In this week’s Torah portion, Tetzaveh, Hashem commands us to make eight garments for the High Priest, called the Kohen Gadol. He had to wear these while performing his service in the sanctuary.

Among these garments was included a tunic. The Torah tells us (Shemos 28:33) that “on its bottom hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and crimson wool, on its bottom hem all around, and golden bells in their midst all around.” What does the Torah mean by saying that the golden bells had to be “in their midst all around?” Rashi explains that the bells were to be “between them (the pomegranates) all around. This means that between two pomegranates, one bell was attached and suspended on the bottom hem of the robe.”

The Ramban is bothered by Rashi’s explanation. He asks that “this being the case, what was the purpose of the pomegranates? If their purpose was beauty, why use hollow pomegranates? Golden apples would have been more appropriate.” Based on this he concludes that the meaning of the bells being in their midst was that “the bells were hidden within the pomegranates.”

We see that Rashi and the Ramban disagree regarding what form the pomegranates should have if their purpose was beauty. According to Rashi, they would be hollow pomegranates; according to the Ramban they would be golden apples. There is obviously more to this than meets the eye. As is the case with everything in Torah, this should provide us with a lesson in our service of Hashem.

The Kohen Gadol performed his service in the Temple on behalf of all Jews. He was the emissary of the entire Jewish Nation. His eight vestments, and all of their parts, alluded to the various categories of Jews. The bottom hem of his tunic was symbolic of the simplest of Jews; a Jew who is seemingly empty of Torah and Mitzvos. Rashi explains that even one who appears to be empty is as full of Mitzvos as a pomegranate is full of seeds. Therefore he explains that the beauty of the bottom hem of the tunic is expressed through pomegranates.

The Ramban, on the other hand, is of the opinion that those who seem to be empty, are in truth “golden apples” through and through. They are filled with the service of Hashem.

May we all learn to view each other, even those who appear to us as if they are empty, as they are in G-d’s eyes. Each one is indeed solid gold, filled with goodness and kindness.

Wishing one and all a great Shabbos and a very happy Purim!

Rabbi Shmuel Mendelsohn

In this week’s Torah portion, Terumah, the Jewish Nation was commanded to build the Mishkan, A.K.A. the Tabernacle. It was a portable sanctuary which the Jewish people carried throughout their forty years in the wilderness. The Jews were commanded to donate the items which would be needed to construct G-d’s “home” in the desert. The Torah enumerates all of the articles which the Jews were to donate. Among them was (Shemos 25:5) “… ram skins dyed red, tachash skins, and acacia wood …” We have no translation for the animal called “tachash” in Hebrew. As Rashi explains, “this was a species of animal that existed only for a short time, and it had many colors.” That means to say, that the “tachash” existed at the time of the building of the Mishkan, but has long since been extinct.

Rashi is bothered by how the Jews acquired acacia wood in the desert. He explains this in his following comments. “Rabbi Tanchuma explained that our father Ya’akov prophetically saw that the Jews were destined to build a Mishkan in the desert. He brought cedars to Egypt and planted them. He commanded his sons to take them with them when they left Egypt.”

Rashi’s words seem to require some explanation. After all, there were simpler ways for the Jews to procure acacia wood in the desert. It may have been possible to buy the necessary wood from nomadic merchants travelling in the wilderness. There may have also been forests in proximity to the desert from which the Jews could have acquired the wood. Why was there a need to go to the trouble of carrying trees from Israel to Egypt, replanting them in Egypt, and then taking them out of Egypt?

One possible explanation can be derived from the fact that Rashi mentions that this teaching was stated by Rabbi Tanchuma. It is most unusual for Rashi to name a source at all. Why does he tell us the name of the Sage who he is quoting?

The name “Tanchuma” is related to the Hebrew word “Nechomoh,” meaning consolation. The Jewish Nation withstood 210 years of bitter slavery in Egypt. Granted, they knew that Hashem had promised to redeem them. Nevertheless that does not compare to actually seeing a tangible indication of this promise. Throughout the centuries of backbreaking work and bitter decrees, our ancestors were able to actually see the cedars which their forefather Ya’akov had planted. They were well aware why he planted them This concrete sign of the approaching redemption served to comfort them in their servitude.

May these words of Torah serve to elevate the soul of my mother, Mrs. Chana (Ann) bas Reb Shmuel O.B.M. Mendelsohn on the occasion of her 25^th Yahrtzeit on this coming Sunday, 7 Adar 5775. Her soul should rise to even more exalted heights. May she intercede in heaven on behalf of all of her children, their spouses, her grandchildren, their spouses, her great grandchildren and the entire Jewish Nation!

Wishing one and all Shabbos and a Happy Purim!

Rabbi Shmuel Mendelsohn

This week’s Torah portion, Mishpotim, tells us (for the most part) of one particular type of commandment given to us by Hashem. It describes those Mitzvos which are understandable by human intelligence. In fact, had we not been commanded to perform them, we would nevertheless do them of our own accord. Keep in mind that this Parshah comes as a continuation to what we read last week, describing Hashem giving the Torah to the Jewish people and Mount Sinai.

Our Torah portion begins (Shemos 21:1) “And these are the ordinances which you shall place before them.” G-d is speaking to Moshe, and commanding him to teach us the ordinances. Rashi comments that “Wherever it says ‘these’ (in the Torah), it separates and distinguishes what is being said presently, from what has been stated previously. However, when it says ‘And these,’ it is adding to that which was stated earlier. Just as what has been previously stated (meaning the Ten Commandments) were from Sinai, these too were from Sinai.”

As stated earlier, the commandments which we are discussing are those which our human intelligence can grasp. By and large, they are Mitzvos which concern interpersonal relations. Rashi is pointing out that nonetheless, we fulfill these Mitzvos for one reason only. Namely, we keep these commandments because Hashem told us to. We fulfill the obligation to “remember the day of Shabbos to sanctify it” because G-d told us to at Mount Sinai. Likewise, we must fulfill the commandment not to cause damage to our fellow man simply because Hashem said so; not because it makes sense.

Wishing one and all Shabbos!

Rabbi Shmuel Mendelsohn

This week’s Torah portion, Yisro, tells us of the historic moment that Hashem gave the Torah to the Jewish Nation. The Torah tells us that Hashem told Moshe (Shemos 19:6) that “… these are the words that you shall speak to the children of Israel.” Rashi cites the words from the verse “these are the words,” and explains that it means “no less and no more.”

This presents us with a difficulty. Why would it enter anyone’s mind that Moshe would add to or subtract from G-d’s words? If that was a realistic concern, why wasn’t he told the same regarding other matters which he was commanded to transmit to us?

The explanation is, that these words come as a continuation of what Hashem told Moshe several verses earlier. The Torah said (Shemos 19:3) that “Moshe ascended to G-d. The Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘So shall you say to the house of Yaakov and tell the sons of Yisroel.’” Rashi comments that the “house of Yaakov refers to the women. You should speak to them gently.” On the other hand, Rashi wrote that telling the “sons of Yaakov” means that he should “tell the males the punishments and the details (of the laws); things that are as harsh as sinews[1].”

From this we see that Moshe was not commanded to parrot what he heard from G-d in the precise manner in which Hashem said them. Rather he was to transmit Hashem’s word to everyone in a way which would suite them. He was to speak to each one in a manner which he/she would find most acceptable.

This might (mistakenly) give us the impression that Moshe was given latitude not only in the way in which he transmitted Hashem’s words. We might also think that Moshe was to teach individual as much of G-d’s commandments as they person would find agreeable. He would teach each individual as much as he felt they could tolerate. Therefore Rashi explains to us here that Moshe transmitted to the Jews exactly what Hashem told him; no more and no less. The entire Torah was given to each and every one of us without exception.

Wishing one and all Shabbos!

Rabbi Shmuel Mendelsohn

This week’s Torah portion, tells us how Hashem caused food to rain from the sky. He sustained us with this food, called Manna (or Mon in Hebrew) for the 40 years that we spent in the wilderness. Every day a portion of Mon which was enough for each household would fall from the sky for each of us. The one exception was Shabbos. The Torah tells us that (Shemos 16:29) “See that the Lord has given you the Shabbos. Therefore, on Friday, He gives you (enough) bread for two days. Let each man remain in his place. No one may leave his place on Shabbos.” In other words, on Friday we received a double portion; one for Friday and the other for Shabbos. This is because no Manna would fall on Shabbos. Rashi cites the words from the verse “no one may leave his place,” and explains that “These are the 2,000 cubits[1] of the Shabbos limits …”

The word “Torah” means a teaching. Every word of Torah contains a practical lesson for each of us in our daily lives. What lesson can we derive from the prohibition against leaving our immediate area on Shabbos?

The Torah tells us (Shemos 20:9) that “Six days may you work and perform all of your labor.” Throughout the weekdays, we are permitted to engage in mundane, weekday activities. However, the Torah does provide one stipulation. We are taught (Tehillim 128:2) that “If you eat of the toil of your hands, you are praiseworthy and it is good for you.” It is true that Hashem created the world in such a manner that we must support ourselves by performing mundane activities. Nevertheless, during the six days of the week we must limit ourselves to performing these activities with the “toil of our hands.” However, at the same time that we are earning a living, our heads and our hearts must be immersed in our true purpose, namely Torah and Mitzvos.

However, this only applies to the weekdays. What about Shabbos? How must we treat days which are consecrated solely to the study of Torah and the performance of Mitzvos? During these days, no one may leave his place. Even one’s feet may not engage in mundane matters to leave his true place. The real place of every Jew is the spiritual. Our entire being, head, heart, hands and feet must be engaged in Torah and Mitzvos to the exclusion of everything else.

May we merit the era which is entirely Shabbos, with the coming of our righteous redeemer now!

Wishing you a good Shabbos and a happy Tu Bishvat!

Rabbi Shmuel Mendelsohn

[1]. These 2,000 cubits are approximately the equivalent of 3,000 feet. For a practical application of this, ask your local orthodox rabbi.

This week’s Torah portion, Bo, begins (Shemos 10:1) with Hashem telling Moshe to “come to Paroh, for I have hardened his heart.” Why did Hashem tell Moshe to come to Paroh? Rashi tells us that it was in order to “warn him (of the impending plague of locusts).” However, this requires an explanation. The verse itself tells us that G-d hardened Paroh’s heart. Paroh was totally wicked. He constantly refused to listen to Hashem despite all of the signs and plagues which G-d visited upon him. As a punishment for this, Hashem removed his free will. He lost the power to repent. This being the case, what was the point of Moshe warning him?

This can be understood based on the Alter Rebbe’s explanation to a teaching of the Sages[1]. Our Sages say that there are certain sins regarding which Hashem does not provide one with the opportunity to do Teshuvah[2]. The Alter Rebbe explains that this merely means that one is not given the opportunity. However, if he presses forcefully and overpowers his Evil Inclination, his Teshuvah is accepted.

Here Rashi is revealing to us, that despite the fact that Paroh was denied the ability to return, nevertheless he could have pressed the issue and done so. Otherwise there would have been no point in Moshe warning him. This should be a lesson to each of us. We must never become despondent. Even if we seem to be far from Hashem, each of us always has the opportunity to return, no matter what the circumstances are. When we do return, Hashem welcomes us back fully!

Wishing you a good Shabbos!

Rabbi Shmuel Mendelsohn

[1]. See Igerres Hateshuvah Chapter 11.

[2]. See Talmud Yoma Page 85, b.

At the end of last week’s Torah portion, we read that Paroh made things even more difficult for the Jewish people, his slaves, than they had been before. Accordingly Moshe asked Hashem (See Shemos 5:22-23) why He allows this to happen. What is the point of sending him to redeem the Jews, if things only get worse? Our Parshah, Vo’eiro, begins with the answer to this question. Hashem says (See Shemos 6:2-3) that He is G-d. He appeared to Avrohom, Yitzchok and Ya’akov with less of a revelation than that with which he appeared to Moshe. Rashi cites the words from the verse “I appeared,” and states “to the אבות – fathers, i.e. our Patriarchs.” What does Rashi’s explanation adds to Hashem’s words! The Torah clearly states that He appeared to Avrohom, Yitzchok and Ya’akov. We all know that they were our Patriarchs!

The Torah tells us that G-d appeared to them. In other words, they could actually feel, and sense Hashem’s presence. Each one of them was great in their own right. However, Rashi is pointing out that Hashem appeared to them as the “fathers” of the Jewish people. What is special about a parent? Among other things, children are their parent’s heirs. Each of us inherits the spiritual qualities of our forefathers. With Avrohom, the attribute of kindness and love of G-d was the emphasis. Yitzchok’s service emphasized the attribute of severity and awe of Hashem. Ya’akov was the perfect blend of each. Each of us inherits all of these qualities. They are all a part of our spiritual DNA.

The same is true of Hashem appearing to them. Each of us has the power to experience a revelation of Hashem in the same manner as our forefather. Through our service of G-d, we have each inherited the ability to actually feel Hashem’s presence in our lives.

Wishing you a good month and a good Shabbos!

Rabbi Shmuel Mendelsohn

An explanation from the Lubavitcher Rebbe on one of Rashi’s comments to Parshas Shemos.