English translation — תצוה א

1.

Regarding Parshas Tetzaveh it stands in Baal HaTurim¹,

that this is the only parshah "from the hour Moshe was born" in which the name of Moshe Rabbeinu is not mentioned

("until Mishneh Torah"²).

And the reason for this is,

because Moshe said "macheini na misifrecha asher kasavta"³

and "klalas chacham afilu al tnai ba'ah"⁴

— this was fulfilled in <b>this</b> parshah.

Every matter and detail in Torah is exact.

One must say,

that specifically Parshas Tetzaveh was chosen,

that in it should be carried out the "macheini na misifrecha"

(which stands in Parshas Ki Sisa³)

אַז לכאורה וואָלט מער מתאים געווען צו מרמז זיין אָט דעם ענין — אַז אמירת משה איז מקוים געוואָרן „אפילו על תנאי” — אין איינער פון די סדרות וואָס קומען &lt;b&gt;נאָך&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;5&lt;/sup&gt;

(און ווען מ׳ווייס שוין וועגן)

אמירת „מחני נא”&lt;sup&gt;6&lt;/sup&gt;

איז דאָס דערפאַר,

וואָס דער ענין פון „מחני נא מספרך” איז מתאים צום תוכן פון &lt;b&gt;דער &lt;/b&gt;סדרה&lt;sup&gt;7&lt;/sup&gt;.

one must understand: what kind of connection does the matter of “erase me” have to the content of Parshat Tetzaveh,

where it speaks about the command regarding the kindling of the lamps of the menorah,

the making of the priestly garments,

the inauguration of Aaron and his sons,

and the making of the incense altar?

B.

also one must understand: the intention in that which “Moshe did not mention in this order”⁸

is

(not that here it speaks

not about Moshe,

but)

that Moshe is not mentioned &lt;b&gt;by name&lt;/b&gt;,

but in the sedra it speaks about Moshe,

and in &lt;b&gt;many &lt;/b&gt;verses&lt;sup&gt;9&lt;/sup&gt;

even more: the &lt;b&gt;beginning &lt;/b&gt;of the sedra — and the &lt;b&gt;name &lt;/b&gt;of the sedra

(which alludes,

as known,

to the content of the entire sedra)

— "And you shall command"&lt;sup&gt;10&lt;/sup&gt;,

refers specifically to Moshe; and moreover — "&lt;b&gt;And you &lt;/b&gt;shall command" means

(according to the explanation of the Kli Yakar&lt;sup&gt;11&lt;/sup&gt;)

"&lt;b&gt;from the essence of your self&lt;/b&gt;",

which essence and self of a person is deeper and higher than the level in a person that is connected with the name:

The essence of a name is so that a <b>second person</b> can call him; but the essence and substance of a person,

is higher and deeper than having a connection to another,

and consequently higher than the concept of "name"¹².

It follows accordingly,

that on the contrary,

the manner in which the "Mechaneini" was fulfilled — that Moshe is mentioned here

(not by his name,

but)

through the words "<b>And you</b> shall command" — indicates an even greater virtue than the <b>name</b> of Moshe.

3.

will one understand this with an introduction of the explanation in the greatness of the matter of the request of

Moshe "erase me now from Your book which You have written",

and Rashi¹³

"from the entire Torah":

The essence of Moshe is — Torah,

and as our sages, of blessed memory,¹⁴

that

(Torah "is called by his name" because)

Moshe "gave his soul for Torah".

From this it is understood,

that the matter of "blot me out from Your book — from the entire Torah",

touches the <b>essential existence</b> of Moshe,

as it is one with Torah¹⁵

And why did Moshe so insist — to effect an atonement for the <b>sin of the calf</b>,

that the sin of the calf is a most severe sin,

until that all later sins and their punishments are connected with the sin of the calf,

and as it is written¹⁶

"And on the day of My visitation, I will visit upon them their sin".

It is perplexing: how does it come,

that Moshe should invest his very essence,

which is connected with <b>Torah</b>,

for the part of Jews who sinned with the [Golden] Calf,

including the makers of the Calf who were <b>the opposite</b> of "You shall not have... you shall not make...",

entirely <b>torn away</b>¹⁷

meaning from Torah?

Also one must understand: what is the <b>content</b> of Moshe's request "And if not, erase me now from Your book — from the entire Torah": what is the connection between these two matters,

that if the Almighty will

The Jews not to atone for the sin of the calf,

is "Mechayni" from <b>Torah</b>¹⁸?

Rashi¹⁹

explains²⁰,

that with this Moses wanted to ensure "that they should not say about me that I was not worthy to plead for mercy for them."

But the explanation is seemingly not smooth,

because from the language of the verse it is understood,

that with the claim and demand to the Above did Moses want to effect an atonement for the sin of the calf and not to ensure <b>himself</b> "that they should not say about me etc."

Also the main point — when it speaks about not succeeding,

heaven forbid,

"You shall bear their sin" "a great sin",

what kind of perception did Moshe Ra'aya Mehemna have about what will be said about it?

D.

The explanation of this:

Moshe Rabbeinu is one thing literally with כלל ישראל,

until that it is not possible to separate him from Jews in general and in particular,

ובלשון רש”י²¹

: משה הוא ישראל וישראל הם משה.

What therefore the sin of the calf effected a descent in Moses,

as our sages of blessed memory [say] on the verse "Go, descend — descend from your greatness"²².

At first glance: Moses had indeed no connection at all to the sin of the calf,

even not in the category of "one who has the ability to protest",

because he was then on the mountain

(literally,

and especially and all the more so — in his spiritual state).

Then why should the sin of the calf affect him?

But because Moses is one thing with Israel

(and consequently — his greatness was given and became one thing with the greatness of Israel),

the sin

(of the calf)

and descent of Israel automatically effected a descent in Moses.

And this unification of Moses with Jews is even &lt;b&gt;deeper &lt;/b&gt;than his unification with Torah:

Just as we find regarding the unification of Jews with the Most High,

that although "Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one"&lt;sup&gt;23&lt;/sup&gt;

(as the inner explanation&lt;sup&gt;24&lt;/sup&gt;

of the Sages of blessed memory&lt;sup&gt;25&lt;/sup&gt;

"I wrote My very Self&lt;sup&gt;26&lt;/sup&gt;

and gave",

that the Most High Himself

("My very Self")

"wrote in" and "gave over"&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;

into Torah),

nevertheless the unification of Jews with

The Holy One, blessed be He, even deeper and higher than this,

and as our Sages, of blessed memory,²⁸

that "Israel preceded the Torah;

about this

(and as a result of this)

is by the leaders of the generation — who

(in the language of Rashi²¹)

"the leader of the generation is like the entire generation" — that their unity with the Jews of their generation is even higher than their unity with the Torah —

(who are "similar to their Creator"²⁹)

: although they "throw themselves into" the matters of Torah³⁰

that they learn, and especially their novel Torah insights³¹,

this does not come at the expense of their unification with Jews,

and especially those who have a connection to them

(and consequently responsibility)

<b>special</b>,

the poor of your city,

sons and students etc.

(in the language of the verse³²

: the souls which they made)].

5.

This is also the explanation in Moshe's request "erase me now from Your book" and the reason why he staked his very existence as it is connected with Torah for the sake of

(also)

the makers of the calf:

Since the unification of Moshe with Jews is even higher than his unification with Torah,

therefore the result thereof was in both matters:

(a)

that also his <b>mesiras nefesh</b> for Jews³³

is earlier and higher than his mesiras nefesh on Torah.

As it stands in Maggid Meisharim,

that the Beis Yosef needed to merit to self-sacrifice for the sanctification of the Name,

but because of a certain reason they punished him and he actually did not merit to it —

that if he would have died for the sanctification of the Name he would not have had the ability to author the Shulchan Aruch his entire,

from which Torah goes forth

And a lesson for all of Israel,

nevertheless this is a matter of <b>punishment</b>,

because however high the elevation in Torah is,

it does not, however, reach the level of mesirut nefesh for the sanctification of God's name³⁶,

which is mesirut nefesh because one is a Jew³⁷

and that one should be a Jew — one with God].

(b)

The unity

(and consequently — the self-sacrifice)

is with

(and for)

<b>every</b> Jew,

in whatever state he may be

(even the makers of the golden calf).

Since this is higher than Torah,

it is not nullified by the fact that a Jew is detached from Torah,

as our sages of blessed memory said³⁸

"Even though he sinned, he is still a Jew."

And this is also the explanation in "If You will forgive their sin, and if not, blot me out from Your book etc.": if the sin of the calf is so severe that &lt;b&gt;Torah &lt;/b&gt;does not give any place for "You will forgive their sin"

(Hashem would have atoned only Torah is, as it were, the prosecutor and

prevents&lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;),

is Moshe's request a long claim: "blot me out from &lt;b&gt;Your book&lt;/b&gt;" — from Torah; then it stands revealed,

without any garment &lt;b&gt;at all &lt;/b&gt;Moshe's essential unification with Jews,

and through this — the unification of Jews with the Holy One Blessed be He which is higher than the unification with Torah,

which from the side of &lt;b&gt;that &lt;/b&gt;unification comes the atonement&lt;sup&gt;40&lt;/sup&gt;

even for the sin of the calf

(and this connects them afterwards back also with Torah).

6.

According to the above, one will also understand the connection of Moshe's request "Erase me" to "And you shall command":

This unity of Moshe with all Jews, which is even higher than Torah

(which is expressed in the request "Erase me now from Your book"),

is brought out in the⁴¹

"And you shall command the children of Israel",

one of the explanations of which is: "And you" — the <b>essence</b> of Moshe — connects and unites

("you shall command" [is] a term of joining and connection⁴²)

all Jews together into one reality.

From the levels of Moshe that are connected with a "shem" — which includes even yechidah sheb'nefesh,

which is one of the "five names are called to her"

(the soul)

— one attains the revelations above,

which are not higher than Torah

(for "the entire Torah is the names of the Holy One, blessed be He")

; and therefore from this level one cannot effect the command and connection that encompasses all Jews equally.

Specifically "And you

(Tetzaveh)

the essence of Moshe which is higher than name and description

(the essential soul which is not grasped in the "five names"),

which connects with the primary and true "You" above,

His essence and being, may He be blessed

(for in truth it is specifically only regarding essence that it is appropriate to say "You",

language of direct address,

and the name of heaven is fluent in the mouth of everyone)

— effects the "command the children of Israel",

the command and connection of all Jews — even the makers of the calf

— into one reality.

And this is also the connection of "And you shall command" to the continuation of the command "And they shall take to you oil etc. to raise up a continual lamp" — for at first glance: the raising of the lamps was

done by Aaron,

so why is the instruction "And they shall take <b>to you</b>"

(to Moses)⁴⁹?

Stands on this the explanation⁵⁰

: Aaron from his own side is effective⁵¹

upon Jews who are “candles,”

who

(are prepared)

to shine with “a candle of mitzvah and Torah light”⁵²

— servants of God; but through that which “and they shall take <b>to you </b>oil etc.” — to Moses,

who is the commander and connector of all Jews

(as above)

— this is opened up in <b>all </b>Jews

(“even the simplest”⁵³),

their very essence of their soul becomes revealed⁵⁴.

7.

Based on this one will also understand the connection of “And you shall command” to the content of the entire sidra

(for which reason the name of Moses is not mentioned in the entire sidra)

In the entire story about the priesthood of Aaron and his sons in the parshah, it is emphasized,

that this must be done specifically through Moses.

As it also states immediately at the beginning of the matter⁵⁵

"<b>And you, bring near to yourself </b>Aaron etc. to minister to Me",

"<b>And you shall make </b>sacred garments for Aaron <b>your brother </b>etc."; and likewise the entire training for the priesthood of Aaron and his sons was carried out specifically through Moses,

as is related at length in the parshah

— one of the explanations of this is

(in the manner of the above regarding the lights of the menorah)

Aaron the priest from his own side,

is the matter of priesthood and the holiness of the Mishkan,

and consequently also his service of the priesthood would have had an effect

(mainly)

only on “servants of God” who have a revealed connection to the

(Menorah of)

Mishkan and Temple; through this, however, that “<b>And you</b>⁵⁶

(Moses)

<b>bring near to you</b> Aaron <b>your brother</b> etc. to minister to Me”,

is the priesthood of Aaron in a manner that it affects <b>all</b> Jews

(“even the simplest ones”).

And this is also one of the reasons that immediately after the inauguration of Aaron it is stated⁵⁷

the command regarding the “altar for burning incense”⁵⁸

— prima facie the command regarding the making of the <b>inner altar</b> should have been placed earlier in Parshat Terumah together with the command regarding all the vessels of the Mishkan

(including the <b>outer altar</b>)⁵⁹

Only because this matter

(that the priesthood of Aharon must be connected with <b>all</b> Jews)

also expresses itself in the matter of the incense⁶⁰,

and as our sages, of blessed memory, [said]⁶¹

that "any fast that does not include <b>the sinners of Israel</b> is not a fast, for galbanum has a bad smell and it is counted

by Scripture among the spices of <b>incense</b>"

(in the manner as discussed earlier,

that Moses had self-sacrifice even for the makers of the [Golden] Calf)⁶².

And in particular this comes out revealed in the service of the incense of Yom Kippur⁶³,

as it is stated at the conclusion of V'chochmas Hasidra: And Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns etc. once a year he shall make atonement upon it for your generations⁶⁴

etc.

Ch.

From this there is also a wonderful lesson in the service of G-d:

Just as Moses our teacher was ready to forgo a matter most lofty and essential of him

(his connection with Torah)

for the sake of Jews,

and even for the makers of the calf — which is even more than "and you shall love your fellow <b>as yourself</b>"⁶⁵

: The "as yourself" of Moses is indeed Torah,

his entire existence was permeated with Torah; so Moses was ready to forgo this in order to be together⁶⁶

with Jews — including those who were separated, may it not be said, from Torah;

Thus he, as the faithful shepherd⁶⁷,

wanted and gave power to every Jew, in every time and place, that he should conduct himself thus.

And this is his claim: if it will not be, G‑d forbid, "you will bear their sin"

(and consequently — "who sinned against Me, erase from My book")

and he will remain "in Your book",

they will say about me that I was not worthy etc. because he did not want to sacrifice himself until "erase me from Your book" — and they will learn from this for all generations!

The lesson from all this how it must be in the service of each and every one: it is not enough that one has love of Israel,

and to <b>every</b> Jew

(no matter what state he may be in)⁶⁸,

and the love is "<b>as yourself</b>" — but what is lacking is <b>self-sacrifice</b> for another Jew,

and for <b>every</b> Jew,

which must be expressed in "loves the creatures and draws them near to the Torah"⁶⁹.

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Tetzaveh 5740)