Shmot

Why is the word for a 'thing' in Hebrew - 'davar' - from the same root as the word for 'speech' - 'dibbur? As solid as 'things' seem, they are no more than God 'speaking' them - keeping them in existence by His word.

When we pray for the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash, we are in essence praying for the Divine Presence to dwell once again among us, especially in the Holy Temple.

Why aren't the Muslims and the Christians able to build the temple even though they've been trying for hundreds of years? What are they missing out?

Tetzave starts out with two verses discussing the oil for the Menorah (lamp) in the Mishkan. It must be "pure beaten olive oil," and the lamp must burn perpetually in the Tent of Meeting. The commentators ask: What are these verses doing here in the portion dealing with the choosing and preparation of the Priests? Why are they not in the passage of the Menorah?

If you had your choice, would you choose to live in a world with the potential for great good but the danger of great evil, or a blend of the two resulting in a great blandness?

With parshat Tetzaveh, something new enters Judaism: Torat Kohanim, the world and mindset of the Priest.

The position of Kohen Gadol is arguably the highest in the nation, for he alone could access the Urim V’Tumim & receive Hashem’s verdict for the nation on Yom Kippur.

Why does the Torah write in detail about making the oil for the Menorah whilst the main purpose is the flame that is litten?

How does the mitzva of the oil and the lighting end up in the middle of the blueprints of the Mishkan, in between the description of the structure and its holy vessels and that of the glorious holy garments of the kohanim?