One of the eight garments of the High Priest is the robe. Famously, the robe contains bells in order ‘that his voice will be heard when he goes into the holy place’. The commentators provide varying explanations of this verse and the reason for the bells. The Hizkuni regards them as required for the sake of the people. The people should hear the bells when the High Priest enters to perform the service and thus know the time of the service and direct their hearts to heaven. Nachmanidies has a more mystical explanation. He connects this verse to one in the passage detailing the service on Yom Kippur. There it is written that ‘no man shall be in the tent of meeting when he enters the holy place until he leaves’. The bells are to signal to everyone, including the angels, that the High Priest is going in to serve G-d and everyone should thus vacate the place leaving him alone with G-d. These two explanations may seem to be contradictory. On the one hand the people are meant to be connected with the service of the High Priest performed in their name. They should also presumably pray at the time he is serving. Yet, on the other hand, the High Priest is to be left so totally alone with G-d that even the angels must leave when he arrives. This paradox however, lies at the essence of Jewish prayer. Prayer in Judaism is at one and the same time both communal and private. The mitzvah of ‘praying with the community’ consists at its heart of ten or more men praying the silent Amidah together. While without a minyan the value of the prayer is considered less, yet this is not public prayer in its normal sense. Jewish law also mandates that it is forbidden to pray in such a way that you can be overheard by your neighbour. We at one and the same time pray privately in public; with our neighbour but alone before G-d. This dichotomy goes to the very heart of Jewish spirituality. Judaism is not a religion of individuals but of a nation. Our connection to the Divine is, essentially, through the medium of being part of the Jewish people. Yet as part of that people we all stand individually responsible before G-d. We are all responsible for each other yet cannot escape the consequences of our individual behaviour. We stand before G-d as part of his people; yet can have an intimate personal relationship. This is the dual nature of Jewish spirituality, symbolised the bells of the robe of the High Priest and actualised every time we pray together as a community.
ALIYAH BY ALIYAH SYNOPSIS
Rishon |
The command to light the Menorah. Aaron’s clothes: the Epod. |
Sheni |
Aaron’s clothes: the Breastplate. |
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Shelishi |
Aaron’s clothes: the Robe, the plate and the Mitre. The four garments of a regular Priest. |
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Revi’i |
The ceremony of induction to the priesthood. |
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Chamishi |
Induction continued. |
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Shishi |
The daily offering. |
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Shevi’i |
The altar of incense. |
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Haftorah |
Ezekiel: 43;10-27: The messianic third temple. |
Sidra Statistics
Parshat Tetzaveh
· has 111 verses ;
· is the 8th in Exodus, 20th in the Torah
· 8th longest in Exodus, 27th longest in the Torah
· has 4 pos + 3 neg = 7 mitzvot.
