitzva, and the rebel returning home.
The Secret Of The Honorable Clothing When Hashem commanded Moshe to make Bigdei Kehuna, He tells him that they are, “LiChavod U’L’Siferes; honor and glory.” (Titzaveh 27:2) In the next pasuk Hashem tells Moshe to tell the Chachmei Lev to make the Bigadim for Aharon, “LiKadsho U’L’Chahano Li; To make Me Holy and to Serve Me.” What are the Bigadim really for, Aharon’s glory or Hashem’s?
Rav Meir Shapiro answers b’derech tzachus. He says that Moshe Rabbeinu was called Anav MiKol Adam, the most modest man. To him Hashem revealed that the secret behind The Bigdei Kehuna were honor and glory of Kedusha, and was not afraid it would go to his head. To others, however, this message can be misconstrued, and the honor may be to a degree personalized. Because of this, when Hashem told Moshe to talk to the Chachmei Lev, He told him to say the reason is to honor Hashem, in order not to taint the Avodah with Gaava, however slight, from any participants.
“This,” says Rav Meir Shapiro, “helps explain the Yerushalmi (Taanis 11b) that says that during the Shivas Yimei Milu’im, Moshe was the Kohen Gadol, and his garment was a white robe without a stitched edge. How could Moshe, who vehemently avoided any honor, so easily acquiesce to becoming Kohen Gadol? The answer lies in unprotected garment. If the Kohen Gadol’s garment rips, he is oveir a Lav. In order to ensure this doesn’t happen, they reinforce the edge. Moshe only accepted the position because it was temporary, and therefore did not need to reinforce his edges.”
Shatnez In The Bigdei Kehuna In the Slichos of Musaf on Yom Kippur, it is written that the Kisones Tashbaitz (the inner shirt of the Kohen Gadol) was made of Shatnez. This is very problematic, since the Pasuk clearly states that it was made of Shaish (linen) and not linen and wool.
The Chasam Sofer answers with a Halacha in Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah Siman Shin Sif 4). The Rema quotes a Yerushalmi, “If the under garment cannot be removed without taking off the outer garment first; and one is wool and the other is linen, it is Shatnez. Here, too, since the outer garment was the Mi’il, which was made of blue wool, and the inner garment was the Kisones Tashbaitz made of linen, and it is not possible to remove the Kisones without removing the Mi’il, it is considered Shatnez.”
Kitores & The Menora, A Nose For The Truth “BiHeitivo Es HaNeiros Yaktirena… U’B’Haalos Aharon Es HaNeiros Bein HaArbayim Yaktirena; The sweet smelling Kitores is brought when you clean the Menora in the morning and when you light it in the afternoon.” (Titzaveh 30:7-8) Why is time to bring the Kitores intertwined with the Avodah of the Menora?
Rav Moshe Feinstein answers that in order for a Talmid Chochom to truly light up the world with his Torah, he must have a good nose. He must be able to smell what is against the Torah even if it is not the slightest bit assur. He must understand that the beginning of every plot by those who drive people away from Torah with deception, starts off with kind acts in order to attract people to them. Only when they’ve gained the faith and the loyalty of the masses, do they begin to pull people away from Torah. To uncover these schemes, a Talmid Chochom needs to be able to smell the rat lurking behind the rose bush and expose it before it is too late. “This,” says, Rav Moshe Feinstein, “is the special sense of smell that Chazal say Moshiach will possess. Moshiach will be able to pasken and know everything with his superior sense of smell.” Rav Moshe says that while Moshiach will perfect this sense, every single true talmid chochom will have a touch of this special sense. Therefore, the light projected by the Menora, or the Talmid Chochom, will always be next to the sweet smelling Kitores.

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