Dress For the Job You Want, All About Olive Oil, and more from Parshat Tetzaveh

Here's the logo of Yale University.  What does it have to do with this week's Parsha? 

HEBREW

Words from the Parsha: Garments and names

 

Zeh or Zeh?

 

Matkonim:   Metukah oh  Umami

Matok:

Pecans? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=288dNta_lRc

Or Apples? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i-4EwyGHvI

Umami:

Lasagna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf6AnbDu9oo

Falafelburger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdntOJecqyw

 

Song:  shir Hatikvah

Original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRyO4MrzsFY

What band  or song does this sound like? 

Words

Bilingual: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNU7tOcUdf0

Change is at 1:40 ish.

recent:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UubYq20gKRk

 

 

Parsha:

TORF  TEAMS on Olives   

Start of Tetzave

Bimbam https://youtu.be/uMdNXLs-MJU

Whose clothes give them power? Judges.

Text of Garments-  Ex. 28

https://rambampress.com/tables-outlines/Priestly-Garments.pdf

 

3 messy verses

3 sources

 

OLIVE QUIZ II

 

The Mystery of the Urim V’tumim

 

אביב גפן	שיר התיקוה"”
בואו נצעד לחלום בלי גזע ולאום בואו ננסה עד שיהיה טוב עד שיהיה	March for the dream with me No race or nationality Let's keep trying Until it will be good Until it will ​
נקבור את הרובים ולא את הילדים בואו ננסה עד שיהיה טוב עד שיהיה	We'll bury the guns And not our little ones Let's keep trying Until it will be good Until it will
נכבוש את השלום ולא את השטחים בואו ננסה עד שיהיה טוב עד שיהיה	To conquer peace we’ll go But the territories, no Let's keep trying Until it will be good Until it will
לחופש הנצחי לילדים שלי בואו ננסה עד שיהיה טוב עד שיהיה	Always to be free My children should be Let's keep trying Until it will be good Until it will

 

 

גדול- קטן

Gadol/Katan, 

Rome

Snickers

A cat

Jupiter

Taco

Burrito

World’s largest burrito ever, (over 12k lbs)

Model aircraft

Aircraft carrier

 

רגיל--נדיר

  Ragil/Nadir,  

1 dollar bill

100 dollar bill

100,000 dollar bill

100,000 dollar candy bar

Oxygen

Paltinum

Paladium

Plutonium

Water

Rocks

Saphires

 

 

 

Chadash/ yashan,  

חדש-ישן

 

Super Bowl 58

Superbowl 1

2020 presidential elections

The writing of the US constitution

The 1^st climbing of Mount Everest

Russian invasion of Ukraine

The eruption of mount st. helents  (53)

The eruption of Krakatoa (1883)

COVID arrived in US

Taylor Swift dating a football player

Cure for Cancers

 

 

1.            וַאֲבִיהוּא

a.          Veabihu

b.        Veavihu

c.           Va’abihu

d.        Va’avihu

e.          V. Abby Hu

 

 

 

2.        אֶלְעָזָר

a.          Eliezer

b.        Elazar

c.           Eliazar

d.        Aelazar

e.          Eli Azar

 

 

 

 

3.        וְאִיתָמָר

a.          Ve’itamar

b.        Va’itamar

c.           Ve’atamar

d.        Ve’asamar

e.          V. E. Taymar

 

 

4.        לְכָבוֹד

a.          Lachavod

b.        Lechavod

c.           Lakavob

d.        Lekavod

e.          Ichabod

 

 

5.         וּלְתִפְאָרֶת

a.          Veletiperet

b.        Ultiferet

c.           Ultifarat

d.        Ultifaret

e.          Uli The Parrot

 

 

6.        חֹשֶׁן

a.          Choshayn

b.        Chosayn

c.           Choshen

d.        Hoshen

e.          Chosen

 

 

7.          וְאֵפוֹד  

a.          Ve’ehphod

b.        Ve’eyphod

c.           Ve’epod

d.        Ve’eypod

e.          The I-pod

 

 

8.       וּמְעִיל

a.          Um’eel

b.        Umeh’eel

c.           Ve’meh’eel

d.        Vem’eel

e.          Vinnie’s Eel

 

 

9.        וּכְתֹנֶת

a.          V’chetonet

b.        V’ketonet

c.           Uchetonet

d.        Uch’tonet

e.          Euch!  Toner!

 

 

10.               תַּשְׁבֵּץ

a.          Tashbeytz

b.        Tasbeytz

c.           Tishbeytz

d.        Tashvetz

e.          Tasha Waitz

 

 

11.                    מִצְנֶפֶת

a.          Mizte’nayfet

b.        Mitze’nefet

c.           Mitznefet

d.        Mitznayfet

e.          Meet S. Nefet

 

 

12.                 וְאַבְנֵט

a.          V’avneyt

b.        V’avneyt

c.           V’avneyt

d.        V’avneyt

e.          V’avneyt

 

 

 

 

 

TORF!

1.   Olives are actually a new world fruit, brought back by the Spanish.

 

2.  There are olive trees in Israel that are 2000 years old.

 

 

3.  If you want,  you can enjoy olives  and eat them fresh from the tree.

 

4.  The mount of olives is the mountain just east of the Temple mount, and it is covered in a massive jewish cemetery.

5.  One has to cut off branches to harvest olives.

6.  Black olives and green olives come from different trees.

7.   It takes 70 liter of olives to make one liter of olive oil.

8.  Kalamata Olives are an Italian Vareity

9.  Olive oil compounded with spices was used to anoint jewish kings and priests.

10.                 Pure olive oil was used to light the Chanukiah in the temple.

 

Tetzaveh’s First Mitzvah

וְאַתָּ֞ה תְּצַוֶּ֣ה  אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְיִקְח֨וּ אֵלֶ֜יךָ שֶׁ֣מֶן זַ֥יִת זָ֛ךְ כָּתִ֖ית לַמָּא֑וֹר לְהַעֲלֹ֥ת נֵ֖ר תָּמִֽיד׃

Now you,

command the Children of Israel,

that they may fetch you

oil of olives, beaten-out-until-clear,

for the light,  to draw up a Ner Tamid/ light always.

 

בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵד֩ מִח֨וּץ לַפָּרֹ֜כֶת אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הָעֵדֻ֗ת יַעֲרֹךְ֩ אֹת֨וֹ אַהֲרֹ֧ן וּבָנָ֛יו מֵעֶ֥רֶב עַד־בֹּ֖קֶר לִפְנֵ֣י -ה חֻקַּ֤ת עוֹלָם֙ לְדֹ֣רֹתָ֔ם מֵאֵ֖ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {ס}        

In the Tent of Appointed-Times,

outside the curtain that is over the Testimony,

Aharon and his sons are to arrange it,

from sunset until daybreak

before the presence of Adonai—

a law for the ages, throughout your generations,

on the part of the Children of Israel.

 

 

 

QUIZ II

------------------------------------------------------------

1.     Who in Israel consumes the most olive oil?

a.    Jews

b.    Arabs

c.     Druze

d.    Bedouin

e.    Aba Ben-dodi of 42 Emek Refaim in Jerusalem

 

2.    Who actually consumes more olive oil?

a.    Italians

b.    Greeks

c.     Israelis

d.    Spaniards

e.    North Korea and its glorious leader!

 

3.    Olive oil’s smoke point is about what temperature Farenheit?

a.    325-350

b.    355-375

c.      380-410

d.    420-440

e.    There is smoke at any temperature when I make latkes.

 

4.    True or false: The oldest olive tree in the middle east is probably in

a.    Egypt, western part of Cairo, held to be 5000 years old

b.    Spain, held to be 6000 years old.

c.     Bethlehem, held to be 4000 years old. 

d.    Jerusalem, City of David archeological park, held to be 2000 years old

e.    North Korea, said to be 10,000 years old!

 

5.    Fill in the blank/Milat Hayom:

שֶׁמֶן זַיִת______ מְעוּלֶּה   

The term for extra virgin olive oil in Hebrew in the blank is

a.                    כָּתִית

b.                   טַלִּית

c.                    גְּבִינָה

d.                   טָהוֹר

e.                    חוּמוּס

 

6.    Which country has the most stringent standards and testing system in the world to prevent counterfeit olive oil being exported? 

a.    Israel

b.    Jordan

c.     Canada

d.    Australia!

e.    North Korea!  Sing a song of millet and wheat to praise the glorious leader!

 

7.    Suri Olives used to be grown all over the land of  Israe for thousands of years.  What happened to them.

a.    Arab overuse made  them extinct during the 13^th century CE.

b.    Jewish overuse made  them extinct during the 2^nd Century BCE

c.     Roman legions burned them all down while fighting the Bar Kochba revolt around 142 CE.

d.    The olive fungus  Sachromyces Necrophagus infected and killed all but a few

e.     Nothing happened, dude, they are still around, canned by the ton.

 

8.    Which of these does the most damage to an olive tree during harvest:

a.    Harvesting by hand

b.    Harvesting by beating the branches with sticks

c.     Harvesting by shaking the entire tree

d.    Harvesting fruit two years consecutively

e.    Harvesting by guilt. “I’m fine, you keep your fruit, I’ll just sit here and starve to death.”

 

9.    How many liters of olives does it take to make one liter of olive oil?

a.    Just one

b.    About five

c.     About thirty

d.    About seventy

e.    In North Korea, one liter of olives picked by the glorious leader makes 47 liters of olive oil!

 

10.                    Olive oil was used in Roman baths to cleanse the skin, as it would be rubbed all over the body, and then the oil and dirt would be scraped off with a stick called a

a.    Lokum

b.    Strigil

c.     Bakula

d.    Gubernaculum

e.    Vaxaphobian

 

 

Priestly undergarments (Hebrew michnasayim) (breeches): linen pants reaching from the waist to the knees "to cover their nakedness" (Exodus 28:42)

·        Priestly tunic (Hebrew ketonet) (tunic): made of pure linen, covering the entire body from the neck to the feet, with sleeves reaching to the wrists. That of the high priest was embroidered (Exodus 28:39); those of the priests were plain (Exodus 28:40).

·        Priestly sash (Hebrew avnet) (sash): that of the high priest was of fine linen with "embroidered work" in blue and purple and scarlet (Exodus 28:39, 39:29); those worn by the priests were of white, twined linen.

·        Priestly turban (Hebrew mitznefet): that of the high priest was much larger than that of the priests and wound so that it formed a broad, flat-topped turban; that for priests was wound so that it formed a cone-shaped turban, called a migbahat.

The vestments that were unique to the high priest were:

·        Priestly robe (me'il) ("robe of the ephod"): a sleeveless, blue robe, the lower hem of which was fringed with small golden bells alternating with pomegranate-shaped tassels in blue, purple, and scarlet—tekhelet,^[13] argaman, tolaat shani.

·        Ephod: a richly embroidered vest or apron with two onyx engraved gemstones on the shoulders, on which were engraved the names of the tribes of Israel

·        Priestly breastplate (Hebrew hoshen): with twelve gems, each engraved with the name of one of the tribes; a pouch in which he probably carried the Urim and Thummim. It was fastened to the Ephod

·        On the front of the turban was a golden plate inscribed with the words: "Holiness unto YHWH" attached to the mitznefet.

The high priest, like all priests, would minister barefoot when he was serving in the Temple.

 

Shemot Chapter 28

Now you, have come near to you

Aharon your brother and his sons with him,

from amidst the Children of Israel,

to be priests for me,

Aharon,

Nadav and Avihu, Elazar and Itamar, the sons of Aharon.

You are to make garments of holiness for Aharon your brother,

for glory and for splendor.

So you, speak to each who is wise of mind

whom I have filled with the spirit of practical-wisdom,

that they may make Aharon’s garments,

to hallow him, to be-priest for me.

And these are the garments that they are to make:

Chest-plate and efod and tunic,

braided coat,

wound-turban and sash.

So they are to make garments of holiness

for Aharon your brother and for his sons,

to be-priests for me….

 

You are to take two onyx stones

and are to engrave on them the names of the Children of Israel,

six of their names on the one stone,

and the names of the six remaining ones on the second stone,

corresponding to their mothers.

Of stone-cutter’s making, with seal engravings,

you are to engrave the two stones,

with the names of the Children of Israel;

surrounded by braids of gold are you to make them.

You are to place the two stones on the shoulder-pieces of the efod,

as stones of reminder for the Children of Israel.

And Aharon is to bear their names before the presence of YHWH

on his two shoulders,

for remembrance.

 

 

You are to make braids of gold

and two chains of pure gold;

[like] lacings are you to make them, of rope-making,

and are to put the rope chains on the braids.

You are to make the Chest-plate of Judgment

of artisan’s making,

like the making of the efod you are to make it:

of gold, of blue-violet, of purple, of worm-scarlet and of twisted linen you are to make it.

Square it is to be, doubled-over,

a span its length and a span its width.

You are to set-it-full with a setting of stones,

four rows of stones—

a row of carnelian, topaz and sparkling-emerald, the first row,

and the second row: ruby, sapphire, and hard-onyx,

and the third row: jacinth, agate, and amethyst,

and the fourth row: beryl, onyx, and jasper.

Braided with gold are they to be in their settings.

And the stones are to be with the names of the Children of Israel,

twelve with their names,

[with] signet engravings, each one with its name, are they to be,

for the twelve tribes.

 

And you are to put

in the Chest-plate of Judgment

the Urim and the Tummim,

that they may be over Aharon’s heart,

whenever he comes before the presence of YHWH.

So Aharon is to bear

the Chest-plate of Judgment for the Children of Israel

over his heart

before the presence of YHWH,

regularly.

 

You are to make the tunic for the efod

completely of blue-violet.

Its head-opening is to be in its middle;

there shall be a seam for its opening, all around, of weaver’s making,

like the opening for armor is it to be for him; it is not to be split.

You are to make on its skirts

pomegranates of blue-violet, purple, and worm scarlet,

on its skirts, all around,

and bells of gold amidst them, all around:

bell of gold and pomegranate,

bell of gold and pomegranate,

on the skirts of the robe, all around.

It is to be [put] on Aharon, for attending,

that its sound may be heard

whenever he comes into the Holy-Shrine before the presence of YHWH, and whenever he goes out,

so that he does not die.

 

You are to make a plate of pure gold

and are to engrave on it signet engravings:

Holy For YHWH.

You are to place it on a thread of blue-violet,

that it may be on the turban;

on the forefront of the turban is it to be.

It is to be on Aharon’s brow.

 

 

 

THREE MESSY VERES FROM TETZAVEH----

After finishing the instructions on how a koheyn (priest) and the Kohen Gadol (high priest, Aaron being the first)  should be dressed,  the Torah gives instructions for an initiation ceremony for Aaron and his sons. This ceremony will involve animal sacrifices (common throughout the world at this time),  special oil of anointing (oil of making things special), and the sprinkling of… blood?   Let’s read through this part of the torah everyone,  even commentators, finds a bit strange.

SHEMOT 29:18-20

וְלָ֣קַחְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת הָאַ֣יִל הַשֵּׁנִ֑י וְסָמַ֨ךְ אַהֲרֹ֧ן וּבָנָ֛יו אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הָאָֽיִל׃ Then take the other ram, and let Aaron and his sons lay their hands upon the ram’s head.

וְשָׁחַטְתָּ֣ אֶת־הָאַ֗יִל וְלָקַחְתָּ֤ מִדָּמוֹ֙ וְנָֽתַתָּ֡ה עַל־תְּנוּךְ֩ אֹ֨זֶן אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְעַל־תְּנ֨וּךְ אֹ֤זֶן בָּנָיו֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית וְעַל־בֹּ֤הֶן יָדָם֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית וְעַל־בֹּ֥הֶן רַגְלָ֖ם הַיְמָנִ֑ית וְזָרַקְתָּ֧ אֶת־הַדָּ֛ם עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ סָבִֽיב׃  Slaughter the ram, and take some of its blood and put it on the earlobe of Aaron’s right ear and on the lobe of his sons’ right ears, and on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet; and dash the rest of the blood against every side of the altar round about.

וְלָקַחְתָּ֞ מִן־הַדָּ֨ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַֽל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֘חַ֮ וּמִשֶּׁ֣מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה֒ וְהִזֵּיתָ֤ עַֽל־אַהֲרֹן֙ וְעַל־בְּגָדָ֔יו וְעַל־בָּנָ֛יו וְעַל־בִּגְדֵ֥י בָנָ֖יו אִתּ֑וֹ וְקָדַ֥שׁ הוּא֙ וּבְגָדָ֔יו וּבָנָ֛יו וּבִגְדֵ֥י בָנָ֖יו אִתּֽוֹ׃  Take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle upon Aaron and his vestments, and also upon his sons and his sons’ garments. This way he and his vestments will be holy, as well as his sons and his sons’ garments.

 

 

1) Animal sacrifice was common throughout the world in the time of  our ancestors leaving Egypt, but what’s with all the blood?  Doesn’t the Torah prohibit eating blood?  It’s part of the whole kosher meat thing, soaking and salting meat to get rid of blood.  How come the Torah says it’s okay to use this way?

 

 

 

2) Why is there blood being put on these parts of the body-  ear,  thumb, and big toe?  And why these spots,  and not,  for example, the elbow, nose and knee?  What does they symbolize or represent?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  IYO, What does it mean for a person to be holy? And just how can clothes be holy?

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  What two questions do you have about the verses above that were not asked already?   Make them good!

 

 

 

 

THREE MODERN COMMENTATORS ON THE TOE-THUMB-LOBE THING

 

Rabbi Dr. Bradly Shavit Artson, Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, offers these explanations:

Why was blood applied to those particular extremities–the right thumb, toe and ear? An ancient commentator, Philo (1st Century Egypt), perceived that, “The fully consecrated must be pure in words and actions and in life; for words are judged by hearing, the hand is the symbol of action, and the foot of the pilgrimage of life.” Thus, Philo reads specific meaning into each of the three body parts by analyzing the special function of each part in terms of their human use. Our words, actions and life all must cultivate our highest potential of growth, expression and humanity.

Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra (12th Century, Spain) argues, on the other hand, that the ear “symbolizes that one must attend to what has been commanded” and the thumb “is the origin of all activity.”

 Sam Wiseman of the Kol Torah blog, goes for a bit of the Qabalah (and yes, it really  should be spelled with a Q for the qoph- ק and not a K which represents the kaph- כ):

 

Rabbi Bachya (Spain, 13th century) explains that the Mishkan reflects the three parts of the world: the world of “Melachim/Angels” the world of “Gilgalim/incarnations,” and the world of “Shafel/depths.”  The Kohen Gadol too must reflect these three parts both in his capacity as the highest position in the temple, and in his capacity as a mini-world unto himself (See R’ Bachya in Bereishit 1:27). 

 

Therefore, these placements of blood must reflect the three parts of man in order to purify him enough to give the Korbanot by which the world stands (Taanit 27b).  The placement of blood on the ear (head) reflects the world of Melachim, the angels and upper aspirations, while the placement of blood on the hand signifies the middle section of the body, which houses the heart and reflects the world of Gilgalim.  The lower section of the body embodies the baser aspirations, where the blood is placed on the foot.

Rabbi Rahcel Barenblatt who has been blogging as “The Velveteen Rabbi” for nearly 20 years:

 

The ear was marked because it is a place where the outside world enters human consciousness. Once they were "earmarked" in this way, each new priest would hear things differently; perhaps only holy sounds now would enter, or the sounds that entered would become consecrated in a new way.

The thumb was marked in order to remind these men that matters of life and death resided in the work of their hands. They would be responsible now for the deaths of countless animals — and, through their expiating actions, the lives of the entire community. Their hands would do God's work in the world, as they understood that work to be done, and needed to be consecrated with the substance which was God's alone.

And the toe? The toe seems insignificant, until something happens to it. A friend told me recently that he broke a toe — one single toe! — and found himself limping, in tremendous pain, for weeks. Our toes provide us with balance. Perhaps the anointing of the priests' toes served to remind them that only through the life God lends can we walk the path appointed to us. It warned them to mind their steps, and to be mindful that they walk the earth with constant and unflagging support from the One Who graciously gives us life.