Tetzaveh
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week’s parsha the mitzvah of the Bigdei Kehunah, the special clothes worn by the Kohanim while doing the Avodah in the Mishkan. But prior to the command of making the special vestments for the service in the Mishkan, the parsha begins with two pasukim giving the command to light the Menorah. The first pasuk says, Veyikchu Eleicha Shemen Zayis Zach, and they shall take to you pure olive oil. The term Veyikchu Eleicha indicates a particular involvement on the part of Moshe Rabbeinu. The Ramban teaches that the p’shat is that Moshe must personally check the pureness of the oil. Yet the next pasuk states that the mitzvah of lighting the Menorah is for generations, clearly excluding involvement on the part of Moshe Rabbeinu. Why was it necessary for Moshe to be specifically involved in the lighting of the Menorah in the Mishkan?
The Meshech Chachmah explains p’shat based on a well-known Ibn Ezra in parshat Beha’aloscha. The Ibn Ezra explains the connection between the end of parshat Naso, which describes how Hashem spoke to Moshe Rabbeinu in the Mishkan, and the beginning of Beha’aloscha which discusses the lighting of the Menorah. Gd spoke to Moshe Rabbeinu during the day, but there was no “dibbur” at night. According to the Ibn Ezra, this changed when the Menorah was lit. When there was the light of the Menorah in the Mishkan at night, this turned the night into day and Hashem spoke to Moshe Rabbeinu. This is the reason for the end of parshat Naso being followed by the mitzvah of the Menorah in Beha’aloscha. The light of the Menorah enabled Hashem to speak to Moshe.
This is the reason the parsha begins with the words Veyikchu Eleicha, and they shall take to you, for you. Moshe Rabbeinu personally benefited from the lighting of the Menorah, and was therefore involved in the oil. The light of the Menorah enabled Moshe to be in a state of simcha and clarity of mind and allowed him to receive the “dibbur” from Hashem.
This was only in the Mishkan. But for future generations, as it states in the second pasuk, Chukas Olam Le’Dorosam, there was no personal benefit for anyone. As the Gemara in Shabbos 22B asks, V’Chi L’Orah Hu Tzarich, Was the light of the Menorah necessary for Bnei Yisrael to see? For forty years in the desert Hashem provided light for Bnei Yisrael to travel. Rather the lighting of the Menorah served no utilitarian purpose and was a command from Gd alone.
The Meshech Chachmah explains that this explains the position of the Rambam on lighting the Menorah. The pasuk says, Le’Ha’alos Ner Tamid, to light the candle constantly. Rashi teaches that the Menorah was lit every evening. And even though it was only lit in the evenings, the word Tamid is still applicable as it implies a consistency, every evening, rather than being constant, at all times. Most of the rishonim agree with Rashi.
The Rambam disagrees. He teaches in Hilchos Temidim U’Musafim (Chapter 3, Halacha 10) that the mitzvah to light the Menorah was both in the morning and in the evening, as the pasuk says (Chapter 27, Pasuk 20), Le’Ha’alos Ner Tamid. The Rambam learns that Tamid means at all times. The Menorah must be constantly lit. And the point of this is to show, as the Gemara above states, the Menorah is not needed for its light. V’Chi L’Orah Hu Tzarich? It is meant to be lit at all times to show it is a mitzvah from Gd and we are commanded to follow His will, whatever the reason might be. Chukas Olam Le’Dorosam.
The Meshech Chachmah uses the same notion to explain the mitzvah of the Badim, the poles at the side of the Aron used to carry it while travelling. The Torah states (Chapter 25, Pasuk 15), Lo Yasuru Mimenu. There is a prohibition to remove the poles from the rings at the side of Aron, whether they are being used or not. And even further, the Gemara in Sotah 35A teaches that the Aron was carried by itself. The poles were not even necessary. They didn’t serve a utilitarian purpose. Nonetheless, they were meant to be by the Aron and never removed. This once again shows that the Avodah in the Mishkan, in particular, the mitzvoth, in general, are not for our benefit, but rather to fulfill the word of Hashem.
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