D'var Torah
by Don Cogan

In this chapter of Genesis, Vayera, G-d appears to Abraham in the form of three men who visit Abraham’s tent near Mamre.  Abraham offers them water and place to rest, and asks his wife Sarah to prepare a meal for them.
 
God conveys to Abraham that Sarah will bear a son. Sarah, overhearing this from inside the tent, laughs “within herself” in disbelief, as she is far older than the typical child-bearing age of most women. God asks of Abraham, “wherefore did Sarah laugh?” pointing out that G-d is capable of enabling the seemingly impossible to happen. Out of fear Sarah denies having laughed at the notion of bearing a child, yet G-d insists that she had in fact laughed, revealing his ability to know the seemingly unknowable.
 
In the second part of this chapter, seemingly unrelated to the first, God conveys to Abraham that the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah must be destroyed, as their inhabitants are exceedingly evil. Yet Abraham asks G-d to relent, posing the question: “if fifty righteous people can be found, can the cities be spared?” In response to additional questioning by Abraham,  in which Abraham asks if even fewer righteous found would be sufficient,  G-d indicates that he would be willing to spare the city even if only ten persons can be found to be righteous.
 
Why are these two seemingly disparate events occurring together in Vayera; that is, the revealing to Abraham that Sarah will bear a son, and Abraham’s apparent “bargaining” with G-D regarding the possibility of sparing Sodom and Gomorrah?
 
One possible explanation is that both circumstances test the trust between G-d and Abraham. In the first instance, G-d conveys to Sarah that a miracle will occur, her bearing of a child. And He demonstrates that He is capable of knowing one’s innermost thoughts, ostensibly to prove that He has the ability to make the unordinary happen. So even with their being substantial doubt at first at least by Sarah, the couple do proceed to have a son.
 
In the following verse, Abraham assesses the mercifulness of G-d by testing G-d’s willingness to spare Sodom and Gomorrah, even if only a small number of persons can be found to be righteous. And he continues to test the limits of G-d’s mercy by asking whether ever smaller numbers of righteous individuals in the cities would be sufficient to deter their destruction.
 
The establishment of trust between God and his people is a continuing theme of great importance throughout the Torah, as we will see upcoming in the chapter regarding the binding of Isaac by Abraham.  

In my own life I have come to realize that two things are of importance to undertake a task or goal. The first requirement is have or develop a strong enough desire to do so. Secondly, I need to have a belief that the accomplishment is possible. There are those times, however in which I have had the desire and yet my belief may be lacking or at least very minimal at first.
 
In my early years, I had developed an interest in pursuing a course of study in a  relatively new field, biomedical engineering, which I knew very little about at first, and for which I had little basis for believing they could pursue that direction since I had very little related prerequisite background. In a way, I was much like Sarah being told she could have a child in advanced years! How could I possibly accomplish this? I had the desire for sure, and yet the willingless to pursue it came from convincing myself that I would do it somehow, even though the basis for believing so was lacking at first. In other words, I had to have faith: faith being the belief in things yet unseen.
 
I also had to realize that I was almost certain to make mistakes and setbacks along the way, sometimes some choices or decisions which may be not the best (or at least may appear to be incorrect). Similar to Abraham being challenged in his hopes of their being righteous persons in Sodom and Gemorrah, I had to realize that being wrong at first is not necessarily the end of the road. At times it’s necessary to try another path, and as I recall in my efforts to get into the biomedical field, I had to repeatedly investigate academic programs to find one that was appropriate, and later to check into a lot of job prospects to find one that was a good choice.
 
The second such occurrence that comes to mind, was the decision that Cheryl and I made to adopt a child. We looked into different avenues – different possible countries to pursue, each of which presented roadblocks and frustrations along the way. Even when we decided upon Russia, we encountered changing regulations, paperwork that had to be revised multiple times, and several adoption requests that did not go through. Yet we persevered (athought there were multiple times we felt like Sarah in Vayera) and we finally were able to adopt our wonderful son Max!

D'var Torah
by Arthur C Greenfield      

The last Parashah of the Torah cycle starts with a beautiful poem or song. It is the second song of Moses. The first song was sung at the beginning of the Israelites journey at the Sea of Reeds. This second song was near the end of the journey when the Israelites are approaching the long anticipated entry into the Promised Land. The poem is worth reading and the first part is included below as it is so beautiful.

Ha'Azinu—Listen.

Give ear, O heavens, let me speak;

Let the earth hear the words I utter!

May my discourse come down as the rain,

My speech distill as the dew,

Like showers on young growth,

Like droplets on the grass.

For the name of the Lord I proclaim;

Give glory to our God!...

The poem continues and the tone becomes more serious, accusatory, reproachful, and yes, even blood thirsty. It is a warning to the People of the price they will pay for not heeding His words. Sometimes it seems to be talking about the Israelites and at other times it suggests the warnings are referring to the Israelites foes.

At the end of the poem the narrative continues:

Moses came, together with Hosea, son of Nun, and recited all the words of this poem in the hearing of the people.

And when Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, he said to them: Take to heart all the words with which I have warned you this day. Enjoin them upon your children, that they may observe faithfully all the terms of this teaching. For this is not a trifling thing for you: it is your very life; through it you shall long endure on the land that you are to possess upon crossing the Jordan.

Scholars have differing views when it comes to interpreting the poem. Some think the passages are meant to be understood as written while others believe much of it is metaphorical and open to interpretation. Some of the passages refer to God as the protector and provider. Other passages focus on God the avenger with the sword. God is also likened to an eagle protecting his young. I will leave the interpretations to the Rabbis.     

Ha'Azinu 32:48-52 That very day the Lord spoke to Moses: Ascend these heights of Abarim to Mount Nebo, which is the land of Moab facing Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving the Israelites as their holding. You shall die on the mountain that you are about to ascend, and shall be gathered to your kin, as your brother Aaron died on mount Hor and was gathered to his kin; for you both broke faith with Me among the Israelite people, at the waters of Meribath—Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, by failing to uphold My sanctity among the Israelite people. You may view the land from a distance, but you shall not enter it—the land that I am giving to the Israelite people.

In thinking about this whole chapter and where in the cycle it occurs I could not help but think about our life cycles such as birthdays and anniversaries and how we react when they come around.  I can't speak for others but I know for me when it is the time of year when my birthday approaches, I do two things. The first is to look back and ponder the times that have past and wonder if I had made different decisions along the way how my life might be different today. I give thanks for being alive far longer than I ever expected. I then look to the future and consider what I can still do in my small way that will benefit others, and know when I do, I will be helping myself. This process is a little like Ebenezer Scrooge but without the ghosts. These are just fleeting thoughts that are my way of reflecting on my life and how to improve it. I go through a similar process for our anniversary and thank God for the lifetime my wife and I have enjoyed and pray we can be together forever.

In a way, perhaps we are all like Moses on Mount Nebo. We are all looking toward our own personal promised lands, but we don't know if we will live to dwell in them. For me, it is never-the-less, important to continue to believe that with more time I can accomplish more.

Although the story of Moses in Ha'Azinu is not unfamiliar it reminds me of the various elements that were present when my children were young: The tenderness, nurturing, loving, caring and warnings when they were stepping too close to the line.

We just observed Rosh Hashanah and are enjoying the New Year, another time of introspection, when we are reminded to look back at our lives and determine what we can do to improve ourselves. Imagine how we could Heal the World if everyone in the United States followed this process.                     

D'var Torah
by Arthur C Greenfield        

A lot of our American system of laws was inherited from English law. And a lot of English Law was inherited from biblical law. Does it matter that English law was inspired by laws enacted many years ago? I think it does as so many of the laws that inspired English law were handed down by Moses over three thousand years ago. Of course the language has changed and the penalties for breaking the laws have been modified. Never-the-less the intent of fairness in deciding guilt or innocence still remains. The biblical practice of requiring two or more witnesses before committing a person to death exemplifies the idea of sureness of guilt especially in capital crimes.

Parashah Shofetim focuses on Moses and his establishment of Law and Order, a structure for the Israelites to live by. Moses directed the tribes to appoint magistrates and officials, for their tribes to govern the people with justice, with impartiality, and without bribes.  "Justice, justice shall you pursue."  All the instructions and processes given to the Israelites were prior to, but anticipating, their entry into the Promised Land.    

 Moses further described the necessity of establishing magistrates and judges, so they might hear cases and settle disputes. The Mishnah describes three courts of hearing. The first had three judges and dealt with issues of money disputes, larceny, bodily injury, etc. A court of 23 judges presided over cases involving capital punishment and persons charged with unnatural intercourse etc. Courts of 71 judges involved cases of a tribal nature.   

As a youngster, aged about 10, my friend and I decided to take up the hobby of train spotting. London, where I grew up, has many major railway stations with multiple platforms so there was no shortage of places to find trains. Train spotting requires the spotter to purchase a book with all the engines listed by the number assigned to them. When the engine is seen (or spotted) it is checked off in the book. Neither of us had the money to buy the books but this did not deter us—we figured we would just write the numbers down, who  needs a book?

 

 

Because of my dad's work, we did not live in a Jewish neighborhood so there were not a lot of Jewish kids to choose as friends. Brian, my pal by default, lived very close by and the fact that he would have been voted the kid most likely to spend time behind bars was irrelevant to me,  but we got along well and that was all I cared about. He may have grown up to be a fine upstanding member of society—but I wouldn't put money on it. Brian was light fingered; there's just no way to deny it. On our second trip to a station, we had just walked past a newspaper kiosk on our way to a platform, when Brian whips out a brand new train spotters book. "WOW, where did you get that?"

"I swiped it from the kiosk."

"Get me one" I blurted out—I suppose I thought I was not being sinful if he did the deed, (OK I was just a kid). In any event he refused; he didn't want to push his luck by stealing a second book. He generously offered to show me how it was done.  In truth, I was torn— I may not have been a saint but I was not about to swipe a book. Well the tale goes on but, in thinking back, I knew I could not steal. For me it was not a legal problem but definitely one of morality and ethics. I really wanted that book but I would not steal to get it.

 What was going on? Why did he think it was OK to steal and why did I know it was not. It was not just the fear of my parents finding out, I knew it was not the right thing to do. Were the same rules and laws that Moses set down, over three thousand years ago still echoing down the ages to make me recoil from stealing? I will leave you to decide. Time has flown by—I don't know what happened to Brian. If alive, he would be nearing eighty—I hope he is well and that adulthood helped to reform his character. There are times when we must remember and give thanks for the guidance we have been given.

 Life can be very complicated but if we hang onto the essence of our religion I think our actions will tend to be the right ones. 

D'var Torah
by Bill Schwartz

The word Ekev or Eikev has two meanings. One is “heel”, and the other is the word “if”. They both play a part in this week’s parshat.

G-d made a covenant with the Israelites to take care of them, sustain them, and protect them from their enemies as long as they follow His commandments.

Moses and the Israelites are about to enter the land promised to them. G-d has also promised to slay all their enemies that try to stop them from entering the land, no matter how many there are. If they (the Israelites) do not follow the commandments then they will be the ones to be slain.

Moses comes on the “heel” of G-d and promises to remind the Israelites of G-d’s promise. They have been wandering for forty years. Even though G-d has provided food in the form of manna and water to sustain them, the Israelites have turned away from their part of the covenant with G-d. Moses warns the Israelites: “If you do forget the Lord your G-d and follow other gods to serve them or bow down to them, I warn you this day that you shall certainly perish, like the nations that the Lord will cause to perish before you.”

Moses tells the Israelites “When the Lord your G-d thrusts your enemies from your path, it’s not because of your virtues, it’s because of their wickedness.” Moses also reminds the Israelites that they have sinned several times and that G-d wanted to destroy them but he (Moses) intervened on their behalf. “G-d was angered when you made the golden calf to worship. You also provoked the Lord at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibroth.”

Because of all their sinning Moses needs to remind the Israelites of G-d’s power and of G-d’s miracles, even though they were witnesses of these powers when they left Egypt.

Is G-d’s covenant with the Israelites still good today? I know it is. Look what G-d has done since the reestablishment of Israel. The land has become the land of milk and honey. G-d has protected Israel through several wars even when they were greatly outnumbered. The modern Israeli/Jew has maintained the covenant with G-d. They still believe in one G-d... the G-d that Moses believed in. They have created a land of milk and honey which they protect and maintain as G-d has instructed. They have even given so much to the rest of the world in the form of medicine and technology.  And they know it is G-d who is taking care of them.

D'var Torah
By Erika Schwartz

This is it!  This Torah portion is the meat and potatoes (sorry Rabbi) of all that most of us know about the Bible.  It contains the Ten Commandments.  It contains the Shema.  It contains the V’ahavta.  I read this and realized that I was looking at a smorgasbord of possible topics on which to write (ah, there’s that food reference again).  I read it over and over again, hoping that something would jump out at me and, finally, it did.

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not crave your neighbor’s house, or his field, or his male or female slave, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

In my humble opinion, G-d saved the most important Commandment for last.  Because, if we choose to diligently follow only one Commandment, this one opens us to the infinite possibilities of the joy that G-d wants for all of us.  And, therefore, in joy we just might decide to sample the other nine Commandments and perhaps even a few other things that He would like from us.

My own life experience has taught me that “coveting” erects a brick wall between me and the door to unbridled happiness.  Behind that door is.... gratitude.

Now I can already hear some grumbling from some who have experienced serious challenges in your lives.  Sadly, I can even hear grumbling from some who have barely been challenged but who see every obstacle as a monumental challenge to an attitude of gratitude (yes, they rhyme and, no, I didn’t make that one up).  But “my own life experience” has taught me that, no matter what we’re going through (well, almost no matter . . .) we’re surrounded on a daily basis with things for which we can feel gratitude.  It’s a choice.  We can either look for the blessings that G-d has bestowed upon us or we can spend our lives “coveting” what others have.

I spent the first four decades of my life in complete despair over the fact that I had been left after the Holocaust with no father, aunts, uncles, cousins, or grandparents.  My mother and I were the only survivors and my mother’s very soul had been so badly wounded that, even as a little girl, I was aware that my job was to take care of her rather than the other way around.  I cried and grieved every time I saw my friends interact with a loving father, a loving grandparent, a loving aunt/uncle or play with cousins.  I had none of those and it hurt all the time.

I also eventually realized that there was definitely a payoff to identifying as a Holocaust Survivor.  It got me a lot of attention . . . the kind of attention that felt good to the little girl within me who was never comforted by a warm, loving mother.

And there were other challenges in my life over the years that very conveniently played into my view of myself as being a victim, being deprived, having an awful life.  Over the years my husband and I dealt with a life-threatening illness, close family issues with addiction and near self-destruction, and my inability to get along at all with those who were closest to me.

So . . . I believed with all my heart that I had every reason to wake up each morning, count all the trials and tribulations that engulfed my life and feel very very sorry for myself.  Life was awful and I just couldn’t figure out why I had been chosen to bear such burdens for my entire existence.  There was nothing good.

The lesson to stop “coveting” and unlock the door to gratitude came at a 12-Step meeting.  One hears many messages at these meetings and this one literally kicked me in the gut.  When someone said that we actually had a choice as to what we allowed ourselves to dwell on, I heard that loud and clear and believed it from the moment I heard the words.

I began to choose to notice the beauty of flowers, the sound of birds, the beautiful planet on which we live.  I looked around and chose to see all that was wonderful about my husband, sons, granddaughter, brothers and their families, friends and on and on and on.  I stopped feeling sorry for myself and started to learn how to experience the wonderful blessings that G-d had always put in front of me but which I had always turned away from with a blind eye.

It wasn’t easy and it didn’t change overnight.  Once I had made the ironclad decision that I would not allow covetous thoughts to dwell long in my brain (and that included resentments also), it was hard work to reprogram a middle-aged brain.  It took turning on music and singing along when an obsessively bad thought refused to leave.  You can’t think bad thoughts when you’re singing.  It took forcing myself to list positive things about someone I loved when all of their shortcomings were rattling aimlessly in my head and refusing to leave.  It took years for the desire to be grateful to turn into a habit of grateful thinking.

This process started over 25 years ago and, with practice and determination, the “coveting” has disappeared and gratitude has taken its place.  From that point on, everything was possible.  And that’s pretty much the end of my story.

G-d, in His infinite wisdom, determined that the reminder to not covet was important enough to emblazon on those precious tablets.  I’m here to tell you that He was absolutely right.

SUMMARY:
·         12:21-23: Mosses, following the direction previously given to him and Aaron from G-d, offers the Israelites a recipe to have the forthcoming plague of death of the first born “pass over” their homes
·         2:24:27 – Mosses further informs the Israelites that what is about to occur, the destruction of the enemy without any collateral damage, will forever be observed as an annual observation
·         12:29-30:  The first born of every family in Egypt, both child and cattle, is killed during the night  
·         12:31-33:  Pharaoh orders Mosses and Aaron to take the Israelites out of Egypt
·         12:33-36:  The Israelites essentially loot the Egyptians prior to their departure
·         12:37-40:  After exactly 430 years of living in Egypt, the Israelites depart from its soil
·         12:43-50:  The laws regarding whom may observe  “Passover” are laid out

D'var Torah
Rabbi Laura Geller

This week’s double Torah portion, Vayak’heil and P’kudei, is very familiar because much in it repeats what we read several weeks ago. In the earlier portions, God commands Moses to erect a Mishkan, a portable sanctuary, with all the ritual objects furnishing it?the Ark, the menorah, the sinks for the priests to wash before they begin their daily tasks?and then gives detailed instructions about the priestly vestments.

In this week’s portion, the Torah tells us that the people did exactly as God commanded Moses. But instead of reporting: “And Moses did as God commanded,” the text provides another very detailed description of each of the objects and clothes, repeating with great specificity everything we’ve already heard. Dr. Carol Meyers labels the earlier instructions “prescriptive Tabernacle texts” because they prescribe what is to be done, while our portions, which describe the implementation of the instructions, are called “descriptive Tabernacle texts” (see The Torah: A Women’s Commentary, ed. Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Andrea L. Weiss [New York: URJ Press, 2008], p. 521). What separates the two accounts is the sin of the Golden Calf.

Why does there need to be such detail? Maybe it is to reassure us that even after such an egregious sin as the idol worship of the Golden Calf, not only has God forgiven us, but also, we’ve finally gotten it right. We shouldn’t worship a golden idol, but we can use gold and other valuable resources to symbolize God’s presence among us through the Mishkan. And apparently we did, as we read: “. . . all the artisans who were engaged in the tasks of the sanctuary came . . . and said to Moses, ‘The people are bringing more than is needed for the task entailed in the work that YHVH has commanded to be done.’ Moses thereupon had this proclamation made throughout the camp: ‘Let no man or woman make further effort toward gifts for the sanctuary’ ” (Exodus 36:4–6).

But perhaps we are simply meant to learn that attention to detail is important. Anyone who has ever remodeled a home or redecorated a room knows how many details are involved: color, texture, shape, size, material, and so on.

There is one detail that I have always found fascinating. “He made the laver [sink] of copper and its stand of copper, from the mirrors [mar’ot] of the women who performed tasks at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting” (38:8). B’mar’ot hatzov’ot literally means “the mirrors of legions,” but as The Women’s Torah Commentary explains, because hatzov’ot is grammatically feminine, the text must be talking about women (see The Torah: A Women’s Commentary, p. 536).

Rashi, the famous eleventh century commentator, notices that only here in the whole story of the making of the Mishkan do we have an account of a specific gift and what it was used for. He imagines a dialogue between Moses and God:

“Mirrors?” Moses demands of God, “The women are bringing mirrors? How dare they bring these trinkets of vanity into a holy place? I forbid it! Mirrors just lead to lustful thoughts!”

But God intervenes: “Accept them, for these are more precious to me than anything because through them the women set up many legions [i.e., through the children they gave birth to] in Egypt.” When their husbands were weary from backbreaking labor, the women would go and bring them food and drink. Then the women would take the mirrors and each one would see herself with her husband in the mirror, and she would seduce him with words, saying, “I am more beautiful than you.” And in this way they aroused their husbands’ desire and would copulate with them, conceiving and giving birth there, as it is said: “Under the apple tree I aroused you” (Song 8:5). This is [what is meant by] that which is said, “with the mirrors of those who set up legions, that is, the mirrors of those who had lots of children” (see Rashi on Exodus 38:8).

Imagine what it must have been like for the Israelite men forced to do backbreaking, demeaning work. Their spirits were destroyed; they had lost all hope for the future. It was the women who kept the men’s will to live alive. Even in those horrible circumstances, the women would beautify themselves with the help of these mirrors, using makeup from with whatever dyes and rouges they could find, making themselves attractive to their partner. When the men came home, exhausted and dehumanized, their wives would arouse them by flirting, by playing erotic games, by looking with their husbands into the mirrors, by teasing “which one of us is more attractive?”

These women didn’t give up hope for a different future. They were responsible for our spiritual survival. It was their initiative, courage, and faith that led to the next generation. Perhaps because of that the Talmud tells us: “It was because of the righteousness of the women that we were redeemed from Egypt” (Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 11b).

That detail about the mirrors reminds us of the special role that women played in the liberation of our people, and that detail links this story to Passover.

That link is important because this is a special Shabbat, Shabbat HaChodesh, the Shabbat when we announce the upcoming month of Nisan, which begins on Tuesday. Nisan is the month in which we celebrate Passover.

The Book of Exodus concludes with P’kudei. The portable Tabernacle is ready. A cloud rests on it by day; by night a pillar of fire, “in the view of all the house of Israel through their journeys” (Exodus 40:38).The journey continues.

And we take with us on that journey the attention to detail that reminds us about hopefulness even in dark times. We carry God with us as we look forward to the future.

Chazak chazak v’nit’chazeik.

From strength to strength, may we strengthen each other.

D'var Torah
By Bill Schwartz

Moses went up to Mount Sinai to speak with G-d.

G-d gave Moses many orders on how to mix spices and where to place them.  This took a very long time and the Israelites were getting restless.  They went to Aaron, Moses’ brother and High Priest, and said “We don’t know what happened to Moses.”  Aaron replied “Bring me all the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, your daughters.”  The Israelites did what they were told and Aaron melted the gold and cast it into a golden calf.

Aaron then said “This is your G-d O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” The next day they had a great festival.

Why did Aaron do this?  Was this his way to try to keep the people content until Moses came down from the mountain?  How could the Israelites forget so quickly the power of G-d?  This was still the same people who had witnessed the Ten Plagues and the parting of the sea.  Why did they follow Aaron’s lead and so quickly abandon their trust in G-d?

Do the Jewish people, collectively, have such a short memory?

Our history is filled with events that make me wonder if we ever do learn from our own history.  In spite of a repeated history of near-annihilation we become easily complacent.  History has taught us that we are our own best defense yet many of us don’t acknowledge the importance of Israel’s existence.  Is it short memory or are we, as the Israelites of the Exodus did, turning our backs on G-d?

This past Friday evening our Kabbalat Shabbat was led by the Zayin class.  They were asked to research their family history and, at Shabbat services, they told us where their ancestors came from.  A few of the students had grandparents who were Holocaust Survivors.

Cantor Ellis reminded them that they were the last generation who would personally know someone who had survived the Holocaust.  He told them that it was their duty to pass on the story of what happened to our people because, if they didn’t, the world would either deny or forget.

The Israelites of the Exodus forgot all that G-d had done for them in their own lifetime.  Within a matter of weeks. Will the Jews of today forget what was done to them in some of our own lifetimes? 
Only if we remember, and only if we honor the sacred trust that G-d put into our hands when he gave us the Land of Israel, can we ensure that our people will continue to thrive.

D'var Torah
By Marina Eick


I wanted to explore this Torah portion Tetzaveh because I love Olive Oil, and though the rest of the portion deals with fashion, I most definitely would rather talk about the oil.

The simple meaning of the text as I see it is that Ha-Shem in Holiness ordered construction of a Tabernacle where His chosen people would be holy unto Him as well, a place to worship and sacrifice. His orders were detailed and specific. We were to worship Him alone, and we were not to allow second-rate surroundings or materials to be used in His tabernacle or His worship.

He ordered that the priests use the purest virgin olive oil, taken from the fruit at the topmost branches of the olive trees. The first beating of the fruit yielded the costliest, purest oil. This was the oil to be burned in the sanctuary lamp. It was to be kept burning for all time, throughout the years. Once that first beating of the oil was poured off, the fruit was beaten a second time, then a third time. Those pourings were also good oil but not of the purest quality as was reserved for the Sanctuary lamp.

That olive oil was burned using twisted linen wicks that were made from the discarded white linen undergarments sewn for the priests to cover their bodies from the waist to the knees. The wicks were to be placed so that they burned on their own. The modesty of the priests was to be protected whenever they climbed the stairs in the sanctuary to make their offerings. To forestall distraction by even an inadvertent glimpse of the priests' private parts, they wore the breeches.

For at least the time of the services we endeavor to leave earthiness outside and make ourselves holy unto our G-d. We were to be different from the Pagans by not sacrificing our babies, by not allowing carnal activity during prayers, sacrifice and rituals, by reserving the best quality, perfect animals and oils for sacrifice to Ha-Shem.

That ideal didn't always continue once we walked away from the Tabernacle. Reserving the best and purest in worship of Ha-Shem helped in theory at least, to force our ancestors to take the time to think about repentance, a fresh start, and being kinder, better people. In other words, to burn on our own.

A friend asked me why the priests' undergarments were used to make burning wicks for that lamp oil, and why the lamp was ordered to burn for all time, throughout the years. I'd never thought about it. I took a wild guess: Worn out linen boxers from the priests still had value. They shouldn't be used to wash the camels or clean up after the ewes gave birth. The breeches were to be disposed of with respect, like a holy object or a holy book. Burning was perfect.

The purity of the priests was protected by the linen, and the purity of the line of Kohanim was guaranteed by strict laws about marriage and the bloodline of the priests. It was necessary for their loins and their private lives to be more proper than the other tribes. They had to marry within their tribe and be certain that they were the father of their wives babies.

As to the light, it came from the purest oil (The Torah). We are supposed to be a light unto the nations. We can't be good Jews without the Torah, because our light is fed by the Torah.

D'var Torah
By Bill Schwartz

At the end of parshat Yitro, Exodus 20:20 G-d reminds the Israelites not to make any gods from gold or silver.  G-d also commands the Israelites to build an altar of earth and to make a burnt offering.

In this week’s portion, in Exodus 25:1 G-d commands the Israelites to bring to Him all their gold, silver, other metals, fabric, gems etc if their hearts so desire.  He then commands the Israelites to build an Ark, an altar, a table, floor length candle holders and a tabernacle.  All objects to be covered in gold or to be made of solid gold.  The tabernacle is to be covered with the fine linens.  G-d gives very specific directions on how to build these things.

When I started to read this portion, I first had doubts about where the Israelites would have even found all of the gold, silver and other minerals, and the fine cloth and gemstones.  I had to go back to Exodus 12:35.  There I found my answer.  It says the Israelites borrowed all of these things.  Two lines later it says the Israelites stripped them from the Egyptians.  I think it was the latter.  All the Egyptians wanted, was to get rid of the Israelites.  Now things made sense.

But does G-d really need the extravagant tabernacle be made of these precious metals and fine linens?  I don't think so.  Remember, just a few paragraphs before, G-d had the Israelites build an altar of earth.

So what is G-d's motive for building this extravagant place to worship?

I believe G-d wanted the Israelites to use up all the gold, silver, copper, gemstones and fine fabrics so they could not make any idols from these things.  Why did G-d give such detailed directions on how to make every little thing?  I believe that He is teaching idle hands make idle minds which make idols.

Just to give you an idea of what it would take to build a tabernacle from an acacia tree, the one used is called the Shittah tree. It is similar to the trees you see in the African plains pictures. They look like a fan growing out of the ground with almost no trunk. G-d gives the dimensions of the tabernacle: 10 cubits long x 1 ½ cubits wide. Translated into English it comes out to 16’ H X 30” W. This is quite a feat considering what they had to use and must have taken a very long time. Even the making of the Ark would have been time consuming. Just think of all the molds that had to be made for those objects that were made of pure gold.

I've learned that G-d's message isn't always obvious.  He wants us to dig a little.