This week’s parsha (Torah portion) is very unusual. It starts by saying, “And you will command the children of Israel…” Why does it say this instead of the usual, “And god spoke to Moshe saying…?”
Before I look at that, let’s get an overview of what our parsha contains. It starts with haShem (god) telling Moshe (Moses) to command the children of Israel to bring the oil that Aharon and his sons will use to light the menorah every day.
And after this short, strange couple of verses, we go into great detail about the priestly garb that need to be made for Aharon and his sons so they can serve as priests to haShem.
Right after we are told about their clothing, we are told how they will be initiated.
And our parsha ends with a description of the incense altar and how to do the daily sacrifice.
All in all a pretty straightforward and unexciting parsha, don’t you think?
Except for the beginning. What in the world is it doing there and why the strange wording?
The Ba’al haTurim points out that Moshe’s name is not mentioned in this parsha so that his request to “erase me from your book,” is fulfilled in some respect (this request was made by Moshe when god was ready to destroy the children of Israel after the golden calf incident). Moshe is not mentioned by name, but he is mentioned by the word, “You.”
The Ba’al haTurim then points out that Moshe is not erased at all because he is referred to by the word, “You.” He then goes on to say that a person’s name is not the highest aspect of a person; it does not represent a person’s essence. Hence, in this parsha, we read about the highest aspect of Moshe, his essence, and not the label that people use to talk about him.
Why do we have that in this parsha? Because Moshe’s essence is to save people. He would rather not exist if his people are destroyed. This week’s parsha is all about how Aharon is to be raised up out of his name and into his essential being of helping bring people closer to each other and to haShem. We learn all the external aspects of how it is to be done. But it is only by revealing Moshe’s essential self that we are to learn this week’s parsha is about lifting Aharon to his essential self as well.
What is Aharon’s essential self? Before I answer that, I need to point out that the Hebrew word mitzvah has another root besides command – that root means to connect like a pipeline.
Aharon’s essential self is to help people see the light of love and connection we all have for each other and for the divine Creator, and that our Creator has for us. When we can do that, we can connect as smoothly as the oil that was used by Aharon to light the menorah daily.
May we all see this light and may this light show us all the connections and love that we all have for each other and may we be willing to see these connections and love.
If you want to read what I wrote about this parsha last year, click here.
About the Author
Shmuel Shalom Cohen spent 10 years studying Torah in Jerusalem. Six years ago, he started Conscious Torah to help Jews connect to their tradition in ways they didn’t think possible. Shmuel also started, and is the executive directory of Jewish Events Willamette-valley, a non-profit whose mission is to build Jewish community, pride, and learning. In his free time, Shmuel likes walks in nature, playing music, writing poetry, and time with good friends.