Tezaveh: Clothes make the man

Tezaveh: Clothes make the man

 

Think Yiddish; Dress British

 

The Cohen Gadol was the symbol of the Nation.  He unified the nation and this was reflected in his vestments.  The vestments, in fact defined the Cohen Gadol in the second temple. He was invested in the office by virtue of them, he was called meruba bigadim. 

The choshen and the ephod were representations of the 12 tribes. On the Ephod, the names of six tribes were inscribed on each stone - like two voices, one coming from each shoulder ( angel vs. devil; Republican vs. Democrat).

 

[It is interesting to note that the Ephod is related to Podeh, redeem.  The Holy of Holies refers to Kapara ( kaporeth - the covering of the ark, peroches, the curtain, caftor- the knob on the Menorah are all rearrangements of kapora - amnesty.  Presumably the two concepts worked together]

 

The Choshen contained 12 different stones arrayed in 4 rows of 3 stones each, representing the twelve tribes and the individuality  ( and brilliance) of each of them.

 

Thus it is perfectly reasonable to understand that Aaron was the agent of peace, who brought conflicting people ( and presumably tribes) together,  It is understandable that  Cohen gadol and the Choshen would be involved in decisions that meant war.

 

Some things never go out of style.

 

 

 last year

Trumah: where is Gd?

Trumah: where is Gd?

 

 

The notion that Gd has a place is strange to the modern conception.  Gd is everywhere, always more than available, not just helping, but directing history  through the Divine Forces.  so what is this place with all its decorations and accouterments? 

 

The core is the ayduth, the testimony.  testimony is a spoken communication.  The parsha says that Gd will speak (to Moshe) from between the Cheruvim  but that communication is not called ayduth.  It seems that the contents of the ark, the tablets and the original, first edition of  the Torah  are the ayduth, testimony, of Gd's communication with Israel. 

 

Perhaps this ayduth is connected to the edyo, the jewelry that the people removed when confronted with the error of the golden calf.  Perhaps jewelry is a testimony to the love between the giver and recipient of the object.  The tablets  and the Torah are a testimony to Gd's love for Israel and the ark, the jewel box demonstrates how precious that token of love is for the recipients.

 

 

last year's

 

 

Yithro:Extravaganza

 

Yithro:Extravaganza

 

 

The title: Yithro...yether...extra...extravaganza

The entire production is merely a  show ( nes)

 

At the core of yithro is the Rock Concert, the law set in stone, the Ten Commandments.

The Law is the eitz chaim, the tree of life, from which Adam was banished ( lest he eat from it and live forever)

Mount Sinai is off limits to the people ( lest the Lrd break through and many die). It is like the tree of Knowledge and the tree of Life

The law is dangerous, especially in its raw state, but it can be taught, tamed.

 

What is the relationship between Gd and the law?  In this Parsha they arrive  together, the law is how people can relate to Gd and live. Relating to Gd directly means death.

A person cannot relate to Gd because it is the eternal part of the person that needs to make the connection with the eternal Gd and people spend their eternity dead.  Life is very short, an insignificant portion of  time. 

 

 

director's cut: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXfHEywWA3ieZDRobXc5N18zOTdneDZtNDNodg&hl=en

 

last year: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXfHEywWA3ieZDRobXc5N18zMTcydG0yZzNjdg&hl=en

 

older: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXfHEywWA3ieZDRobXc5N18zMTZjdHJzYzVjaA&hl=en

Yithro:Extravaganza

 

Yithro:Extravaganza

 

 

The title: Yithro...yether...extra...extravaganza

The entire production is merely a  show ( nes)

 

At the core of yithro is the Rock Concert, the law set in stone, the Ten Commandments.

The Law is the eitz chaim, the tree of life, from which Adam was banished ( lest he eat from it and live forever)

Mount Sinai is off limits to the people ( lest the Lrd break through and many die). It is like the tree of Knowledge and the tree of Life

The law is dangerous, especially in its raw state, but it can be taught, tamed.

 

What is the relationship between Gd and the law?  In this Parsha they arrive  together, the law is how people can relate to Gd and live. Relating to Gd directly means death.

A person cannot relate to Gd because it is the eternal part of the person that needs to make the connection with the eternal Gd and people spend their eternity dead.  Life is very short, an insignificant portion of  time. 

 

 

director's cut: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXfHEywWA3ieZDRobXc5N18zOTdneDZtNDNodg&hl=en

 

last year: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXfHEywWA3ieZDRobXc5N18zMTcydG0yZzNjdg&hl=en

 

older: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXfHEywWA3ieZDRobXc5N18zMTZjdHJzYzVjaA&hl=en

Beshalach: endless war

Beshalach: endless war

 

What an ending!  the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. The war that never ends.

 

So what is meaning of the beginning of the parsha, , that God led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said: 'Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt.' ? 

 

 

How is the potential war against the Pilishtim different from the war against Amalek?  The Pelishtim are inhabitants of the promised land ( or the lands near it) Fighting the Pelishtim is fighting for the homeland, a war that can be avoided by abandoning Zionism.  The war against Amalek is not territorial, it is the  battle against antisemitism and cannot be avoided.  That war motivates Zionism in every generation.

 

last year ( long) http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXfHEywWA3ieZDRobXc5N18zMTRjZGQ1bnZmYg&hl=en

last year ( short, personal)  http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXfHEywWA3ieZDRobXc5N18zMTVnY2o4c3JncQ&hl=en

 

 

 

 

Bo: was it worth it?

 Bo: matzah

 

 

 

The parsha gives two conflicting stories of the origin of matzoh.  The feast that distinguishes the allegiance to Israel, the one with the lamb and the blood on the doorposts, required Matzo.  Subsequently, the eviction from Egypt involves the  accidental  production of the unleavened bread because of the haste. 

Matzoh is part of making Egypt alien to Israel.  it is a rejection of the Egypt's leavening agent, Egypt's yeast, the unseen  material that alters and flavors the universal raw material.  

Eating from the eitz ha'daath involved the transfer of the technology for making bread. Leavening was a part of that process and the rejection of leavening is a partial return to innocence. 

Chemically, leavening involves the production of an intoxicant: alcohol - which is removed in the baking process.  That alcohol is a fundamental of Chametz.  

Thus, rejecting Chametz is rejecting the intoxicating worldliness of the Egypt, the most advanced civilization, the greatest product of the eitz Hadaath. 

The the story of matzoh as an accidental product of haste permits the people to eat a previously unfamiliar food, it is OK to eat this flat, dry stuff.  One can take advantage of serendipity.

Who put the leave in leavening?

 

 was it worth it?

 

The stated reason for the last 3 plagues ( locusts, darkness, killing of the first born) is so that  בֹּא אֶל-פַּרְעֹה  כִּי-אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת-לִבּוֹ וְאֶת-לֵב עֲבָדָיו לְמַעַן שִׁתִי אֹתֹתַי אֵלֶּה בְּקִרְבּוֹ.  ב וּלְמַעַן תְּסַפֵּר בְּאָזְנֵי בִנְךָ וּבֶן-בִּנְךָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר הִתְעַלַּלְתִּי בְּמִצְרַיִם וְאֶת-אֹתֹתַי אֲשֶׁר-שַׂמְתִּי בָם וִידַעְתֶּם

 

Is it worth these plagues, killing all the first born of Egypt, to prove the point that Gd is the greatest power? so that Israel will have a story to tell their offspring ( at the seder)?   From the perspective of the story, there is nothing more important than the story.

 

 

Last years (funnier): http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXfHEywWA3ieZDRobXc5N18zMDc4bTRibnNnMg&hl=en

 

Vaerah

Vaerah: disaster

 

 

How do we understand Pharaoh's response to the plagues?  To him the plagues look like natural disasters.

Consider the word dis-bad, out of order; aster- star.  This was Pharaoh's science - ast(e)rology.  There was a perfectly good astrological explanation for all these things!

 

But the story as we have it, with Gd telling Moshe to bring on these plagues (and even Gd hardening the heart of Pharaoh)places quite the responsibility upon Hakodesh Baruch Hu.

 

In this context what to think of the Haitian earthquake?

 

last year ( a good one) http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXfHEywWA3ieZDRobXc5N18zMDZnOGp6c24zMw&hl=en