YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Tetzave
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
Aharon had four sons: Nadav, Avihu, Elazar, and Itamar. The first two were killed when acting inappropriately before Hashem. Elazar succeeded his father and helped divide Eretz Yisrael among the generation that entered the Land. His son, Pinchas, received a covenant of eternal priesthood due to his zealousness in defending Hashem’s honor. His extremely long reign as spiritual leader spanned the majority of the period of the Judges. He apparently lost the kehuna gedola as a result of spiritual downturns accompanying civil wars at the time of pilegesh b’Giva and that of Yiftach.
During the next period, Itamar’s descendants held the kehuna gedola. First Eili ran the Mishkan’s operations in Shilo. His sons, Chofni and Pinchas, were killed in battle, as were other kohanim soon thereafter. However, Eili’s descendant, Achiya, served during Shaul’s reign (Shmuel I, 14:3). It is apparently his brother, Achimelech, who was killed along with many other kohanim in Nov, by Shaul’s decree, when they appeared to support David. Evyatar, Avimelech’s son, wandered in exile with David.
It is not surprising that after all of these tragedies to Itamar’s family, when David made a census of the kohanim and formed 24 shifts of service, 16 of them came from Elazar’s family. The reemergence of the house of Elazar was completed when Shlomo removed Evyatar from office, after which time the kehuna gedola always rested in the family of Tzadok, a descendant of Elazar.
The choosing of a family of kohanim gedolim follows a trend of choosings that shaped the way our nation serves Hashem. Eretz Yisrael was chosen from the lands, and Jerusalem from its cities. The Beit Hamikdash was chosen among Jerusalem; Aharon was chosen as the kohen and David’s family as kings. What is interesting is that Tzadok’s choice is linked to the choice of Jerusalem. In the wake of Avshalom’s rebellion, David fled Jerusalem, and Tzadok wanted to accompany him. David told him to return because if he, David, would merit returning to his throne, it would be, of necessity, in Jerusalem. David saw that, in any case, Tzadok must be linked to Jerusalem and remain there. On that day, Evyatar tried unsuccessfully to access the urim v’tumim and Tzadok emerged as the permanent choice as the progenitor of the kehuna gedola.
As our haftara shows, along with the eternal nature of the choice of Jerusalem, the prominence of the family of Tzadok is also eternal.
The Wisdom of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein The Level of Amalek
The Wisdom of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (12) - Tetzave Zachor
Army and War "If Haredim Should Serve in the IDF, So Should You"
IDF Service for Young Jewish Men from America
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
