English translation — תצוה א

A.

In the verse "ואתה הקרב אליך את אהרן אחיך גו׳ לכהנו לי"¹,

Rashi stands on the words "ואתה הקרב אליך" and explains: "After you finish the work of the Mishkan."

One must understand:

a)

From where does Rashi derive that the command to Moses to make Aaron and his sons into kohanim means,

that he should do this

(<b>not</b> immediately,

but)

"after you finish the work of the Mishkan"?

The question is even stronger: the command "And you shall make sacred garments, etc." from the <b>following</b> verse,

and likewise the command "And you shall speak to all the wise-hearted, etc." which is stated a verse <b>further</b>,

Moses should have done <b>earlier</b>

(because this is indeed a part of the work of the Mishkan).

Now why should we learn that the command "And you, bring near to you" is <b>different</b> from the other commands; that its fulfillment should be <b>later</b>,

only "after you finish the work of the Mishkan"²?

with his commentary "after you finish etc.",

Rashi is only explaining when the "offering" should be.

Why does he quote

(before the commentary)

in addition to the word "offering" also the words "and you"³

and "to you"?

It implies from this that Rashi's proof to explain "after you finish the work of the Mishkan" is indeed from <b>the</b> words — "<b>and you</b> bring near <b>to you</b>".

b)

2.

Commentators say,

that Rashi must learn that the fulfillment of the command "and you bring near to you" comes "<b>after</b> you finish etc." — because the bringing near of Aaron and his sons "to minister to Me" was through the priestly garments

(as it says two verses later⁵

"And make the garments of Aaron to sanctify him to minister to Me")

; and also through the inauguration during the days of consecration

(as it says later in the portion⁶

— "And this is the thing that you shall do etc. to sanctify them to minister to Me")

— and this was only after the completion of the work of the Mishkan⁷.

It is however difficult to say so.

Because

According to Rashi's method,

the "lechahano li" of our verse and the "lechahano li" regarding the making of the priestly garments

(and likewise the "lechahano li" of the portion of the miluim),

are two separate matters,

as will be explained below.

3.

On the words "lekadsho lechahano li" that appear by "ve'asu et bigdei Aharon"&lt;sup&gt;5&lt;/sup&gt;,

Rashi explains: "lekadsho lehachniso bechunah al yedei habegadim sheyehei kohen li, and the term kehunah means service.

Service in the vernacular."

Commentators say⁹,

that Rashi here explains two matters: a)

that "lekadesho" and "lekhahano li" are <b>not</b> two <b>different</b> matters,

but rather "lekhahano li" is the interpretation of "lekadesho"¹⁰.

b)

that "lekhahano li" does not mean to make him a kohen

(the <b>noun</b> [designation])

— because "the term kehunah means service",

and accordingly the expression "to make him a servant" does not apply — rather the explanation is "to induct him into the kehunah",

to bring him into

(the <b>action</b> of)

kehunah

(service).

And the commentators explain that Rashi states this explanation of "lekhahano li" only in the verse "And you shall speak etc." — even though the same wording already appears earlier in the verse "And you, bring near to you" — because the <b>main</b> thing Rashi wants to say here is <b>not</b> the <b>explanation</b> of "lekhahano li",

but rather that this is one matter with "lekadesho": that in what does the "lekadesho" consist — in "to induct him into the kehunah": and in saying the phrase "to induct him into the kehunah"

(which is the translation of "lekhahano li"),

Rashi adds "and the term kehunah means service",

with which he demonstrates that "lekhahano li" does not mean making him a kohen,

but rather "to induct him into the kehunah",

as above.

It is, however, not understood:

a)

From this itself, that Rashi needs to add "and the language of priesthood is service,"

in order to prove that "to minister to Me" means "to induct him into the priesthood,"

it is thus proven,

that he considers it a <b>novelty</b><b>¹¹</b>

— he would therefore have needed to state the explanation "to induct him into the priesthood" with the proof "and the language of priesthood is service" at the words "to minister to Me" that appear <b>earlier</b> — so that the student should not have any error¹²

in the explanation of the words when he learns them for the first time?

b)

True indeed that "the term priesthood is service" — but nevertheless the word "kohen" everywhere is a <b>descriptive</b> <b>noun</b> for the person¹³.

Now why should one not learn¹⁴

that "to serve Me as a priest

(to him)

" means — to make him¹⁵

a priest¹⁶?

From this it is proven,

that the words "to serve Me as a priest" by themselves,

one can indeed also interpret as to make him a priest¹⁷.

And therefore Rashi does not explain "to serve Me as a priest" in the verse "And you, bring near to yourself",

because there the explanation of the words is <b>according to their plain meaning</b>.

And that which further on Rashi must explain that "to serve Me as a priest" means "to induct him into the priesthood etc. service is etc.",

it is because of the fact that it stands together with "to sanctify him",

as follows.

In "to sanctify him to minister to Me" which is written by "And make the garments of Aaron" Rashi is troubled:

Also in the verse "And you bring near to you etc. to minister to Me" Moses was already commanded to make Aaron and his sons priests — and there the verse does <b>not</b> connect the "to minister to Me" with the making of the priestly garments.

D.

D.

E.

That even <b>without</b> the garments Moses

(could and)

made them priests.

Now what is the explanation of "And make the garments of Aaron etc. to minister to Me",

that in order to make Aaron a priest one had to have the garments?

With difficulty one could answer,

that also "And you, bring near [etc.] to minister for Me" from our verse means that this should be through the garments.

But first the verse states the essential matter

(that he should make Aaron and his sons into priests),

and afterwards,

when it speaks about the command regarding the making of the priestly garments,

it explains how the matter is accomplished,

that the "to minister for Me" is through the garments.

Rashi, however, does not want to learn [it] this way

Because if later the verse explains only <b>how</b> <b>so</b> it is accomplished, the "to minister for Me",

but the "to minister for Me" itself is here the same as in the previous verse,

then the verse here should have written the same wording as before.

Why then does it say by the command "And you, bring near" only "to minister for Me" and by the priestly garments it says "<b>to sanctify him</b> to minister for Me"?

Is derived from this,

that through the garments a new,

a <b>greater</b> thing is opened than through "bring etc. to serve Me."

Therefore Rashi explains "to sanctify him to bring him into the priesthood through the garments etc.,"

that through the garments¹⁸

is opened — "<b>to sanctify him</b> to bring him into the priesthood",

as follows.

5.

As mentioned above

(sec. 3),

the word "kohen"

(<b>not</b> a noun <b>denoting</b> <b>the action</b><b>¹⁹</b>

which would mean: the one who <b>serves</b>,

but)

a <b>noun</b> <b>of description</b> that denotes a certain type of people who have in themselves a certain virtue because of which they are related to the priesthood,

service

(he is <b>a</b> <b>servant</b>)

: after Aaron and his sons were anointed to the priesthood,

they and their children until the end of all generations are called by the name "kohanim",

and before that — the firstborn were called "kohanim".

And just as the name "Kohanim" for the seed of Aharon is <b>not</b> a nomen actionis,

but a name of description and virtue

also those who were not inaugurated²⁰

for the service²¹,

and even those who are disqualified for service²²],

so too the earlier name "Kohanim" for firstborns was a name of description and virtue²³.

And this is the difference between "to minister to Me" that is stated by "And you, bring near to you" and "<b>to sanctify him</b> to minister to Me" which is accomplished through "the garments of Aharon": At first Moshe was commanded to separate Aharon and his sons from all other Jews²⁴

and make them into

(a type of)

Kohanim; and afterwards he was told "<b>to sanctify him</b> to minister to Me",

that

(after they will already be "Kohanim"²⁵),

he should

(through the garments¹⁸)

sanctify them and bring them into the priesthood²⁶,

into "service",

i.

e.

bring them into the <b>service</b> of the priesthood.

6.

Based on the above,

so the explanation of "to minister to Me" in the verse "And you, bring near to yourself" is to make Aaron and his sons into <b>kohanim</b> — <b>not</b> like "to sanctify him to minister to Me" regarding the garments

which means to induct them into the <b>service</b> of the kehunah,

it is understandable,

that from the aspect of this "bring near etc. to minister to Me" alone,

one could have learned that Moses was commanded to make them <b>immediately</b> into kohanim; and Rashi's necessity to teach "after you finish the work of the Mishkan" is from the wording "<b>And you</b>, bring near <b>to yourself</b>",

and as the precise inference above in section 1.

So the explanation in this is:

Why does it stand by the command to Moshe

(that he should make Aharon and his sons into kohanim)

"<b>And you</b> bring near <b>to yourself"</b><b>²⁷</b>

that <b>Moshe</b> should bring them near to <b>himself</b> — is it because Moshe was already then a kohen²⁸.

And therefore the Most High said to him "And you bring near to yourself Aharon and his sons etc. to minister to Me",

that <b>he</b> should bring near Aharon and his sons to <b>himself</b>,

that also they should be kohanim²⁹.

It is, however, still not understood:

a)

Also, even if it would <b>not</b> stand "and <b>you</b> bring near <b>to you</b>",

but only "to minister as priests to Me",

would ostensibly have been clear the explanation of the command.

Because of what does the verse emphasize "and <b>you</b> bring near <b>to you</b>"?

b)

The question is even stronger: the unique quality of Moses consisted indeed

(<b>not</b> in the matter of the priesthood,

but)

in other matters,

to which priests ostensibly have no connection.

that only Moses could ascend the mountain,

but "the priests etc. <b>shall sanctify themselves</b> etc."].

Then why should regarding "to minister as priests to Me" be said "and <b>you</b> bring near <b>to you</b>",

which shows that through their becoming priests they will become close to the level of <b>Moses</b>?

On this Rashi explains "after you finish the work of the Mishkan":

If Aaron and his sons would have become priests before the completion of the work of the Mishkan,

even if they would have offered sacrifices

(like the firstborns who performed the service,

although they did not have the priestly garments),

then indeed it could not have been said "and you, bring near to yourself",

because also the "priests who approach the Lord — to offer sacrifices"³¹

were a "partition for themselves" and were not allowed to approach

(not only to the place where Moses stood,

but)

even to the place where Aaron stood³².

But "after you finish the work of the Mishkan",

since the priests who perform the service indeed enter the Mishkan,

to the place where Moses would enter to hear the word of the Lord³³

; so although to become fit to perform the service in practice one had to attain the priestly garments

(as above sec. 5),

nevertheless, since also the "to minister to Me" before that is indeed its essence and superiority³⁴

to perform the service in the Mishkan

(no more than what was needed the matter in practice — and like the priests now,

or — before they were inaugurated for the service),

therefore it is said about this "and you, bring near to yourself".

7.

Based on the above,

so also the "to be priests to Me" — which means the essential concept of the priesthood — became only "after you complete the work of the Mishkan",

will be answered a question in the law:

The law is,

that a kohen who served idolatry may not serve in the Temple³³.

Here arises the question: Aaron indeed built an altar for the calf³⁶

is,

that when building an altar for the Most High it must be "its beginning of construction for My sake",

and according to this it turns out,

that the building of an altar is not a matter of "served"³⁸].

It is indeed true,

that Aaron's intention in "and he built an altar" was in order "to delay them"³⁹,

but in practice he indeed <b>built</b> the altar "before it",

for the calf — so how could he then perform the service in the Mishkan⁴⁰?

But according to the above,

that Aaron and his sons became priests only after the completion of the work of the Mishkan,

it is simply answered: the law of a priest who served idolatry etc. is specifically if at the time he served he was a priest,

and since at the time of building the "altar before Him" Aaron was still <b>not</b> a priest,

he was not included in the category of "<b>priest</b> who served etc."

8.

From the matters of "her wine of Torah" that are in this Rashi:

Just as Moshe Rabbeinu,

although he was the shepherd of <b>all</b> the Jews of his generation,

and also of all later generations⁴¹,

nevertheless he was commanded "And you, bring near to yourself Aaron etc. from among the children of Israel to serve Me as priests" — "from among the children of Israel" itself he

(according to G‑d's command)

brought near to himself Aaron and his sons,

that they should do

(later,

after being inaugurated into the priesthood)

the service in the Mishkan for <b>all</b>⁴²

Jews,

Similarly, also regarding "the extension of Moshe that is in every generation"⁴³,

the Nesi’ei Yisrael⁴⁴

of every generation,

until my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, Nasi of our generation,

that although the essence of a Nasi is to influence <b>all</b> Jews⁴⁵,

and in the language of Rashi⁴⁶

"the Nasi is everything"

similar to a head,

which imparts vitality to all limbs,

even to the nails⁴⁷],

But there is the conduct of "And you, bring near to yourself [the Levites] from among the children of Israel",

that to those who go "in the straight path which He has taught us from His ways etc."⁴⁸

the Rebbe devoted himself particularly⁴⁹,

he brought them close and elevated them until "to you",

gave them his powers and included them in the "army of the Lord"⁵⁹,

so that they should disseminate his Torah etc. to all Jews

(like the kohanim,

who through "bring near to you",

received the power from Moses to perform the service for all of Israel).

And since all matters are with Divine providence,

and especially when it concerns the children of Israel,

and Divine providence has chosen specifically these Jews to become the Rebbe's students etc.,

with whom he must occupy himself particularly according to Torah⁵¹

it follows automatically,

that the "And you, bring near to yourself" is by the command of God

(like the "And you, bring near" by Moses our teacher).

9.

But there are those who argue,

that they still hold to the service of "the priestly garments" and "the inauguration training" — and especially that "a person knows in his soul",

and it could be that he has failed in numerous matters and has not conducted himself as befits a student of a Nasi of Israel — so how can he have a connection and closeness to the Moses of his generation,

when he is, heaven forbid, "profaned from the priesthood"?

On this Rashi says,

that even a priest who &lt;b&gt;in actuality&lt;/b&gt; cannot now perform the service

or because he is a "baal mum" (one with a blemish) or a "chalal" (profaned one)],

he is still a priest,

and Moses gives him his powers,

for also regarding him it is written "&lt;b&gt;And you&lt;/b&gt; bring near &lt;b&gt;to yourself&lt;/b&gt;".

— Become a "kohen" he cannot; this is entirely not dependent on his choice.

His choice consists only in this,

whether he should fulfill his role,

or G-d forbid not.

But his role lies upon him!

And consequently he has the merit and the responsibility to

remove the "desecration",

don the "priestly garments" etc.,

and]

perform the service — up to performing the service for all Jews,

by bringing to them the light of Torah and mitzvot together with the luminary that is in the Torah,

and making also them into "kohanim".

10.

The evil inclination is, however, a "clever one"⁵²,

he puts himself on in a cloak of "humility" and begins to argue: you yourself say that you still have enough work with yourself — both in "turn away from evil",

heal the blemishes and free yourself from desecration: and also in "and do good",

don the priestly garments and become inaugurated into the priesthood — if "near your palace you have not conquered"⁵³,

now how can you think about another Jew?

How <b>will you</b> — knowing who you are — be able to effect upon him?

To this Rashi says "after you finish the work of the Mishkan": Moshe Rabbeinu had already completed the work of the Mishkan for every Jew and revealed the "and I will dwell in their midst,

in the midst of <b>each and every one</b> of Israel"⁵⁴

; what is demanded of you is to reveal in the other Jew <b>not</b> a <b>new</b> matter,

but to <b>reveal</b> the "Mishkan" that is already complete within him

(and also this,

the <b>revelation</b> of the Mishkan,

you must do not with your own powers but with the power of Moshe,

as above sec. 68).

And therefore it is a clear thing,

that if only you will not let yourself be led astray by the temptations of the evil inclination and do <b>your</b> task,

you will certainly succeed,

in your work,

until the revealing of the Mishkan, which is called the Temple⁵⁵

which is with every Jew.

Which will hasten and bring near the revelation of the Temple

(the general)

literally

(the Third Holy Temple),

which also <b>the</b> Temple is already ready and it only needs to come down and be revealed below⁵⁶,

with the coming of Moshiach our righteousness,

very soon.

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Tetzaveh 5727)