Parshat Tetzaveh Schedule

Weekly Words of Torah

Inside and Out

Insights into Parshat Tetzaveh by Mr. Josh Wernick of Yeshiva Sha’alvim, by Rav Re’uven Ungar of Sha’alvim.

The pasuk (verse) says in perek (chapter) 29, pasuk 2, “V’asita bigdei kodesh” (And you should make holy garments). What is Hashem teaching us from the commandment to Moshe to make begadim (garments) for the Kohanim? The Malbim answers that Hashem was commanding Moshe about the outside begadim, which would help the Kohanim do their Avodah (Temple service) properly. However, really, Hashem is teaching us about the Begadim Hapenimim (inside garments) with which a person should dress. A person’s inside should really be tahor (pure) with good midot (traits), good intentions, etc. A person should always metaher (purify) his inside and metaken (fix) himself to make his inside like his outside. This is why we say “Kohanei Yilbishu tzedek” (the priests dress in righteousness) in “Uvenucho Yomar” every shabbat. We can ask, how can a Kohen be dressed in righteousness? What does this mean? We can answer with exactly this point. The Kohen’s begadim were a reflection of his righteous inside. This is a major message of Purim, where our insides are supposed to come out to our outsides. This is why many people drink on Purim- as the Talmud says, Nichnas Yayin Yotzeh Sod (the wine goes in and the [person’s] fundamental personality comes out). The pasuk also says to make begadim “L’chavod U’ltifaret” (to honor and beautify). According to the Malbim, the nefesh of a person is called kavod. The light and beautification emanating from a person whose inside is tahor is called tiferet. A Kohen is a person whose inside should be tahor and kedusha should be emanating from him. This is why we say “Marei Kohen” on Yom Kippur, to remember how the Kohen’s outside appearance reflected his insde and how we should do the same throughout the year. The Talmud in Megilah on page 12A says that Achashveirosh wore the Bigdei Kehunah to the party he made. We can say that this was only like a “costume” for him. His inside wasn’t tahor and wasn’t fit to wear these bigadim of kedushah.

Additionally, in a Gemara in Megillah (14a) we learn that Esther had Ruach Hakodesh (the Divine Spirit) and was a neviyah (prophetess) from the pasuk, “Vatilabesh Esther bigdei malchut” (and Esther dressed in [garments of] roylaty). We can ask- why don’t we use one of the pasukim from 17a where we derive that Esther had Ruach Hakodesh? Why do we use this specific pasuk? We can answer this with the same point- a neviyah should be someone whose penimiyot (inner being) is tahor. She should be full of kedushah and full of ma’asim tovim (good deeds) and good intentions. We can use this pasuk of “bigdei malchut” in comparison to the “bigdei kehuna”. After all, they are both Ketarim (spiritual Crowns) (Keter Malchut and Keter Kehunah) as we see in Pirkei Avot, (4:17). However, this mishnah also says that a keter of a shem tov (good name) is more praised. We can see a proof to this- after the pasuk of bigdei malchut by Esther, the pasuk says Esther was standing in chatzer Ha’penimit (inner courtyard) and the king saw her and she found favor in his eyes. The word “Hamelech” in the megilah can refer to Hashem. Therefore, since she wore bigdei malchut and had a penimiyot full of kedusha and was tahor and stood in the chatzer “hapenimit”, Hashem saw this and she found favor in His eyes. He then knew she really merited to be a neviyah and she gained the kedushah of Ruach Hakodesh.

We can also see this by the Ketoret (incense) in this week’s parsha. The mizbe’ach this ketoret is brought on is known as the “Mizbe’ach Ha’Penimit”. Only a Kohen who is truly kadosh on the inside and outside can bring the ketoret on such a holy Mizbe’ach of pure gold on the inside and out. This is unlike Nadav and Avihu, who weren’t neccessarily pure on the inside and out and didn’t neccessarily have true intentions. We also see by Korach and his two hundred men who were tested with the ketoret to see if they were really pure inside and out. Only Aharon, the true Kohen Gadol, succeeded in this test. The ketoret was also used by Aharon to get rid of the plague that killed many of the Bnei Yisroel. The ketoret was known as the “sam Ha’Mavet”. Only one who is fit to bring this ketoret can do so. Anyone else would suffer the consequences, as we see by Nadav and Avihu, and the two hundred men who sided with Korach.

May we learn from the message of the Bigdei Kehunah, Bigdei Malchut and the Ketoret, and merit to allow our penimiyot to be filled with Kedushah and be tahor and reach new levels of kedushah on Purim and throughout the year.