Thought of the Week- Parshas Tetzaveh

Parshas Tetzaveh

This weeks portion is Tetzaveh. It talks about how G-d commanded Moses to command the Jews to fulfill certain commandments even if they don't understand their meanings or the reasons as to why they ought to follow those commands.

There are several type of commandments.
One is called a "Mishpat" (lit. Law.) This is a commandment that people would have normaly figured out on their own. (E.g. Not to kill. If no laws had been given, people would use their common sense to see that it is wrong to kill. Or to steal. It is common sense that one mustn't take things that do not belong to them. So to conclude, it is the laws that make sense and can be explained in a logical manner.)
Second is "Chok" or "Gzeira" (lit. decree). This is a command that has no logic. It is something that we as human beings can not, and will not understand within our life-time. An example of this mitzvah would be the commandment of atonment with the Red Calf, or the commandment not to mix Linen and Wool in clothing, (Shatnez.)
The third one is "Tzivuy" (lit. Commandment). This is considered the most special, for it is a commandment that we would never think about on our own, however when it is given to us we can understand the meaning. For example Shabbat. Most people when they hear about Shabbat it is a logical thing. It would seem like a Mishpat. It is logical to take a break at the end of a long week to refresh for the next week. However in reality it is not a Mishpat, for people would not think of it on their own. On the contrary, if you look at all those people who have never had a connection to Judaism or has never heard of religion. These people are those who work and work and work. They dont think of having a weekly break. It just doesn't come to their heads.
This is what connects the two together. It is a commandment that is Chok (for we would not think of it ourselfs) however it is also a Mishpat because once we follow this commandment we can see how logical it is.

The Rebbe M.M. Schneerson explains this connection in an extra ordinary way.

The Hebrew root word for Tzivuy is 'Tzavta.' This means 'connecting' (Tzavta Vechibur - Bonding and connection.) The way to bind and connect to G-d is through His commandments.
Tzivuy is also the one which binds the two other types of Mizvoth. One should not kill or steal not because it's not humane or right. Every one knows that he shouldn't kill or steal. Even the non jewish courts have such a policy we don't need the Torah to tell us this types of Mitvoth. However because of the fact that it is written in the Torah as a commandment, not doing these inhumane acts in fact will connect a person to G-d.

Once a Gentile came to Shamai in his Yeshiva. He told him that if Shamai was able to tell him the whole Torah whilst he was standing upon one foot he would become Jewish. Shamai looked at him and laughed. "You want me to teach you the whole Torah whilst you are standing on one foot? Learning the entire Torah can take many months and even years! Especially since you don't even know how to read the Aleph Beis" He became infuriated thinking that the gentile had came to just laugh at the Jews and sent him away. Not giving up too quickly the gentile went to Hillel in his yeshiva and asked the same question. Hillel smiled at him and said, "Love your fellow man just as yourself. That is the whole entire Torah, and now there are things that follow it. We can go and sit down to learn in detail what exactly is entitled to 'Love your fellow man as yourself.'"

Rabbi Akiva says that this is the biggest Mitzva, and most general one in the entire Torah. Hillel added that all the other Mitzvoth stem out of this one.

One may ask what in heavens name does eating Kosher have anything to do with loving ones fellow man as yourself?
The reply is simple and reversed psychological.
What exatly is Ahavat Yisroel (loving ones fellow as yourself)?

Lets take eating Kosher for example:

Do you care if someone else eats Kosher or not? If ones religious or not?

Why should you bother? First take care of yourself make sure that you are doing all that is written in the Torah. When your done with that, then maybe you will be able to convince someone else to eat kosher or keep mitzvoth.

However this is the wrong way of thinking. It is true to say 'how can you tell someone else to keep mitzvoth when you yourself are not.' But at the same time that you start, you can always care for the other makeing sure he has Kosher food in his plate. One should assist the other in doing mitzvoth. He shouldn't tell him or command him this is not his place, but he may suggest 'help in doing the Mitzvah.' No Jew is too non-religious not to do it. Every Mitzvah that a Jew does connects him to G-d.

However an interesting question comes up:

How do we know that we are connected to G-d? And why is Ahavat Yisroel specificaly the main Mitzvah and not any other thing such as prayer or learning?

The answer is.
Through loving ones fellow as himself, one will see how he must feel towards G-d. Just like one is so connected to oneself, that is how one should strive to feel connected to his fellow person. After he has accomplished this connection with is fellow man he will seee how he must feel connected to G-d, which is a further external thing.

A Good Shabbat

© Thought of the Week - Yermi Kurkus

Derived from Talmud and The teachings of Rebbe M.M. Schneerson