פרשת תצוה
Last week’s parsha, Parshas Teruma, spoke about the initial instructions Hashem gave to build the Mishkan. This parsha opens with Hashem commanding Moshe to command Bnei Yisrael to bring him “pure olive oil that is manually crushed” in order that they could use this oil to light the menorah. Then the parsha discusses how to make the garments for the Cohanim. The Cli Yakar asks why the mitzva of making the oil is sandwiched between building the Mishkan and making garments for the Cohanim. Making the Mishkan and the Cohanim’s clothes were parts of the construction process. However, the light of the menorah wouldn’t be kindled until much later, after the construction and inauguration of the Mishkan. Why should Moshe get the command for preparing the oil now? It should have been the last thing on the list to prepare! And if that’s not enough, Hashem actually writes the same verse in Parshas Emor when the Cohanim begin the service in the Mishkan and the menorah is actually lit! Why did He write the same verse here? Especially since it’s out of place!!!
The Cli Yakar answers that by putting this verse right in the middle of the construction process, Hashem is actually revealing to us something deeper about the central purpose and meaning of building the Mishkan itself. It’s well known that the main goal of building the Mishkan was to make G-d’s Presence strongly manifest among the Jewish people. As the verse says, “Make for me a Sanctuary and I will dwell among them.” However, one could mistakenly think that the Kodesh HaKedoshim was really the only place where one could truly feel or recognize G-d’s presence – only the Cohen Gadol on Yom Kippur was privileged to get such a revelation; for the common man, the idea of G-d’s Presence would remain abstract and inaccessible. The Menorah came to refute this view. The Menorah, situated outside of the Kodesh HaKedoshim, could be seen by all. The Ner Ma’aravi of the Menorah never went out, which was a true miracle that testified to all that Hashem dwelled among us. Every Jew, big and small, could see for himself that Hashem is close to His people and will perform open miracles just to show He is there for them. Therefore it makes perfect sense to command making the oil right here! It’s a central instruction with a central message! The instruction that would convey the knowledge that the Mishkan was meant for every single Jew as a means to connect to Hashem in the most intimate way according to his level, was the means to realize the purpose of the Mishkan.
From a different perspective, the menorah also symbolized the way that every Jew can connect to G-d even when there isn’t a Mishkan. The Midrash Shmos Rabba 36:3 says that the menorah symbolizes Torah, as the verse in Mishlei says, “A candle is a mitzvah and the Torah is light.” The process of making the oil, which involves crushing, symbolizes the Jew’s need to work himself very hard in Torah in order to develop a connection with G-d. Just as the oil must go through a rigorous process in order to be a product capable of receiving light, so too one’s learning must be done with much toil and self-sacrifice in order to be blessed with Hashem’s light. Many of the ways of acquiring Torah that are mentioned in Pirkei Avos involve great exertion of one’s self. Lessening sleep, lessening pleasure, lessening small talk, lessening laughter, lessening business, and accepting difficulties are all necessary sacrifices if one is to acquire the Torah. And we’re not even talking about the learning part! That obviously demands a lot of dedication and perseverance. However, we should be encouraged by the fact that the more we exert ourselves, the closer we are coming to Hashem’s light.
The Nefesh HaChaim in gate 4 chapter 21 brings the gemara in Sota 49 that says, “Every talmid chacham that engages in Torah while under pressing conditions… will gain satiation from the radiance of the Divine Presence.” The Nefesh HaChaim reveals that this gemara isn’t talking about the next world. It’s telling us that even in this world, people who push themselves in Torah will get this incredible reward! And what exactly is the light we’re talking about? It’s the hidden light that Hashem stored away from the beginning of creation as a reward exclusively for the tzadikkim! Shlomo HaMelech elaborates on the greatness of this light in Koheles 8:1, “The wisdom of a person lights up his face and the power of his face is changed.” Rashi comments that the light of Torah is so powerful that it can literally distinguish a person from all other people. The more Torah wisdom one embodies, the greater his radiance. Moshe Rabbeinu is the quintessential embodiment of this truth. Moshe’s light of Torah was so strong that his face was literally a beam of light! People were afraid to look at him or even approach him! In order not to intimidate his students, he would put on a mask whenever he would go out to teach! Shlomo HaMelech teaches us that we, too, can receive a great light even in this world if we apply ourselves to the Torah’s wisdom.
The Steipler Gaon in the introduction to his sefer “Chayei Olam” says that Hashem makes sure that in every generation there are a few people in every country who are able to attain this incredible light. They are a testimony to all people that a person who really works on himself and delves into the Torah’s wisdom can evolve into an angelic being with an intimate relationship to the Almighty. When one sees such a person, he can’t help but be affected and inspired by what the Torah can do. My Rebbi, Rav Reuven Gershonovitz, was a man who had this light. When he was a bucher, he was known to be someone who never moved from his seat, who was constantly engaged in the plumbing the depths of the Torah. When I was a bucher and he was already a Rosh Yeshiva, I remember how he would sleep in a small hut by the yeshiva, away from his family. The family would come to visit and spend Shabbos with him in the hut. Only during the holidays would he go home. All of these measures were taken in order that he should be able to fully immerse himself in Torah. And because of this, he ascended to incredible spiritual heights. When he was much older, he was known to be someone who had ruach hakodesh. People would come from near and far, even some very big rabbis, just to get his advice and blessing. When asked a question he would look up towards the heavens, close his eyes, and you knew he was connecting to HaKadosh Baruch Hoo. I remember that just by looking at him, I felt G-d’s Presence. Really, this is what every Jew can be. All we have to do is put in the effort – that is all Hashem asks of us.
May we all be zoche to G-d’s light!!!