Parshat Tetzave Zachor 5778
Rabbi Jablinowitz
Last week in parshat Terumah the Torah listed all the different vessels in the Beis Hamikdash except for the Mizbeach HaKetores which is brought in this week’s parsha. The Mizbeach HaKetores had a gold border which according to Chazal represented the Crown of Kehunah. There was also a gold border on the Aron, which Chazal teach represented the Crown of Torah, while the Shulchan’s gold border represented the Crown of Kingship.
We learn in Pirkei Avos not to desire the tables of kings, V'Al Tisaveh L'Shulchanam shel Sarim. The reason for this is Sheshulchanchah Gadol M’Shulchanam V’Kisrechah Gadol M’Kisram. Your table is greater than their’s, and your crown is greater than their’s. In what way is our table greater than the table of Kings? A King's table is the paradigm of wealth and luxury. And further what does it mean Kisrechah Gadol M’Kisram? There was no previous mention of a crown and what crown does a regular person posses?
The Rambam in the end of Hilchos Shmittah V’Yovel teaches a very important concept. In Chapter 13, Halacha 12, the Rambam teaches that Shevet Levi is the most chosen of all the tribes. Only they can do the Avodah in the Beis Hamikdash, and they have a special role as teachers and arbiters as well. As the pasuk says concerning Shevet Levi, (Devarim, Chapter 33, Pasuk 10), Yoru Mishpatechah L’Yaakov V‘Torascha L‘Yisrael. And inthe very next halacha the Rambam teaches that this doesn’t apply only to the actual Shevet Levi, but anyone who chooses to be a servant of Hashem and remove from himself the yoke of the mundane world, he is sanctified like the holiness of the Kodesh HaKadashim and has the merit of the Kohanim and the Levi’im.
The Rambam teaches us that even though the exclusiveness of Shevet Levi in doing Avodah in the Beis Hamikdash doesn’t exist today, the concept remains. Anyone who desires can be part of Shevet Levi. Similarly, even though the vessels of the Mishkan and Mikdash don’t exist, one can create for himself the vessels and their crowns. This is apparent in the words, Sheshulchanchah Gadol M’Shulchanam, V’Kisrechah Gadol M’Kisram.
The crown referred to in Pirkei Avos is the Keser Torah, the crown of Torah. The Maharal points out that the crown of kingship by the Shulchan and the crown of kehunah by the Mizbeach HaKetores, are taught with the words, V’Asisa Lo. You shall make for it. But by the Aron it says, V’Asisa Alav, You shall make above it. This is to show the difference between the crowns. The crowns of kingship and kehunah, even though they express kedushah, are connected to specific individuals. This is why the pasuk expresses the crown as part of the object. But the crown of Torah is above the specific, physical individual. This is why Kisrechah Gadol M’Kisram. As the Rambam teaches in Hilchos Talmud Torah, Chapter 3, Halacha 1, as opposed to Keser Kehunah which is limited to Shevet Levi and Keser Malchus which is limited to the House of David, Keser Torah is there for anyone to take. It’s not limited to any specific family or individual. This is another way of expressing the notion above that Shevet Levi is a concept which is open to all.
Rav Tzadok adds that there is a time when all of Clal Yisrael becomes part of Shevet Levi and that occurs on Shabbos. Shabbos is a time when we all attempt to remove the shackles of materialism and cling to the Divine. And Shabbos is also when we recreate the vessels of the Mishkan. Our Shabbos table is the Shulchan and our Shabbos candles are the Menorah. And the custom of smelling Hadasim is in order to recreate the Mizbeach HaKetores. It is through the power of Torah and the Kedushah of Shabbos that we can reach beyond the limitations of time and space and become Kohanim in our own Mishkan. As the pasuk says by Matan Torah (Chapter 19, Pasuk 6) V’Atem Tihyu Li Mamleches Kohanim V’Goy Kadosh. It is through the Torah that we can become part of Shevet Levi and be a holy nation of Kohanim. And the Shulchan we create on Shabbos and Yom Tov and the crown of Torah we are able to acquire are greater than the table or crown of any King.
Good Shabbos
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