Where Is Moses?
When someone’s name is not mentioned it can suggest a lack his or her presence. But it can also mean that the other is so present that his or her name need not be mentioned. TETZAVEH TETZAVEH
Moses’ Name Missing
This week’s Torah portion Tetzaveh is unique in that it is the only Torah portion in which Moses name is not mentioned. (His name does not appear in the Genesis because it pre-dates Moses. Portions of Deuteronomy have no mention of Moses because it is Moses’ monologue to the Jewish people).
[Chasam Sofer, the 19th century authority, provides a mnemonic to know which sections of the Torah do not have Moses’ name in it. The words are Asher Kasavta-that you wrote. These words appear in the verse where Moses asks to be erased.
The letter shin is the initial of the section entitled Shoftim, the reish is R’ei, the chof TETZAVEH and tav stand for Ki Seitzei, the beis for Bereishis and the tav for Tetzaveh.] G-d’s Name Also Missing We find a parallel phenomenon in the Book of Esther – which we will read on Purim. In the entire book, G-d’s name is not mentioned even once!
So concealed is G-d within the story of Purim that there is not even a word in the entire story which has the numerical equivalent of G-d’s name, although there ae other hints to G-d!
The miracle of Purim, did, indeed, occur at a time when G-d’s presence was concealed. The heroin of Purim, Queen Esther, is so named because Esther derives from the Hebrew word hester, which means concealed.
The fact that we read the Torah portion of Tetzaveh the Shabbos before Purim raises the possibility that the two anomalies – the absence of Moses in the Torah portion of Tetzaveh and the absence of G-d’s name in the Megillah – are interconnected.
TETZAVEH
What possible connection can there be between the two?
Greater Involvement
On the surface, the omission of a name in a given area reflects the lack of involvement of that individual in the events discussed in that area. Accordingly it should follow that the content of Tetzaveh has nothing, or, very little to do, with Moses.
In fact, the very opposite is the truth. The Torah portion begins with the emphatic words:
“And you shall command the Children of Israel and they shall take unto you pure olive oil..”
Now, although Moses’ name is not mentioned, he is referred to rather emphatically at the very beginning of this Parsha.
To resolve this enigma – that Moses name is omitted, yet, he is referred to rather emphatically – it is necessary to understand TETZAVEH why his name is not mentioned explicitly here.
Moses’ Essence
When the Jewish people were threatened with annihilation because of their involvement with the golden calf, Moses told G-d:
“Erase me from your book.”
Moses, who is synonymous with the “book,” was prepared to give up his association with the Torah, to save the Jewish people – including those who were involved with the golden calf.
Moses had infinite love for the Torah. Yet, his love for the Jewish people was even greater. He was prepared to sacrifice not only his physical life, but even his spiritual life, i.e., Torah, for the lowliest of the Jewish people! This was so, because as great as his connection to Torah was, his essence was connected to Israel.
This is reflected in the absence of his name from this Torah portion, but his essence – TETZAVEH represented by the word “you,” was not only left intact, but, is expressed as forcefully as ever. Moses’ essence is absenting his name for the sake of the Jewish people.
G-d’s Essence
A similar thought can be expressed concerning the omission of G-d’s name in the Megillah. In exile G-d may be hidden from our view because our behavior is wanting. But, Purim dramatizes the fact that even when His name is absent, He – His very Essence – is still amongst the Jewish people. And it is this Essence that is responsible for the orchestration of events that brought about the miracle of Purim.
The festival of Purim, thus, expresses the most fundamental relationship that exists between G-d and the Jewish people; one that transcends convention and nature.
Purim of the Future
We can now appreciate the statement of our Sages that in the Messianic Age all Holidays will pale in comparison with the new TETZAVEH celebration of the Final Redemption. The holiday of Purim, however, will be an exception to the rule and will still be celebrated as a major holiday!
Superficially, Purim is thought of as a minor holiday. However, the foregoing citation from our Sages reveals that it is indeed a major holiday. But, the question still remains, why will it even be more prominent than Passover or Sukkos?
The answer is that Purim reveals the essence of G-d that transcends His name. And it is that Essence that will be on full display in the Messianic Age.
TETZAVEH
From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Tetzaveh by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
