Tetzaveh, (תצווה — Hebrew for "you command,” the second word and first distinctive word in the parshah) is the 20th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes Exodus 27:20-30:10.
The whole temple, tabernacle, ritual cult of early Judaism is a bit of a mystery to me. As a "modern" person in western culture I have many reactions to what I read in this week's Torah portion...
The first reaction is intrigue... all those details on exactly how to construct the priest's garb from head to toe... the phrase that is repeated in the parshah, "...for splendour and for beauty...". The priestly garb was intended to be aesthetically noteable... pleasing... striking even?
Another reaction is visceral... when I read about all the blood and the entrails and culling the fat from the animals to burn for smoke and pleasing aromas... I just think... yucchy. As a high schooler I aided a friend in killing and butchering a lamb... it was not a pleasant experience by any means...
I just don't get all the butchering, burning and blood. Can't quite grasp it.
The description of the breastplate in this week's portion is fascinating...
Exodus 28:15 And thou shalt make a breastplate of judgment, the work of the skilful workman; like the work of the ephod thou shalt make it: of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, shalt thou make it. 16 Four-square it shall be and double: a span shall be the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof. 17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, four rows of stones: a row of carnelian, topaz, and smaragd shall be the first row; 18 and the second row a carbuncle, a sapphire, and an emerald; 19 and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper; they shall be inclosed in gold in their settings. 21 And the stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, every one according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes.
I can't help but think that there is deeper meaning in this particular selection of colors and specific stones... Why do the colors blue, purple and scarlet run throughout the tabernacle? Why not lime, fuschia and teal? What do those colors mean?
Why 4 rows of stone? Why are they in the order they are? Why carnelian, topaz, smaragd, carbuncle, sapphire, emerald, jacinth, agate, amethyst, beryl, onyx and jasper. Why is acacia wood the primary wood in the tabernacle instruments and objects?
It could be as simple as these where the primary dyes and stones available to the Israelites in that time or place. On the other hand, studies in numerology as well the spiritual meaning(s) of colors and stones may offer more sublime explanations...
I wonder if it is best to think about these things as I do many of the dietary prescriptions of keeping kosher these days... I continue to "experiment" with not eating pork and not mixing dairy and meat... If you ask me why these commandments are meaningful at this point I would have to say I'm not really certain... They have meaning to me not due to some deep spiritual essence but rather because they are the clearly prescribed "laws" of my tribe... I don't know why they are what they are... but, in keeping them, I feel I am "walking" with a much of my tribe in our shared collective unconscious.
It does make me smile to find gratification and meaning in keeping a particular life law that I can't fully and rationally explain... It reminds me of that quote I love by Pascal, "The heart has it's reasons that the reason knows not of".
And perhaps that is how I must approach the ritual cult... Not trying to reason it out... but rather, accepting it as a G-d and tribe ordained practice at a point in time in Jewish history... and, cull the contemporary meaning and application out for my life...
The section that "touched" me most today in this Parshah...
Exodus 28:29 And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before HaShem continually. 30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before HaShem; and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before HaShem continually.
And so I will wonder this week... what is on my heart continually? When I approach G-d in prayer... When I interact with G-d as He/She manifests in those around me in my day. What am I keeping on my heart?
Wisdom? Compassion? Humility? Pride? Self preservation? Greed?
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