Parsha #20 Tetzaveh (You are to order) Shemot (Ex) 27:20-30:10
Haftarah: Yechezk’el (Ezekiel) 43:10-27
B’rit Chadasha: Philippians 4:10-20
Parasha:
This week’s Parsha gives us a description of the garments of the high priest. The clothes of the Kohanim are to be made from gold, sky blue thread, dark red thread, crimson wool, and linen. Not all the garments worn by the Kohanim need all five types of material. The ordinary Kohen wear four different articles of clothing: The K’tonet a tunic knitted from linen. Its length depends on the height of the Kohen. It is to reach from his neck to his heels. The Mihnasayim, shorts, are to be made out of linen. They stretch from the waist of the Kohen to the thigh. The Mitznefet, the linen hat. The Avnet, a sash made of linen, is wrapped around the waist of the Kohen. The Kohen Gadol is the leader of all the Kohanim. He will wear eight garments every day. Four are the same as those of every Kohen, although the material used to make his clothes might differ. The four additional garments he will wear are the Ephod, which resembles an apron is made out of all five materials listed above. It covers the Kohen Gadol’s back and front. There are two shoulder straps; each strap has a stone on it on which the names of six tribes are engraved. The Hosen is a breastplate, and is also made of all five materials. It is one cubit in length and half a cubit in width, folded in half to make a square. On the breastplate are four rows of mounted stones; each row has three stones. The name of one of the twelve tribes is written on each stone. Attached to the Hosen is the Urim V’tumin or more commonly called the urim and thummim which was used to render judgment. When HaShem was asked a question the stones would glow and the Kohen Gadol would interpret the glowing stones arriving at HaShem’s answer. The Tzitz is a gold plate engraved with the words, "Holy to G-d." It is tied across the forehead of the Kohen Gadol. The M’eal, is a robe made from sky blue wool. It has armholes but no sleeves, and a hole for the head. It covers the Kohen Gadol from head to toe, and is worn over the K’tonet. At the bottom of the M’eal are alternating gold bells and gold pomegranates. The various functions of the pieces of his vestments are also described, how the techelet makes atonement, the urim and thummim render judgment, how he bears the names of the tribes of Israel before G-d as a remembrance. But there is more here than simple symbolic adornments for a single man whom had the privilege to stand before G-d in the holy place.
The materials, which adorned his vestments, are significant for what they represent to all of us. Each one of us is a priest in G-d’s kingdom as part of Israel through the Messiah. The vestments of the priesthood are there to remind us who we really are. There are striking parallels between the stones that were part of this high priest’s garments and those described in Ezekiel 28:12-13; Mortal, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says Adonai YHVH: You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, carnelian, chrysolite, and moonstone, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald; and worked in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared.
Unlike most Christian commentators who see this as a description of Lucifer, many Jewish commentators apply this to Adam. I personally do not see it as a description of Adam, but for the purpose of exploring the Jewish sages I will speak of it here. The sages say that G-d adorned Adam with all this beautiful work as the crown of creation. This does give us a beautiful illustration. The description reminds us of what once was before we fell from that wonderful and perfect state. It is a reminder that we have the potential for that kind of existence because that is what we were created for.
The high priest, because of his position and activities in the Holy of Holies, is a representation of that state in the here and now. In a very real sense he ‘reenacted’ the situation in Eden before man sinned and intimacy with G-d was made a lot more difficult. The high priest had the opportunity to fellowship with G-d in that way, to meet with G-d at the mercy seat, to see the glory of G-d face to face. In those vestments he is a symbol of what once was and the potential for all of us to recapture that state of being. As the priests of YHVH we too should be adorned with every precious stone set in gold, we should be clad in a white robe with the name of G-d written upon us for this is who we really are, precious and unique and glorious among all the creatures G-d created.
We are created in the very image of G-d, His glory is reflected in us, or at least it should be. When you read about the high priest, picture the garments, the stones, the gold, the pure white linen, and the wonderful glorious appearance. And then think about yourself decked out in the same way. It is for this we were created, sometimes it helps to stop and think about who we are and why G-d made us. There is power for living in that realization, if we choose to walk according to our original programming, and as close to that perfect state of being that the high priest represents. Especially as it is represented by our High Priest (Kohen Gadol) Yahshua haMashiach.
Halftarah Connection: (43:10-27)
In this Parasha Moshe is told to perform certain rituals in order to purify both the Kohanim and the Mizbayah (Incense Altar). These rituals took seven days.
In the Halftarah, Yechezk’el receives an image of what the Temple will look like. He is to transmit this image to B’nai Yisrael (children of Israel). At the same time, the prophet is given a ritual that must be performed for seven days. Its purpose is also to consecrate the Kohanim and the Mizbayah.
D’var Torah:
Now let me add a little about the Menorah or the Golden Lampstand in the Mishkan and in both Temples. It is perhaps the greatest of all Messianic symbols. It seven arms represent the biblical number of completion. More than that, the arrangement of the Menorah elevates the Shamash, or Servant lamp, to a position of dominance. This lamp occupies the center position among all the other lamps. It was also called Ner Elohim, the "Lamp of G-d" as well as the Shamash. It typifies the person and work of the Messiah.
Each morning, a priest would service the lamps, except the two most easterly. If he found any lamp extinguished, he relighted them. The two eastern lamps were left burning until after the morning service. The Servant Lamp was left burning all day and was refilled in the evening. There are stories that the Shamash lamp could continue to burn for as much as a day longer on the same amount of oil. Rabbis called this "the miracle of the Menorah."
I also want you to note with me that Genesis 1:1 forms a Menorah. In Hebrew we have the following words: Bereshit (in the beginning) barah (created) Elohim (God) eht (Aleph/Tahv) hashamayim (the heavens) vaeht (and) haeretz (the earth. The fourth word jt eht pronounced as eight) seems to represent the Servant (Shamash) Lamp. It contains two Hebrew letters, the t aleph and the j tahv, the first and last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. They correspond to the Greek letters Alpha and Omega or the English letters A and Z.
:.stv jtz ohnav jt ohvkt trc jhatlc"
haeretz vaeht hashamayim eht Elohim barah Bereshit
The Hebrew Text in Gen. 1:1 read from right to left
}{POIUYTREWQ! @#$%^&*()_+
Rabbinical scholars call the t aleph and j the "the word of creation." With all the letters in between and with that the Aleph-Bet than created all things.
The opening chapters of the book of Revelation has Yahshua implying that He is the t aleph and the j tahv. He is claiming the position of "the world of creation" featured in Genesis 1:1.
One more thing that I would like to bring to your attention. In addition to the seven lamps of the Menorah, Zechariah was introduced to "Two Olive Trees" who in Revelation 11:4 are called "two candlesticks." The implication is that these two are added to the other seven of the Temple Menorah, making a total of nine lamps, a Hanukkah Menorah. In Revelation 11:4 we are told that two witnesses are fulfillment of the two olive trees in Zechariah’s prophecy. These two witnesses represent Law and Grace. Represented today as Judah and Ephraim. Torah and Grace. As it is further demonstrated in Revelation by the singing of the Song of Moshe (Law) and the Song of the Lamb (Grace). Further in scripture it represents the bringing together again of Judah/Israel and Ephraim/Israel along with their fellow travelers Gentiles into one stick Israel.
One last thing I’d like you to consider the Shield of Israel. It corresponds to the vision seen by Zechariah. Two Olive Branches standing beside Israel’s Menorah, one on each side. These two branches are referred to as the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. Notice there are twelve leaves with what appears as a flame over each branch making 24. In Revelation 4:4 we see twenty-four elders sitting around the throne of HaShem with crowns of Gold on their heads. Comparing this imagery to the Shield of Israel I can see that these two Olive Branches represent the Twelve Patriarchs and the Twelve Apostles united into one commonwealth: Jew/Gentile, Law/Grace under the Kippur (Blood) of Yahshua our Kohen Gadol and Meleck ha O’lam in the Theocracy of Israel.
Wisdom of the Sages:
"The sound of the bells shall be heard when he enters the sanctuary." (28:35)
Rav Chaim of Brisk couldn’t tolerate people shouting out their prayers. He felt that praying should be conducted in a more dignified way. He brought proof of this from the above verse.
Why is it that there are little bells on the M’eal? The bells were put on the M’eal of the Kohen Gadol so that Aaron would be heard when he entered the sanctuary. He could just as easily have prayed our loud and everyone would have known he was coming, but we see that G-d wanted a more dignified way to indicate the time for prayer.
Of course there was another reason for the bells. A rope was tied to the leg of the Kohen Gadol. If he had not been purified and sin was found in him when he entered into the Holy of Holies he would have been struck dead. The people listened for the bells and if silent for a long time the rope was there to drag him out for no one might enter except the Kohen Gadol.
"Take its (the sacrifice’s) blood and put it on Aaron’s right ear lobe, right thumb, and right big toe." (29:20)
The ear, thumb, and toe have a special significance to the Kohen, the spiritual leader of the people. The Kohen must evince a willingness to listen to everyone’s problems. He must have open hands to give whatever is needed to his people. He must have swift feet to enable him to do the sacrificial work in the sanctuary and, at the same time, administer to those who need him.
Things to Think About:
Gematria:
G-d told Moshe to command Aaron to light the Menorah in the Mishkan. The Hebrew word Tetzaveh, which means "command," has a numeric value of 501. The words nashim tzivah, "He commanded women," also have a value of 501. This teaches us that the lighting of candles is a commandment that women should perform.
Shalom and Brachas, Rabbi Davis