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<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>*************************************************************<BR>
THE TANACH STUDY CENTER
[http://www.tanach.org]<BR>
In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag<BR> Shiurim in
Chumash & Navi by Menachem
Leibtag<BR>*************************************************************</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>
PARSHAT BEHAR</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Shouldn't Parshat Behar be
in Sefer Shmot? After all,<BR>its opening pasuk informs us that these
mitzvot were given to<BR>Moshe Rabeinu on Har Sinai! Why then does Chumash
'save' it<BR>for Sefer Vayikra instead?<BR> To
complicate matters, Parshat Behar is only one example<BR>of many 'parshiot'
towards the end of Sefer Vayikra that<BR>appear to belong in Sefer Shmot.
Take for example the law to<BR>light the menora (recorded at end of Parshat Emor
(see 24:1-<BR>3). As you most probably noticed, that parshia is almost
a<BR>direct quote from Parshat Tetzaveh! [Compare 24:1-3 with<BR>Shmot
27:20-21.]<BR> To answer these (and many other)
questions, this week's<BR>shiur investigates the intriguing possibility of a
chiastic<BR>structure that may explain what otherwise seems to be a
random<BR>progression of parshiot in Sefer Vayikra.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>INTRODUCTION<BR> Recall our
explanation that Sefer Vayikra contains<BR>primarily mitzvot, and neatly divides
into two distinct<BR>sections:<BR> 1) Chapters 1->17:
laws relating to the mishkan itself,<BR> 2) Chapters
18->27: laws relating to living a life of<BR>'kedusha' even outside the
mishkan.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Even though this
definition neatly explained the<BR>progression of mitzvot in Parshiot Acharei
Mot and Kedoshim,<BR>many of the laws in Parshat Emor seem to contradict
this<BR>definition.<BR> As the following summary shows,
most of the mitzvot in<BR>Parshat Emor relate to the mishkan itself, and
hence<BR>(according to our above definition) should have been recorded<BR>in the
first half of Vayikra.<BR> Using a Tanach Koren [or
similar], scan from the<BR>beginning of Parshat Emor to verify the following
summary:<BR> * Chapter 21 - Laws pertaining to kohanim;<BR>
* Chapter 22 - Animals not fit for korbanot;<BR> * Chapter 23
- Special korbanot offered on the mo'adim.<BR> * Chapter 24 - Oil
for lighting the menora;
and<BR> baking the 'lechem
ha-panim' for the shulchan.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Based on our above
definition of the two halves of Sefer<BR>Vayikra, just about all of these topics
would fit better in<BR>the 'first half'.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>STORY TIME?<BR> To
complicate matters, at the very end of Parshat Emor we<BR>find a different type
of difficulty. Review 24:10-23, noting<BR>how we find a narrative - i.e.
the story of an individual who<BR>cursed God's name in public and was
subsequently punished.<BR>Not only is this story totally unrelated to either
half of<BR>Sefer Vayikra, it is the only narrative in the entire
Sefer!<BR>[Aside from the story of the dedication of the mishkan found<BR>in
chapters 8->10 (that relates to the mishkan
itself).]<BR> As you review these psukim (and their
context), note how<BR>this story seems to 'come out of nowhere'! Nor is
there any<BR>apparent reason why Sefer Vayikra records this
story<BR>specifically at this point. [See Rashi's question on
24:10<BR>'Me-heichan yatza?' - Where did the 'mekallel' come from!]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>MORE PROBLEMS!<BR> Parshat
Behar (chapter 25) is no less problematic! Even<BR>though its laws of
'shmitta' and 'yovel' fit nicely into our<BR>definition of the second half of
Sefer Vayikra (see Ibn Ezra<BR>25:1), the opening and closing psukim of this
unit present us<BR>with two different problems.<BR> The
first pasuk of Parshat Behar (25:1) informs us that<BR>these mitzvot were given
on Har Sinai, and hence suggests that<BR>this entire Parsha may really belong in
Sefer Shmot!<BR> More disturbing (and often not noticed)
is the very<BR>conclusion of Parshat Behar. There we find three
'powerful'<BR>psukim that seem to come out of nowhere! Let's take a
look:<BR> <BR> * "For Bnei Yisrael are servants to Me, they My
servants<BR> whom I freed from the land of Egypt, I am
the Lord your<BR> God." (25:55).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> * "Do not make for yourselves any other
gods.." (26:1).<BR> <BR> * "Keep My Sabbath and guard My
Temple, I am your God" (26:2).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Indeed, the first pasuk
(25:55) forms a nice summary<BR>pasuk for the laws of that unit (i.e.
25:47-54);, however the<BR>last two laws are totally unrelated!
Furthermore, all three<BR>of these psukim seem to 'echo' the first four of the
Ten<BR>Commandments.<BR> Why do they conclude Parshat
Behar, and why are the first<BR>four 'dibrot' repeated specifically here in
Sefer Vayikra?<BR> [Note the discrepancy between the chapter division
(i.e.<BR> where chapter 26 begins) and the division of parshiot
(note<BR> that Parshat Bechukotai begins with 26:3) - which
reflects<BR> this problem.]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> The above questions appear
to shake the very foundation<BR>of our understanding of the two halves of Sefer
Vayikra.<BR>Should we conclude that Sefer Vayikra is simply a
'random'<BR>collection of mitzvot?<BR> [The solution that we are about to
suggest is based on a<BR> rather amazing shiur that I heard many years ago
from Rav<BR> Yoel Bin Nun, where he uncovers a chiastic structure
that<BR> ties together Sefer Shmot and Vayikra.]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> To answer the above
questions, we must first 're-examine'<BR>each of the parshiot (mentioned above)
to determine where each<BR>of these 'out of place' parshiot really does
belong.<BR> As we do so, a very interesting pattern will emerge -
that<BR>form the basis of a chiastic structure. [If you've never<BR>heard
of chiastic structure before don't worry, it will be<BR>explained as the shiur
progresses.]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>WHERE DO THEY BELONG?<BR>
Let's begin with the first topics in chapter 24, for it<BR>is quite easy to
identify where these two mitzvot do 'belong'.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>THE NER TAMID (24:1-4)<BR>
As we noted above, these four psukim (describing the<BR>mitzva to light the
menora with olive oil) are almost an exact<BR>repetition of the first two psukim
of Parshat Tetzaveh! [See<BR>and compare with Shmot 27:20-21.]
Hence, this parshia<BR>'belongs' in Parshat Tetzaveh.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>THE LECHEM HA-PANIM
(24:5-9)<BR> This parshia describes how Bnei Yisrael
were to prepare<BR>the lechem ha-panim [show bread] - that were to be placed on
a<BR>weekly basis on the shulchan [the Table located inside
the<BR>mishkan].<BR> Even though this is the first time that we find the
details<BR>of this mitzva in Chumash, the general mitzva to put lechem
ha-<BR>panim on the shulchan was already mentioned in Parshat Teruma<BR>(see
Shmot 25:30). Hence, we conclude that this 'parshia'<BR>could have been
recorded in Parshat Teruma, together with all<BR>the other mitzvot concerning
how to build the shulchan.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>THE MEKALLEL - The 'blasphemer'
(24:10-23)<BR> Even though this parshia begins with a
story (see 24:10-<BR>12), this short narrative leads directly into a small set
of<BR>civil laws ('bein adam le-chaveiro') relating to capital<BR>punishment
(see 24:13-22). Furthermore, as your review 24:17-<BR>22, note how they
are almost identical with Shmot 21:12,23-25<BR>(i.e. Parshat
Mishpatim).<BR> For example, note how Shmot 21:24 is
identical to Vayikra<BR>24:20. -"ayin tachat ayin, shein tachat shein ..."
["an eye<BR>for an eye, a tooth for a tooth..."]<BR> Hence, we conclude
that the mekallel parshia 'belongs' in<BR>Parshat Mishpatim.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>THE LAWS of SHMITTA & YOVEL
(25:1-25:54)<BR> As we explained above, the opening
pasuk of this parshia<BR>states that these mitzvot concerning shmitta &
yovel were<BR>given to Moshe Rabbeinu at Har Sinai. However, in
Sefer<BR>Shmot, we find many other laws that were given to Moshe<BR>Rabbeinu on
Har Sinai, and they were all recorded in Parshat<BR>Mishpatim. In fact, in
that very same Parsha, the basic laws<BR>of shmitta" were already
mentioned:<BR> "Six years you shall sow your Land and gather your
produce<BR> and the seventh year..." (see Shmot 23:10-11).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Therefore, we
conclude that this entire unit of the laws<BR>of shmitta & yovel belongs in
Parshat Mishpatim, together with<BR>all of the other mitzvot that were given to
Moshe on Har<BR>Sinai.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The 'MINI-DIBROT'
(25:55-26:2)<BR> As we explained above, these three
psukim at the very end<BR>of Parshat Behar 'echo' the first four
Commandments. If so,<BR>then we can conclude that these psukim 'belong' in
Parshat<BR>Yitro (see Shmot 20:1-9).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>A BACKWARD 'BACK TO
SHMOT'<BR> In case you have yet to notice, not only do
all of these<BR>parshiot (from chapters 21 thru 25) thematically belong
in<BR>Sefer Shmot, they progress in backward order, from Tetzaveh,<BR>to Teruma,
to Mishpatim, to Yitro!<BR> Even though this order may seem to be simply
coincidental,<BR>the next chapter in Vayikra (i.e. the TOCHACHA in chapter
26)<BR>provides us with enough 'circumstantial evidence' to suggest<BR>that this
pattern may be intentional!<BR> Let's take a
look:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>THE TOCHACHA (26:3-46)<BR>
The 'tochacha' explains the reward (or punishment) that<BR>Bnei Yisrael receive
should they obey (or disobey) God's laws.<BR>This tochacha constitutes an
integral part of the covenant<BR>(brit) between God and Bnei Yisrael that was
agreed upon at<BR>Har Sinai (see Devarim 28:69!).<BR> [Note that the final
pasuk (26:46) is not only parallel to<BR> Devarim 28:69, but also includes
the phrase 'beino u-bein<BR> Bnei Yisrael', which also implies a covenant
(based on<BR> Shmot 31:15-17)!]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Even though this covenant
is detailed in Parshat<BR>Bechukotai, recall how its basic principles were
first<BR>recorded in Parshat Yitro in the Torah's account of the events<BR>that
took place at ma'amad Har Sinai:<BR> "And now, if you shall listen to Me
and keep My covenant<BR> faithfully, then..." (Shmot 19:5-6, see also
Shmot 24:4-7)<BR> [Compare
carefully with Vayikra 26:3,12,23!]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Therefore, even though
this parshia is thematically<BR>consistent with the theme of the second half of
Sefer Vayikra<BR>(compare chapter 26 with 18:25-29), nonetheless, it was
given<BR>to Bnei Yisrael on Har Sinai. Hence, it could easily have<BR>been
included in Parshat Yitro, most probably in chapter 19<BR>(prior to the Ten
Commandments).<BR> [Note also that the 'dibbur' that began in 25:1
includes<BR> chapter 26 and is summarized by the final pasuk of
the<BR> tochacha (26:46). See also Chizkuni on Shmot 24:7 &
Ibn<BR> Ezra on Vayikra 25:1. where they explain that this
tochacha<BR> was actually read at Har Sinai at Ma'amad Har
Sinai!]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>WORKING 'BACKWARDS'<BR>
Let's summarize all of these 'parshiot' that we have<BR>discussed (from the end
of Sefer Vayikra) that seem to<BR>'belong' in Sefer Shmot. [Working
backwards,] we assign a<BR>letter to each 'parshia' for future
reference.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(A) - THE TOCHACHA (26:3-46)<BR>(B) The
'MINI-DIBROT' (25:55-26:2)<BR>(C) The laws of SHMITTA & YOVEL
(25:1-25:54)<BR>(D) Parshat "ha-MEKALLEL" (24:10-23) - The 'Blasphemer'.<BR>(E)
THE MENORA AND SHULCHAN (24:1-9)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> And there's more!
Let's continue working backwards from<BR>chapter 24 to chapter 23, showing how
this pattern continues!<BR>We'll continue using the letters of the alphabet for
'headers'<BR>as well:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(F) PARSHAT HA-MO'ADIM (23:1-44) - The holidays in
Emor<BR> As we explained in last week's shiur, the Torah
presents<BR>the mo'adim together with the laws of Shabbat. Even
though<BR>these laws relate thematically to the theme of kedusha in
the<BR>second half of Vayikra, they also relate to the laws of<BR>Shabbat that
conclude the parshiot concerning the mishkan.<BR>[See Shmot 31:12-17 &
35:2-3.]<BR> Note the obvious textual
similarities:<BR> * "sheshet yamim ta'aseh melacha, u-vayom
ha-shvi'i..."<BR>[Vayikra 23:3- Compare with Shmot
35:2!].<BR> * "ach et shabtotai
tishmoru...<BR> ki ani Hashem
mekadishchem"<BR>
[See Shmot 31:13/ compare with 23:3,39.]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Therefore, 'parshat
ha-mo'adim' (chapter 23) in Sefer<BR>Vayikra could have been recorded in Parshat
Ki-Tisa as well,<BR>together with the laws of Shabbat.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(G) ANIMALS THAT CANNOT BE KORBANOT
(22:17-33)<BR> In this parshia we find the prohibition
of offering an<BR>animal with a blemish, or an animal less than eight days
old.<BR> Surely, this mitzva could have been recorded
just as well<BR>in Parshat Vayikra (i.e. in the first half of the Sefer),
for<BR>it discusses the various types of animals which one can offer<BR>for a
korban (see 1:2).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(H) KEDUSHAT KOHANIM
(21:1-22:16)<BR> Parshat Emor opens with laws that
explain when a kohen<BR>CAN and CANNOT become "tamey" (ritually impure by coming
into<BR>contact with a dead person).<BR> Even though these laws
thematically relate to the second<BR>half of Vayikra (for they govern the daily
life of the kohanim<BR>OUTSIDE the mishkan), nonetheless the mitzvot that
follow<BR>(21:16-22:16) should have been recorded in Parshat TZAV, for<BR>they
concern who can and cannot eat the meat of the korbanot.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> In summary, even though
each of the above parshiot may be<BR>thematically related in one form or other
to the theme of the<BR>second half of Vayikra, nonetheless each parshia could
also<BR>have been recorded either in the second half of Sefer Shmot<BR>(or early
in Sefer Vayikra) as well!<BR> Using the letters noted
above, the following table<BR>summarizes these special parshiot, noting where
each<BR>'misplaced parsha' really belongs:.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> PARSHA OUT OF
PLACE WHERE IT
BELONGS...<BR> ====================
=================<BR>(A) THE
TOCHACHA YITRO (pre
dibrot)<BR>(B) THE MINI-DIBROT YITRO (the
dibrot')<BR>(C) SHMITTA AND YOVEL YITRO/MISHPATIM (post
dibrot)<BR>(D) MEKALLEL & mishpatim MISHPATIM<BR>(E) MENORA AND
SHULCHAN TRUMA /TETZAVEH<BR>(F) MO'ADIM IN
EMOR KI TISA/ VAYAKHEL (shabbat)<BR>(G)
ANIMALS FIT TO OFFER VAYIKRA<BR>(H) KEDUSHAT
KOHANIM TZAV</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Study this table
carefully, noting the correlation<BR>between where these parshiot 'belong' and
the order of the<BR>Parshiot in Sefer Shmot [and the beginning of
Vayikra].</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<DIV><BR>THE CHIASTIC STRUCTURE OF SHMOT &
VAYIKRA<BR> This literary style is known as a chiastic
structure (A-B-<BR>C-B-A), a literary tool which emphasizes unity of theme
and<BR>accentuates a central point (C).<BR> To uncover
the significance of a chiastic structure, it<BR>is usually critical to identify
its central point. To do so<BR>in our case, we must first summarize the
basic units of<BR>mitzvot (in Sefer Shmot) which Bnei Yisrael receive from
the<BR>time of their arrival at Har Sinai:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(A) BRIT - prior to Matan Torah (perek 19 & parallel in
perek<BR>24)<BR>(B) DIBROT - the Ten Commandments (20:1-14)<BR>(C)
MITZVOT - immediately after the dibrot (20:19-23)<BR>(D) MISHPATIM - the
civil laws in Parshat Mishpatim (21->23)<BR>(E) TZIVUI HA-MISHKAN
- Parshiot Truma/Tetzaveh (25->31)<BR>(F) SHABBAT (31:12-18
followed by 35:1-3)<BR> [In the further iyun
section, we discuss why we skip <BR> chet
ha-egel (32->34) in this structure.]<BR>(G) LAWS OF THE KORBAN YACHID
(Vayikra 1->5)<BR>(H) LAWS FOR THE KOHANIM - serving in the mishkan
(6->7)<BR>(I) THE SHCHINA ON THE MISHKAN:<BR>
The dedication ceremony of the mishkan
(8->10);<BR> laws governing proper entry
(11->15);<BR> the yearly 're-dedication'
ceremony on Yom Kippur (16->17)<BR> AND
ITS AFFECT ON THE NATION<BR> Kedushat ha-AM
ve-haARETZ<BR> climaxing
with "KDOSHIM TIHIYU"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Using the chart below [I hope your word processor
is able<BR>to format it, if not try to format it by yourself], note how<BR>each
of these units corresponds in REVERSE ORDER with the<BR>problematic concluding
parshiot of Sefer Vayikra (that were<BR>discussed above)!<BR> The
following chart illustrates this structure:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>A) Brit - before Matan Torah<BR> B)
Dibrot<BR>| C) Mitzvot - after
Matan Torah<BR>|
| D) Mishpatim - civil
laws<BR>| |
| E) Tzivui
Hamishkan<BR>| | |
| F)
Shabbat<BR>| | |
| | G)
Korbanot of the individual<BR>| |
| | |
| H) Kohanim - how to
offer<BR>| | |
| | |
| / * Shchina on
mishkan<BR>| | |
| | | |
| I) Its dedication
etc.<BR>| | |
| | | |
| \ * Shchina in the Camp<BR>|
| | | |
|
| proper
behavior, etc.<BR>| | |
| | | |
H) Kohanim - who can't offer<BR>| |
| |
| G) Korbanot - what can't be a
korban<BR>| | |
| F)
Mo'adim<BR>| |
| E) Menora &
Shulchan<BR>|
| D) Mishpatim in aftermath of
the Mekallel incident<BR>| C)
Mitzvot at Har Sinai, shmitta & yovel (Behar)<BR> B)
Dibrot (first 4)<BR>A) Brit - Tochachat Bechukotai</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Note how the above chart identifies a chiastic
structure<BR>(symbolized by ABCDEFGH-I-HGFEDCBA) that connects together
all<BR>of the mitzvot given to Bnei Yisrael in Midbar Sinai from the<BR>time of
their arrival at Har Sinai.<BR> It should come at no
surprise that at the thematic center<BR>of this structure - (letter 'I') - lies
the dual theme of<BR>Sefer Vayikra - i.e., its two
sections:<BR> (1) the SHCHINA dwelling on the mishkan,
and<BR> (2) its subsequent effect on the nation.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> As we explained in our previous shiurim, this
model<BR>reflects the impact of the intense level of the kedusha in
the<BR>mishkan on the spiritual character of the entire Nation in all<BR>realms
of daily life.<BR> Furthermore, this 'central point'
ties back to the basic<BR>theme of ma'amad Har Sinai in Sefer Shmot, which just
so<BR>happens to be the opening 'bookend' of the chiastic
structure<BR>(A). Recall how Bnei Yisrael first entered into a
covenant<BR>before they received the Torah at Har Sinai. Note once
again<BR>the wording of God's original proposal:<BR> "And if you listen to
Me and keep my covenant... then you<BR> shall be for Me, a - mamlechet
kohanim ve-goy kadosh - a<BR> kingdom of priests and a holy nation"
(see Shmot 19:5-6) .</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> The achievement is this goal - to become God's
special<BR>nation -as detailed in 'bookends' of this structure (letters<BR>A),
is manifest with the dwelling of God's Shchina in the<BR>mishkan (I) -at the
center of this structure; and is achieved<BR>by the fulfillment of God's
mitzvot of kedusha - as detailed<BR>throughout this entire unit of Sefer
Shmot& Vayikra.<BR> In essence, the covenant of Har
Sinai, the climax of<BR>Sefer Shmot, is fulfilled when Bnei Yisrael follow the
mitzvot<BR>of Sefer Vayikra! By keeping the mitzvot of both halves
of<BR>Sefer Vayikra, we become a mamlechet kohanim ve-goy kadosh<BR>(Shmot 19:6)
- the ultimate goal and purpose of brit Har<BR>Sinai.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>BRIT SINAI & KEDOSHIM TIHIYU<BR> The thematic
significance of this chiastic structure is<BR>strengthened by its closing
'book-end'. Just as brit Sinai -<BR>the covenant at Har Sinai - is the
opening parsha, the details<BR>of that covenant - the tochacha of Bechukotai -
constitutes<BR>its closing parsha.<BR> In that covenant, we find yet
another aspect of this 'two-<BR>sided' deal. The tochacha explains how the
Promised Land will<BR>serve as God's agent to reward Bnei Yisrael, should they
be<BR>faithful to His covenant, while the Land will punish (and<BR>ultimately
kick them out) should they go astray.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Finally, note (from this chiastic structure) how
the<BR>mitzvot of Sefer Vayikra [GHI]- that were given from the ohel<BR>mo'ed
(see 1:1) are surrounded by mitzvot that were given "be-<BR>Har Sinai"
[ABCDEF]. Considering that the entire purpose of<BR>the mishkan was to
serve as a vehicle to perpetuate the<BR>fundamentals of Ma'amad Har Sinai, this
unique structure<BR>beautifully reflects the eternal goal of the Jewish
nation.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
shabbat
shalom<BR>
menachem</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>FOR FURTHER IYUN<BR>================</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>A. As you may have noticed, during the entire shiur we
have<BR>purposely 'neglected' the location of parshat 'erchin' (perek<BR>27) at
the end of Sefer Vayikra. This topic will be dealt<BR>with iy"H in next
week's shiur. [See also Ibn Ezra 27:1.]</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>B. Most all of the commentators deal with the question: Why<BR>does
Parshat Behar open by mentioning that this parsha was<BR>given on Har
Sinai? See the commentary of Rashi and Ramban.<BR>[25:1 / "ma inyan
shmitta etzel Har Sinai?"]<BR> 1. Explain the machloket
between Rashi and Ramban.<BR>2. How is their approach to this question different
than the<BR>approach taken in the above shiur.<BR> How
is their approach to this question different than the<BR>approach taken in the
above shiur? More specifically: Which<BR>fundamental question are they
asking? How is it different<BR>from the fundamental question raised in the
above shiur? Do<BR>these different approaches contradict each other, or do
they<BR>complement one another?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>C. A careful examination of the chiastic structure developed<BR>in
the above shiur shows that the parshiot that we have<BR>conveniently 'left out'
of our chart in both Seforim coincide<BR>with the narratives (i.e. chet ha-egel,
Vayakhel, Pekudei,<BR>Shmini, the mekallel etc.). Thus, we can conclude
that the<BR>structure focuses on the mitzvot and the covenant, but not on<BR>the
ongoing story of Chumash. This makes sense, since it is<BR>logical to
create a chiastic structure within a set of<BR>mitzvot, not in an ongoing
narrative.<BR> This provides an explanation why we
skipped over chet ha-<BR>egel and its related mitzvot in our chart.
[Recall that they<BR>were 'repeats' from Mishpatim because of chet
ha-egel.]</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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