MHA-FYOS Dean's Blog

This week’s parasha, Ki Tisa, describes the sin of the Golden Calf. For forty days after Hashem’s revelation at Mount Sinai, b'nei yisrael had been anxiously awaiting Moshe’s return. The Torah says, “and the nation saw that Moshe delayed (boshesh) to come down from the mountain.” There is a well-known Midrash on this verse. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: What is the significance of the Torah using the word boshesh – ‘And the nation saw that Moshe was boshesh, coming late’? Do not read the word as boshesh – coming late – rather – ba’u shesh – six hours of the day came (and went). The Midrash continues: When Moshe ascended to heaven, he told b’nei yisrael that he would return at the end of 40 days at the beginning of the sixth hour. B’nei yisrael thought that the day that he ascended was to be included in the count of 40 days, when in fact, Moshe said 40 complete days. He had ascended on the seventh of Sivan and he intende...

Parashat Tetzaveh presents the design of the  bigde kehuna  – the Priestly Garments. Tetzaveh is the only  parasha  of Moshe’s lifetime – four of five books of the Torah – that does not mention Moshe’s name. Clearly the focus of the parasha is all on Moshe’s brother Aharon and his descendants. Moshe Rabbenu’s role in the nation is clear. Hashem chose Moshe as His representative to the nation to bring them the Torah and to convey Hashem’s prophetic message. He announced the plagues to Pharoh in Egypt. Moshe Rabbenu was G-d’s messenger to the Jewish people. What was Aharon’s role in the nation? Aharon taught Torah to the people. He offered the nation’s sacrifices in the  mishkan . Malbim explains that Hashem chose Aharon to be the nation’s messenger in serving Hashem and in teaching Torah. Thus, Moshe and Aharon stood shoulder-to-shoulder. Moshe was Hashem’s representative to the people and Aharon was the people’s representative to Hashem. What qualifi...

This week’s parasha , Parashat Terumah introduces the laws related to building the  mishkan  – the Tabernacle. The Torah precisely defines the size, shape and materials of each vessel that is placed in the  mishkan  – including the  shulchan  (table), the menorah (candelabra), the  aron  (ark) and the mizbe’ach (altar). The length, width and height of each item are explicated and the particulars of the construction of each item is defined and delimited by the  halacha  – G-d’s command. The level of precision that the Torah describes in reference to the  mishkan  is noteworthy. Even a synagogue, a  mikdash me’at  – a miniature Temple – does not require such precision. What message can we glean from the Torah’s rich description of the parameters of the  mishkan ? Let us consider this question in relation to a dispute among our Sages. Although the Torah places the command to build the  mishkan  p...

Parashat Mishpatim continues the presentation of the mitzvot that were revealed to  b'nei yisrael  at Mount Sinai which began in last week’s parasha . One shared topic between the two  parashiyot  is the primacy of creating a judicial system with integrity. The Torah admonishes us not to testify as a group with evil people. The Torah admonishes judges to not show favoritism to a poor person. The Torah forbids judges to accept bribes. In last week’s parasha , the Torah records that Yitro suggests four qualities that a judge should have: accomplished, G-d-fearing, committed to truth and money-despising. Basing himself on the Mechilta, Rashi elaborates on the third quality – commitment to truth. Rashi explains that judges must be trust-worthy people, and that, because it is reasonable to rely on them generally, people will listen to the judgments that they render. The first part of Rashi’s comment is easily understood – a judge must be trust-worthy. Trust-wor...