[Par-reg] Tezave - questions for self study
Menachem Leibtag
tsc at bezeqint.net
Mon Feb 18 15:32:33 EST 2013
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THE TANACH STUDY CENTER
[http://www.tanach.org]
In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem
Leibtag
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PARSHAT TETZAVEH
PART I - QUESTIONS FOR THE 'SHABBOS TABLE'
A CROWN FOR THE KOHEN GADOL
1. The Torah refers to the special band that
the kohen gadol
wears across his forehead as the "tzitz" (see
28:36). Can you
explain why that specific name was chosen?
Can you think of
any other mitzvah in the Torah that contains
a similar Hebrew
word? If so, can you think of any thematic
connection between
that mitzvah and the "tzitz"?
2. Next, look up the following psukim that
contain a word
which may relate to the name of the "tzitz":
1. Yechezkel 1:7 [note the word
"notzetzim"]
2. Yechezkel 8:3 [note the phrase tzitzit
roshi"]
3. Shir ha'shirim 2:9 [note "meytzitz min
ha'charakim"]
Based on each of these psukim, based on
what aspect of
the "tzitz" would it be called this name?
Then, see Rashbam, Ibn Ezra, and
Chizkuni on 28:36,
noting how each commentator quotes one of the
above psukim in
his explanation!
3. In what manner does the Kohen Gadol
represent the Jewish
people? How does this relate to the "tzitz"?
What other garments of the kohen gadol
contain something
special that relates his position as the
representative of the
Jewish people before God.
How does this relate to what took place
at Ma'amad Har
Sinai?
"TAMID" & THE MISHKAN
1. The opening pasuk of the parsha describes
the mitzva to
light the menora, which is then referred to
as a ner tamid
[an 'everlasting' light]. On what other
"keilim" (vessels) in
the mishkan do we find an 'avoda' (a ritual)
which relates to
the word tamid?
As you review the sources relating to
the other "keilim"
i.e. the 'shulchan', 'mizbach ha-ola',
'mizbach ha-ktoret',
and the 'aron'], see if you can find this
word "tamid" - and
if so, be sure to note the context.
[If/when you give up, see 25:10-30;
29:38-42;30:1-8]
Which of these 'keilim' does not have an
'avodat tamid'?
Can you explain why?
As you review those sources, note the
phrase "lifnei
Hashem" or "lifnei ha'eydut" in relation to
each "avodat
tamid". Can you explain the connection?
In your answer, relate the concept of
'avodat tamid' to
Ramban's explanation of the purpose of the
mishkan as a
perpetuation of Har Sinai (as he explains in
his introduction
to Parshat Teruma.
PREISTLY RESPONSIBILITIES
2. Parshat Tetzaveh discusses the
appointment of the kohanim
to work in the mishkan, and hence the need
for a special
uniform.
For future generations, what other
responsibilities do
the kohanim have in addition to working in
the Temple?
[In your opinion, is there enough work in
the mikdash to
keep all the kohanim in Am Yisrael busy all
year long?]
What are the kohanim expected to do with
the rest of their
'spare time'?
How about the levi'im? [See Devarim
17:8-10, 33:10.]
How are the kohanim and levi'im supposed
to make a living
(i.e. who pays their salary and how is it
collected etc.)?
[See Bamidbar 18:8-24, especially
18:12-14,21.
See also Devarim 18:1-8, in relation to
17:8-11.]
How do these implied responsibilities relate
to their primary
responsibility to work in the Mikdash.
Relate once again to the first Ramban on
parshat Teruma.
See also Divrei Ha'yamim II chapter 29
and Nechemya
chapter 8.
'LIGHTING' & 'ENLIGHTENING'
3. This week's parsha begins with a mitzva
concerning how the
kohanim are to light the menora (see
27:20-21).
Does this mitzva appear to be in its
'logical' location,
or should it have been mentioned earlier with
the mitzva to
make the menora (see 25:31-40/ compare
25:21-22). Explain.
The next set of mitzvot in the parsha
describe the
'bigdei kehuna' (the special garments of the
kohanim). Why do
you think is the mitzva for Aharon & his sons
to light the
menora juxtaposed to these mitzvot?
See Bamidbar 8:1-4. Is this the same
mitzva or a
different one? Does this mitzva to light the
menora also
appear to be out of place? What topic
follows in Bamidbar 8:5-
22?
In what manner do the other
responsibilities of the
kohanim and levi'im (i.e. outside the
Mikdash) relate to the
mitzva of lighting the menora?
[Relate your answer to the above
question!]
4. Compare the menora to the keruvim / and
the shulchan to
the aron. In what manner is each vessel
similar to the other?
How does the function of the keruvim
relate to the
function of the menora (or at least to what
the menora
represents)?
Attempt to correlate Moshe/aron to
Aharon/menora as far
as the job of each leader in relation to the
people!
KOHEN GADOL vs. KING
5. In what manner is the kohen gadol similar
to a king?
[Relate also to his special
garments.]
In an ideal situation, is the kohen
gadol supposed to be
the king? If yes, explain why?
If not, explain who should be the king,
and what should
be the 'balance of powers' between the king
and kohen gadol.
Relate to Bamidbar 27:15-21, & Devarim
17:8-18:8!
See also I Shmuel 2:35!
6. If you have some 'spare time', see Rambam
Sefer Avoda,
Hilchot Klei Ha-mikdash chapters 3, 4, & 5.
There he talks
about the leviim, kohanim and kohen gadol.
See IV.20 in
relation to the above question. See also
Rambam Sefer
Shoftim, Hilchot Melachim chapters 1-5,
especially IV.10. [If
you live in chutz la-aretz, don't read
V.9-12, "ve-akamal".]
KAPARA - what for?
7. In the seven day 'milu'im' ceremony
(chapter 29), both the
kohanim and the mizbeiach need 'kapara'.
First, verify this statement from the
psukim towards the
end of the chapter.
In your opinion, what is the purpose of
the ceremony, and
why specifically do the kohanim and mizbeiach
require kapara?
What does kapara mean? [Relate to our
discussion of this
topic in our shiur on Yom Kippur (see TSC Web
site) in regard
to its 'protective' nature.]
Could this kapara also relate to 'chet
ha-egel'. Would
it explain why the kohanim must offer this
korban? Would it
explain why the mizbeiach requires kapara.
[Compare the
korbanot in chapter 29 to the korbanot that
were offered on
Yom ha-Shmini as detailed in Vayikra 9:1-6!]
==============================
PART II - QUESTIONS FOR PREPARATION (for
weekly shiur)
1. Browse through parshiot Teruma and
Tetzaveh (25:1-30:10),
noting how this entire unit is included in
the 'dibur' to
Moshe that began in 25:1! [Note that we do
not find another
new dibur until the beginning of parshat Ki
Tisa (see 30:11).]
Then, scan this entire unit, paying
careful attention to
its division into numerous 'parshiot'. As
you browse through,
attempt to determine the main topic of each
'parshia'.
Attempt to define that topic with a word or
two or at most a
very short phrase.
Then, make a list of these topics (one
line for each
parshia, and preferably only one word or
short phrase for the
title of each parshia. [You should finish
with about twenty
some lines.]
Now take your list, and transform it into an
outline.
Then, attempt to determine the principle
of the internal
structure of this unit.
2. Once you have determined the general
logic of the
progression of these parshiot, note any
parshiot that don't
seem to be in their 'proper' place. If you
find any, can you
explain why they are 'out of place'?
3. Review the second to last parshia of this
unit - 29:38-46.
In your opinion, what is the primary topic of
this parshia?
How does this topic relate to the entire
unit?
In your opinion, does its location (i.e.
towards the end
of this unit) make sense? [How does the
daily korban Tamid
relate to the seven day milu'im ceremony
described in 29:1-
37?]
4. Carefully note the textual and thematic
parallel between
29:42-46 and 25:8-9. Can you explain their
significance?
In what manner could you consider
29:43-44 as a summary
of the entire unit? [Relate to your
outline.]
In what way do 25:8 & 29:45 enclose this
unit? If so,
then what would be the thematic importance of
29:46?
5. Based on your outline and your answer to
the above
question, what is especially strange about
the location of the
mizbach ha-ktoret (i.e. 30:1-10) at the very
end of this unit?
According to your outline, does this
parshia belong
somewhere else? If so, where?
Can you explain why it is 'out of
place'? [See Chizkuni
and Seforno on 30:1, where they deal with
this question.]
6. Compare 29:42 to 30:6. What is similar,
both textually
and thematically? Can you explain why?
What, in your opinion, is the function
of the mizbach ha-
ktoret? Why does specifically this vessel
require special
kapara once a year (i.e. on Yom Kippur / see
30:10)?
7. In your opinion, what is the focal point
of the mishkan,
the aron & keruvim and/or the mizbach ha-ola,
or both?
How does the mizbach ha-ktoret relate to
each of these
'focal points'?
8. Recall how Ramban (on 25:1) explained how
the mishkan
serves as a perpetuation (and 'model') of Har
Sinai. Recall
also that the ktoret, when offered, creates
an anan (a cloud /
see Vayikra 16:13, compare with 19:9,
24:15-16).
Based on the Ramban's 'model', what (in
your opinion)
would be the function of the mizbach
ha-ktoret in the Mishkan?
Would this help explain why 30:1-10 is
'out of place'?
[Be sure to see Ramban's peirush to
30:1, noting how he
may be relating to this point.]
9. Next, note the next set of parshiot that
follow this unit,
i.e. 30:11-38. In your opinion, should (at
least some) of
these mitzvot been included in parshiot
Teruma/Tetzaveh as
well?
If so, which mitzvot, and where should
they have been
recorded?
Can you suggest a reason why they may
have been 'left
out'? Relate once again to your answer
concerning why the
mizbach ktoret was 'left out'.
10. Finally, make a list of these 'extra'
topics in chapter
30, beginning with the mizbach ktoret. Can
you find a
parallel between this list and your outline
of Teruma/Tetzaveh
(that you made to answer question #1.
Can you find a parallel? If so, can you
suggest why it
may be significant?
PART III - PARSHANUT
1. In the above questions, we noted how the
mizbach ktoret
appears to be 'out of place'. See the
various commentators on
30:1, and note how they deal with this
problem.
First, Rashi (on 30:1). Does Rashi
deal with this
problem or does his peirush deal with another
question? If
so, what is that question?
See Rashbam. What question is does
Rashbam deal with?
[To help you answer this question,
relate to what the
word mizbeiach is derived from, i.e. shoresh
z.v.ch.
What is a 'zevach' normally brought
from?
See Breishit 31:54, and Vayikra 3:1
& 7:11!]
Next, see Chizkuni. How does Chizkuni
answer the
'preparation questions' above concerning the
placement of the
mizbach ha-ktoret at the end of the entire
unit?
In this case, is his approach thematic
or textual?
Next, see Seforno, noting how he answers
these questions?
Is his answer based on thematic or
textual
considerations?
Finally, see Ramban. Note how Ramban
deals with many of
the questions (raised in the preparation
section).
How does Ramban answer these questions?
As above, is Rabman's approach (here)
based primarily on
thematic or textual considerations?
2. Read 29:45-46.
How did you understand the phrase
'le-shochni betocham'?
First see Rashi. How does he explain
and why?
Next see Ibn Ezra. Is Ibn Ezra's
approach the same or
different than Rashi's? Why does he refer
back to 3:12?
[See also Rashbam & Chizkuni!]
Finally, see Ramban!
Why does he disagree with Rashi?
Would he disagree as well with Ibn
Ezra & Rashbam?
How is Ramban's explanation of this
pasuk fundamentally
different than all the other parshanim?
What is its philosophical significance?
3. Note Rashi's explanation on 29:1 that the
par that Aharon
must bring during the seven day milu'im
ceremony is to atone
for his sin at chet ha-egel.
Relate this to Rashi's approach
concerning when the
mitzva of the mishkan was first given. [See
last week's
shiur.]
Then, see Rashi on the opening psukim of
parshat Shmini
[i.e. Vayikra 9:1-2]. Carefully note Rashi's
explanation why
Aharon must bring specifically an egel for a
chatat on this
day.
Compare his peirush to Chizkuni's (on
9:2).
Is this the same peirush or different?
Read carefully!
According to Rashi, is the egel that Aharon
must bring to
atone for chet ha-egel or to 'make a public
statement'?
Explain.
4. Review 29:42, noting the word (and meaning
of)
"l'doroteichem". Then see the Ibn Ezra on
this pasuk, where
he claims that the korbanot were only offered
at Har Sinai,
but stopped immediately afterwards (for the
next forty years)
until Bnei Yisrael arrived in Israel.
See if you can follow the logic and
proofs [sources] for
this rather amazing Ibn Ezra, noting how he
relates to several
very 'realistic' considerations!
be-hatzlacha,
menachem
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