Tetzaveh(Command) Ex.(Sh’mot) 27:20-30:10
1.Why is this Torah portion always read on the Sabbath preceding Purim and why is it call the Sabbath Zachor or Sabbath of Remembrance?
This Sabbath is the Sabbath of Remembrance or Sabbath Zachor. It is a time Jews are to remember what the Amalekites did to them and remember how G-d saved them.
Deut. 25:17-19 is read on this Shabbat of Remembrance
“Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of G-d. When the L-rd your G-d gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!”
Did Israel obey and blot out Amalek as instructed by G-d?
No Saul did not completely destroy the Amalekites, as commanded in 1 Samuel 15
Haman was able to arise as a descendant and annihilate the Jews in Persia.
I Samuel 15:7-11, “Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt. 8 He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. 9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves[b] and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed. Then the word of the L-rd came to Samuel: 11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the L-rd all that night.”
The connection to Purim is the villain Haman in the book of Esther.
There is a tradition from the Talmud that Haman was an Amalekite.
He is called the Agagite five times in the book of Esther
beginning with Esther 3:1, “After these events, King Xerxes (prounounced ZURK-seez) honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles.” The term Agagite is a descendant of Agag the king of the Amalekites.
2.Why does this Torah portion, which is devoted to the priests, their duties and clothing, start with two verses about the lamp stand? Exodus 27:20-21, “And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually. In the tabernacle of meeting, outside the veil which is before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening until morning before the L-RD. It shall be a statute forever to their generations on behalf of the children of Israel.”
G-d said, “you shall command the children of Israel to bring you pure oil…”
Why did He command Moses saying, “bring you oil” instead of “bring me oil”?
The children of Israel and Moses were the ones needing the light. G-d did not need the light. He IS light. So too we are the ones who need the light of G-d in our life.
So the light that was burning continually reminded them and reminds us that without the light of G-d we are lost in a world of spiritual darkness.
Many verses in the Messianic scripture describe Yeshua as the light of the world.
John 8:12, “Again Yeshua spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 12:46, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”
We are to be an example of that light.
Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
A time is coming when there will be no darkness, only light.
Revelation 22:5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the L-rd G-d will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
It was also a reminder to Israel that they were to be a light to the nations.
Isaiah 60:3, “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn”.
3.In Exodus 28:3 G-d gives instructions on who to pick to make the priestly items. In my English translation it reads, “gifted artisans.” However, in Hebrew the words are, “wise of heart.” So the question comes to mind, what does wisdom have to do with the heart?
I think the Torah is saying if our wisdom does not affect our hearts it is meaningless.
Romans 12:2 might help us as believers to come to an answer for this.
Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what G-d’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Our minds/wisdom must play itself out in our heart and in our actions. We may know scripture by heart and able to debate lots of religious topics but if all that wisdom makes no impact on our lives and actions then we are like a donkey carrying around sacks of knowledge but it is still a donkey.
Our minds have been renewed. That renewal must be evident in our lives.
I Cor. 13, the chapter on love, lays this out very well.
I Corinthians13:1-13, “If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Proverbs 4:23 tells us we must guard our heart because it can be deceitful. We must find the correct balance between knowledge of G-d’s word and compassion for others.
4. Is it easy to make space for others to be the center of attention? How did Moses handle all the attention being focused on his brother Aaron? Is it easy for us to rejoice in another person being in the spotlight and praised?
In this Torah portion Moses is taking second place to his brother Aaron and his sons. Moses’ name is not even mentioned in this portion. All the focus is on Aaron and the role he will occupy as High Priest, Kohen Gadol.
Moses is now being commanded to create a form of leadership he himself will never be able to do, that of the priesthood. The person he must award it to is his elder brother. Can he do it? Up until now Moses has been everything. Everyone came to Moses for advice. He has been the one speaking G-d’s messages to them. Now it’s all about Aaron.
The Torah emphasizes G-d’s insistence that it be Moses who bestows this honor on Aaron.
Three times the word ve-atah, “And you,” is in the parsha:
Exodus 27:20, “And you shall command the Israelites to bring you pure oil. (for the Menorah that Aaron and his sons would keep lit)
Exodus 28:1-2, “Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests. Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor.”
Exodus 28:3, “Tell all the skilled workers to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest.”
Moses and Aaron were siblings. Moses’ ability to rejoice in his brother’s rise to priesthood is unusual. Look at the relationship between brothers thus far, Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers.
So now Moses is to be an example of humility. He must teach the people a Godly way to make room for someone else in leadership. He must make space for his big brother to fulfill a role that Moses is not allowed to fill. He must give honor to his brother and nephews.
Is it hard for us to make space for someone we see as a rival? Can we give honor to someone we don’t particularly care for? Can we step aside and let someone else get all the praise and honor?
Honoring others above ourselves is difficult. We live in a competitive self-centered culture.
It requires overcoming our natural tendencies toward pride and selfishness.
Romans 12:10, “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”