TETZAVEH (Exodus 27:20 - 30:10) previous page, Torah Lesson Plan, or YHVH Homepage
"Tetzavah" means "command," and the word is derived from the word "tzavta," which means "attached." This is relevant because, as you will see, Moses' name is not mentioned within this week's reading but rather all the references are to the word "you," or "ATaH" in Hebrew. The Zohar comments on this as follows...
The word "ATaH" is a term of attachment, the letters "aleph 'tav' hey" of the word "ATaH (you) allude to a type of funnel which channels light from above to below and from below to above. The letters "A" and "T", "aleph" and "tav", are the first and final letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and as we are all aware, the term; "From A to Z", means "everything." Here too, in our word "ATaH" the same applies. The final letter of the word, the "hey (H)" represents the lower world, the foundation. This is a grand allusion to the purpose of our vessels (body), and how they serve as conduits. Unfortunately, we mostly fail to realize this, due to our gift of "freedom of choice." This wonderful gift allows us to tapper off both ends of the funnel, to where our conduit is no longer a conduit for the greater Life Force, but rather, it becomes a vessel onto itself. Fueling itself and relying on itself.
Hashem's Divine Name is spelled... yud / hey / vav / hey, or Y-H-V-H, The first letter, the "yud" or "Y" represents His higher Wisdom, the next letter, "hey" or "H" represents His Understanding, the "vav" or "V" is, in a sense, a type of distribution of the Higher Light (the ruach, or wind), and the final letter, "hey" or "H" is our foundation of the lower world. It is by way of the lower letter "hey (H)" (the foundation) of the Divine Name that the Higher light enters into everything from A to Z, or in our Hebrew alphabet, from Alef to Tav, in the word ATaH. Therefore, the teachings of this reading, and the instructions for the anointings /inaugurations, were channeled directly from above to below. There was an instant manifestation of da'at (knowledge) channeled through Moses to the people and to the Kohenim (priests).
The reading also can be looked at as a biology lesson. The Mishkan is relative to the human body since we are Temples to Hashem. The utensils within the Mishkan are equal to our emotional attributes, the table (shulchan) is the heart, the menorah bears our emotions, and the two Mizbeachs (altars) are lined up like our spine, and the highest part of our Temple would be the brain, which is equal to the Holy of Holy where the Holy Ark is kept -
ARK
Gold Altar
Menorah Shulchan
Copper Altar
From this we can learn that in order to channel through the "ATaH", and reach the Divine Wisdom, our bodies must be empty of all external things, similar to the Courtyard of the Mishkan, and our emotions, heart, and offerings, must be in proper alignment.
The Midrash also informs us that the altars could not contract spiritual contamination and become impure, the reason for this is that it's covering, whether gold or copper, became bitul (insignificant) to its greater part which was beneath it, "an altar of earth." The earth is not susceptible to spiritual contamination. This has been compared to two types of people. The gold altar may be compared to the rich, and the copper has been compared to the poor. These remain to be only physical coverings, for that which lies beneath remains pure and connected to Hashem. The earth is very humble by nature, and it is constantly trampled upon.
The essence of every soul is similar to the earth in this aspect, however, it is due to its outer shell of gold or copper that our connection with the Holy of Holy becomes distorted. When our offerings are done with proper emotions and heart, the outer shells of gold and copper also become bittul (insignificant) to spiritual contamination / distortion. And then we can receive the light directly. As we see in the discription of the light of the Menorah. "Unto You...", as well as in all the instructions/commands, "Unto You...". Hashem already has His light, and His light is not dependent upon ours. Therefore, it is light for us, as well as all the mitzvot within Torah, they are for our final benefit, in order that we may bask within the light of Hashem. They are for "ATaH." In order to raise the status of our copper and gold, and in order to raise ourselves within the Higher Light. Again, by way of the gold and copper we see that the only benefit and purpose of our precious life is the task of elevating that which is mundane and physical to something which is holy and sacred.
Verse 28:1 says "bring near to yourself AARON your brother, and his sons with him, from among the Children of Israel, so that he shall be a Kohen Gadol to Me, AARON, Nadab and Abihu, Elazar and Ithamar the sons of AARON." Why is Aaron's name mentioned three times here, it could have been mentioned more often by replacing the "he's" and "him's" and his'es", or it could have been mentioned less, by replacing his name with a "he", "him", or "his"? The reason is, because it represents the service of the Kohen Gadol within the first, second, and third Temple (the third being in the time of Moshiach). Also, we see that at the bottom end of his apron (the Me'il), there are bells which make much noise when the Kohen (priest) goes to perform his Holy service. Since we are living in the "heels of Moshiach," the final days (ends of the apron), when we perform a mitzvah, it should also be with bells (noise and vitality), in order to project / reflect as much light as possible into the mundane, thereby, raising it. This service is "unto YOU", for Hashem said to us, "YOU shall be a nation of kohanim (priests) unto Me." By way of "your" proper service, you will fully utilize the "ATaH" of the Temple (body) service. It is interesting to note that this reading starts out with the words, "V'ATaH", or "And you", TETZAVEH" "command / attach". The letter "V" (vav) in the esoteric, represents "relationship / synthesis". In order to have the "relationship ("vav") with Me (Hashem), everything ("A" "T" or A to Z) must pass through the "hey (H)" and then you will be "attached."
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