Nothing Personal
Selfishness is not restricted to material matters. When we share our deepest and most personal emotions to inspire others, that is a noble expression of selflessness TETZAVEH TETZAVEH
Interplay between the Menorah and Incense
One theme that repeats itself in this week’s Torah portion concerns the lighting of the menorah (Candelabrum) in the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary the Jews built in the desert.
At the beginning of the parsha it discusses how the menorah was lit, the olive oil that was used for its lighting, the one to light it etc.
At the end of the parsha the Torah once more mentions the Mitzvah of lighting the Menorah. However, it is mentioned in the context of burning the incense on the Golden Altar. The Torah tells us that the Menorah must be set up and kindled at the time they would also offer incense.
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Every minute detail associated with the Mishkan possesses profound insight and offers guidance for each and every Jew. The fact that the Torah links the offering of incense with the kindling of the menorah must convey an important message for us.
The Ultimate Bond
The Hebrew word for incense is Ketores. Etymologically, it is related to the word kesher, a knot. that means to bind. The process of offering incense in the inner precinct of the Temple represented the Jew’s most intimate connection with G-d. There are times when our relationship with G-d is so private and personal that it can only be felt within the deepest precincts of our soul.
Because the Ketores was an expression of the most intimate relationship with G-d, one might think that it cannot be expressed in any tangible form. By definition, an intimate moment of love is an internal matter of the soul and cannot be captured by or translated in any other area of human endeavor. One could not therefore express this experience in TETZAVEH intellectual terms, or translate the power of this intimate feeling in everyday actions.
Furthermore, one might think that this intimate experience is certainly too personal and private to be shared by others. Only someone who participated in this ritual and what it stands for could possibly appreciate its depth and intensity. There would be no point in trying to share this experience with others.
Never to Personal to Share
To dispel both of these contentions, the Torah links the burning of incense with the lighting of the menorah.
The menorah symbolizes: illumination our souls with the warmth and light of Torah and Mitzvos. It is also a symbol of bringing the light of G-d and Judaism to the outside world.
By juxtaposing the burning of incense with the lighting of the menorah, the Torah teaches us unequivocally that every emotion, no matter how deeply rooted, must be TETZAVEH expressed in practical terms. Even the most internal and intimate expressions of love for and connection with G-d, can and must be translated in the conscious levels of our soul; that which motivates us to action — learning more Torah and performing more Mitzvot. This in no way “cheapens“ one‘s emotional connection with G-d, to the contrary — it shows that we are so in love with G-d that we are ready to change our lifestyle and our daily habits for Him..
The Book of Kings relates that the windows of the Temple were shaped so that more light would escape the temple than enter it. The Menorah‘s light was not meant to simply illuminate the Temple, it was meant to project through the Temple windows and illuminate the world with the unique spiritual warmth and light that emanated from the Temple.
Similarly, one should not feel that his love or appreciation for G-d is a private matter that cannot be shared with others. Again, the Torah puts the Menorah next to the Mitzvah of the incense. It tells us that our most G-dly experiences should never be limited to our TETZAVEH private lives; we must share them with others and help them grow in their approach to G-d as well.
The message of the Menorah is so powerful that Nachmanides quotes a Midrash that says its light will last forever and will never be extinguished. Though we temporarily don’t have the Temple Menorah, we must still carry on its message of spreading and sharing the light and warmth of Judaism, until Moshiach comes, when, the prophet tells us, “All the nations of the world will walk in Your light.”
TETZAVEH
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From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Tetzaveh by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
