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Parshas Tetzaveh

Pesukim: 101 [Siman: מיכאל]

Haftorah: Yechezkal 43:10-27

Number of Mitzvos: There are Seven Mitzvos in Parshas Tetzaveh. Four positive commands and three negative command.   A. Positive commands: 1. Mitzvah 98/Positive 40: To have candles constantly lit before Hashem, in the Temple. 2. Mitzvah 99/Positive 41: For the Kohanim to wear their special garments while serving in the Temple. 3. Mitzvah 102/Positive 42: For the Kohanim to eat the Karbanos. 4. Mitzvah 103/Positive 43: For the Kohanim to offer incense onto the altar twice daily.   B. Negative commands: 1.      Mitzvah 100/Negative 59: Not to remove the Choshen from the Eiphod. 2.      Mitzvah 101/Negative 60: Not to tear the rim of the Meil. 3.      Mitzvah 104/Negative 61: Not to offer onto the gold altar any offering other than the daily incense.

 Rishon

1. The Menorah oil and lighting:

• Moshe is told to command the Jewish people to bring him clear crushed olive oil for illuminating the Ner Tamid [i.e. the Menorah]. The Menorah is to be placed in the Ohel Moed, outside the Paroches. Aaron and his sons are to make sure it is lit from evening until morning for all generations.

2. Appointing Kohanim:
   • Moshe is to bring near Aaron, and his sons, to become priests for Hashem. Aaron, Nadav, Avihu, Elazar and Isamar shall be priests.

 

3. The Bigdei Kehuna-Preistly garments:

• Make for Aaron, your brother, holy garments for glory. Speak with the wise, and they shall make the garments.
• The following are the garments:
  • Choshen [breastplate]
  • Eiphod [apron]
  • Meil [robe]
  • Kutones of checkered texture. [shirt]
  • Mitznefes [turban]
  • Avneit [belt]
• The material: The garments are to be made from gold, Ticheiles-Turquoise wool, Argamon-Purple wool, scarlet wool, and twisted linen.

4. The Eiphod:

• The material: The Eiphod is to be made from gold, Ticheiles-Turquoise wool, Argamon-Purple wool, scarlet wool, and twisted linen. It is to be the work of an artist.
• The shoulder straps: It is to contain two shoulder straps, one by each end. It is to have a belt which is likewise made of the same materials stated above.
• The Aveni Shoham: You are to take two Shoham stones and engrave on them the name of the tribes, six on each stone, following their order of birth. The stones are to be inserted into gold settings. They are to be placed on the shoulder straps of the Eiphod, one per strap, and Aaron is to wear them on his shoulders as a remembrance.

 

Sheiyni

• The gold chain: You shall make gold settings and two gold chains, and connect the chains to the settings.

 

5. The Choshen Mishpat:

• The material: The Choshen is to be made from gold, Ticheiles-Turquoise wool, Argamon- Purple wool, scarlet wool, and twisted linen.
• Dimensions: The Choshen is to be square, folded, a Zeres its length and width.
• Its stones: It is to be filled with four rows of stones. The first row is to contain the following stones: Odem, Pitdah, and Barekes. The second row: Nofech, Sapir, and Yahalom. The third row: Leshem, Shevo, and Achlamah. The fourth row: Tarshish, Shoham, and Yashfeh. The stones are to be placed within gold settings. They are to have the names of the tribes inscribed on them, one tribe per stone for a total of 12 tribes and stones.
• The chains and rings that attach the Choshen to the Eiphod: You shall make two gold chains on the Choshen. Make two gold rings, one for each edge of the [upper part of the] Choshen. The gold chains are to be inserted into these rings and are then to be attached to the gold settings of the Eiphod [thus having the Choshen hang on the straps of the Eiphod]. Make another two gold rings for the bottom corners of the Choshen, place them in the interior of the Choshen. Make two rings on the bottom end of the shoulder straps of the Eiphod, symmetric to the bottom rings of the Choshen. Place a Techeiles-Turquoise woolen string through the two sets of rings, hence attaching the Choshen to the Eiphod belt.
• The Choshen is not to be moved from the Eiphod, and in the Mishkan, Aaron is to carry the names of the tribes over his chest as a remembrance before Hashem
• The Urim Vetumim: The Urim and Tumim [G-d’s Divine name] is to be inserted into the Choshen, and Aaron is to carry the judgment of Bnei Yisrael constantly.

 

Shelishi

6. The Meil:
   • The material: The Meil is to be made entirely from Ticheiles-Turquoise wool.
   • Its collar: The Meil is to contain a folded collar and it may not be torn.

• Its bells: Its hem is to be surrounded with pomegranates made of Ticheiles-Turquoise wool, Argamon-Purple wool, and scarlet wool. It is also to contain gold bells all around it. When Aaron walks with it, the bells will make noise, announcing when he enters and exits the Kodesh so that he not die.

7. The Tzitz:

• The Tzitz is to be made of pure gold and have engraved on it the words “Kodesh LaHashem.” It shall be placed on a Ticheiles-Turquoise wool string, and on the Mitznefes turban, by its front side. It shall be on Aaron’s forehead and he shall bring appeasement for all the sins involving Karbanos of the Jewish people.

8. The Kutoness, Avneit, turban, and pants:

• The material: The Kutones and turbans are to be made of checkered linen for both Aaron and his sons. The Avneit belt is to be made of embroidery.
• The inauguration of the Kohanim: Aaron and his sons are to be inaugurated for the priesthood through dressing them in the above clothing and pouring on them the anointing oil.
• The pants: You shall make linen pants for the Kohanim to cover their private area, from the hips to the thighs.
• The Kohanim are to wear the priestly clothing when they serve in the Mikdash lest they die.

 

Revi’i

9. The inauguration procedure:

• The following is to be done in order to sanctify the Kohanim to become priests for Hashem:
• The sacrifices and Menachos: Take one bull, and two rams that are unblemished. Take Matzah bread and loaves that are smeared with oil and Matzah wafers smeared with oil. They are to be made of fine flour. They are all to be placed in one basket and brought together with the bull and two rams.
• Bathing, dressing and anointing the Kohanim: You shall take Aaron and his sons to the opening of the Ohel Moed, bathe them with water, and dress them. Aaron is to wear the Kutoness, Meil, Eiphod, Choshen, Mitznefes, and Tzitz. You are to pour the anointing oil over them. The sons are to be dressed in the Kutoness, the Avneit and turbans.
• Sacrificing the Chatas bull offering: You shall bring the bull in front of the Ohel Moed, and have Aaron and his sons lean on its head. It is to be slaughtered there. Take from its blood and place it on the corners of the altar using your fingers, and then pour the remaining blood on the base of the altar. You shall take all the fat that covers the intestine, and the diaphragm which is on the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat, and offer it onto the altar. The meat of the bull and its waste is to be burnt in a fire outside of the camp. This offering is a Chatas
• Sacrificing and offering the first ram Olah offering: You shall bring one ram and have Aaron and his sons lean on its head. It is then to be slaughtered. Take from its blood throw it around the altar. The ram is to be dismembered, and have its innards and feet washed, and then have it joined with its head. The entire ram is to be offered on the altar, as it is an Olah offering to Hashem.

  

Chamishi

• Sacrificing the second ram Shlamim offering: You shall bring the second ram and have Aaron and his sons lean on its head. It is then to be slaughtered. Take from its blood and place it on the edge of the right ear and right thumb of the hand and toe of Aaron and his sons. The remainder of the blood is to be poured around the altar.
• Anointing the Kohanim with the oil and blood: You are to take the blood that was on the altar, and the anointing oil [Shemen Hamishcha], and sprinkle it on Aaron and his sons and their clothing, and they are to be sanctified.
• Offering the parts of the second ram: You are to take the fat, and the tail and all the fat that covers the intestines and the diaphragm of the liver and the two kidneys, and the right thigh. Also, take one of each of the breads from the basket. Place it all together on the palm of Aaron and his sons and wave them before Hashem. Then take the foods off the palm of their hands and offer them before G-d. Moshe is to take the breast of the ram and wave it before Hashem and it will remain a present to Moshe from Hashem.
• The portion of the Kohanim in the Karbanos: The breast and right thigh of the ram, as well as of all Karbanos, are to be given to the Kohanim for all generations.
• Wearing the priestly garments for inauguration: The Kohen is to wear the priestly garments for seven days as part of his inauguration [as the high priest].
• Cooking and eating the meat of the 2^nd ram: The meat of the ram is to be cooked in a holy place. The meat, as well as the bread in the basket, is to be eaten by Aaron and his sons and through doing so they will become inaugurated. A non-Kohen may not eat from it. Any meat and bread that is leftover past the morning, is to be burnt in a fire.
• The number of times to perform the above procedure: The above procedure is to be done daily for seven days.
• Cleansing the altar: The altar is to be cleansed and atoned by having the Chatas bull offering [described earlier] sacrificed on it for seven days. Doing so will make the altar holy, and anything that touches it will contract holiness.

Shishi

10. The Tamid offering:

• The following offerings are to be brought daily onto the altar: Everyday two sheep within their first year are to be offered, one in the morning and the second in the evening. It is to be accompanied with a Mincha offering consisting of 1/10^th of fine flour, mixed with a ¼ of a Hin of crushed oil. Its libation is to be a ¼ of a Hin, per sheep. This is to be done for all generations.

11. The dwelling of the Shechina on the Mishkan:

• “I will meet with the Jewish people by the Ohel Moed and be sanctified there through my honor. I will dwell amongst the Jewish people and be for them a G-d, and they will know that I am the G-d who took them out of Egypt in order to dwell with them.”

Shevi’i

12. The gold altar for incense:

• You shall make an altar for the incense offering.
• The material: It is to be made of acacia-shittim wood.
• Dimensions: It is to be made into a square, its length being one Amah, and its width also one Amah. It is to be two Amos high.
• Its particulars: It is to contain horns on each of its four corners, and the horns, as well as the entire altar, is to be covered in gold. It is to have a gold crown surrounding it. Make for it two gold rings beneath its crown, one on each corner. These rings will serve to hold the poles with which the altar will be carried.
• Its poles: You shall make poles of acacia-shittim wood which are covered with gold.
• Location: The altar is to be placed in front of the Paroches that is by the Aron.
• Its use: Aaron is to offer incense on it daily each morning when the lamps are cleaned, and every afternoon when the lamps are kindled. One may not offer on it a foreign incense or an Olah or Mincha or wine libation. Aaron will atone on it once a year from the blood of the Chatas offering. The altar is a holy of holies to Hashem.

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