Parshat Beha'aloscha 5777
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in the beginning of this week's parsha (Chapter 8, Pasuk 2), Daber el Aharon V'Amarta Eilav Beha'aloscha es HaNeiros etc. The parsha begins with a command to Moshe to speak to Aharon and tell him to light the Menorah. And in the very next pasuk we read Vaya'as Kein Aharon, Aharon did as he was told and lit the Menorah in the Mishkan.
The commentators ask how come this mitzvah of lighting the Menorah was given specifically to Aharon HaKohen who was the Kohen Gadol. In reality this mitzvah could be performed by any Kohen. And further, if it was possible to stand outside and light the Menorah with a long wick, even a non-Kohen could light the Menorah. Yet we read Vaya'as Kein Aharon which the Ramban learns means that Aharon was very careful to make sure that he would be the one to light the Menorah in the Mishkan. Why is Aharon singled out as the lighter of the Mishkan?
Rav Tzadok HaKohen asks an additional question. The last pasuk in this section gives us a description of the Menorah. The pasuk reads (Chapter 8, Pasuk 4), V'Zeh Ma'aseh HaMenorah Mikshah Zahav etc. What is the purpose of adding a description of the Menorah to the mitzvah of lighting the Menorah?
We have pointed out in the past the distinction between the different words used for speech. The word Dibbur suggests a harsh way of speaking, as the brothers complain about Yosef (Bereishis, Chapter 42, Pasuk 30), Diber Ha'Ish Adonai Ha'aretz Itanu Kashos. He spoke to us harshly. The word Amar implies a gentle, subtle form of speech as the pasuk says (Bereishis, Chapter 27, Pasuk 41), Vayomer Eisav B'Libo, Eisav said to himself. Rav Tzadok points out that the command to Moshe starts out with the words Daber el Aharon and continues with the words Va'Amarta Eilav. Both modes of speech are included in the pasuk of the command. He explains that this is because Moshe represents the written Torah, Torah Shebichsav, while Aharon represents the oral law, Torah Shebe'alpeh. The giving of the written law and the Aseres HaDibros was a clear revelation to Bnei Yisrael requiring the use of the word Dibbur, while the transmission of Torah Shebe'alpeh is a much more subtle process both in its process as well as conceptually. This is why Hashem tells Moshe to give Aharon the command of lighting the Menorah with the words Ve'Amarta Eilav. It is a subtle teaching.
Rav Tzadok makes an inference from the word Eilav when Moshe is commanded to tell Aharon to light the Menorah with the words Ve'Amarta Eilav. The word Eilav suggests to him specifically. Aharon is being singled out as the lighter of the Menorah because of his role in transmitting the oral law. Hashem tells Moshe in parshat Shmos (Chapter 4, Pasuk 16), Hu Yihyeh Lecha L'Feh, Aharon will speak for you. This is a hint of Aharon's future role in Torah Shebe'alpeh, a very different function than that of Moshe Rabbeinu himself. And this explains why even though the Menorah could be lit by any Kohen, it was precisely Aharon who always lit the Menorah, as the pasuk says Vaya'as Kein Aharon.
The light of the Menorah represents the light of Torah Shebe'alpeh. The pasuk in parshat Tetzaveh teaches us that the Menorah was lit (Chapter 27, Pasuk 21), M'Erev ad Boker, from the evening until the morning. This expresses the notion of Torah Shebe'alpeh being our role in Torah. The evening is our involvement in this world in Torah and bringing it up to Hashem in His world as indicated by the word morning. Moshe's involvement was bringing Torah down to this world from the heavens; Min Boker ad Erev (Shmos, Chapter 18, Pasuk 14). Aharon taught that we can bring the light of Torah in our world as well through interpretation and innovation of chidush. And this role is expressed in the lighting of the Menorah M'Erev ad Boker.
Rashi teaches on the last pasuk of this section, V'Zeh Ma'aseh Ha'Menorah, that Moshe had difficulty with the actual Menorah and had to be shown it precisely. We mentioned above that Rav Tzadok asks why the description of the Menorah is including in this section of the command to light the Menorah. He answers that Moshe having difficulty with the Menorah was more than a difficultly in what it looked like. Moshe had a conceptual difficulty. Torah comes from Hashem. Torah was the Aseres HaDibros at Har Sinai. What could man's role in Torah possibly be?
Therefore the Torah adds V'Zeh Ma'aseh HaMenorah. The purpose of the Menorah is to bring the light of Torah Shebe'alpeh into the world. And this was the role of Aharon HaKohen. Hashem commands Moshe Daber el Aharon V'Amarta Eilav. You Moshe will be the man of Dibbur, of Torah Shebichsav. But Aharon is the man of the subtle speech of Torah Shebe'alpeh, V'Amarta Eilav; learning Torah with our own flavor and interpretation and partnering with Hashem in transmitting Torah.
Good Shabbos
Print this article
