Parshas Tetzaveh

Parshas Tetzaveh

.וְנָשָׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת מִשְׁפַּט בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל לִבּוֹ לִפְנֵי יְ־הֹוָ־ה תָּמִיד

…And Aaron will carry the judgment of the children of Israel over his heart before the Lord at all times. (Sh’mos 28:30)

The Kohain Gadol was given the opportunity to wear an exclusive wardrobe of beautifully hand made sacred garments. In this wardrobe we find the Choshen Mishpat (breastplate).

The Choshen Mishpat was a square shaped golden plate with twelve different stones placed in rows of three. Each stone had inscribed on it the name of a shevet (tribe). This breastplate was secured on the Kohain Gadol with “braided craftsmanship, of pure gold” as the passuk says. This Choshen Mishpat was a bridge between the B’nai Yisroel and Hashem. Meaning, if there were to be a dilemma amongst the B’nai Yisroel, the Kohain Gadol would ask the Choshen Mishpat what the solution might be. Hashem would display the solution by lighting up the letters of the words on the stones of the Choshen Mishpat (every Hebrew letter was able to be found in the Sh’vatim’s names). What a nais (miracle)!

There are many explanations given as to why the Kohain Gadol was to wear the Choshen Mishpat however, we learn in the Be’er Mayim Chaim a beautiful reason behind the Choshen Mishpat.

Ahron, the Kohain Gadol represented the heart of the B’nai Yisroel because like the heart which is the first organ to feel any pain that hits the body so, Ahron felt the sufferings of every Jew and would indeed pray for any & every Jew in need. In the above passuk “judgment” implies punishment i.e. those decrees that entail suffering. And he shall wear the “breastplate of judgment over his heart” to show that when suffering befalls the Jew their pain will be close to his heart & he will pray to G-d to annul the decree against them.

We should learn from Ahron that a person must express genuine concern toward others and express our love towards them, but on a level of carrying “the judgment of the B’nai Yisroel” and in accordance with Ahron be meticulous to daven for the entire Am Yisroel! –Amen! 

HAVE A GREAT SHABBOS AND WEEKEND!

Stay tuned for next week’s Parsha called, Parshas Ki Sisa!