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The concept that is the key to our understanding seems to already be planted by Rashi in last week’s parasha. The Torah writes: "Into the ark you shall place the testament that I will give to you" (Shemot 25:21). It actually appears another time, and Rashi inquires as to what this is supposed to teach us. His answer is confusing: First, one puts the luchot (testament) into the aron (ark) before the kaporet (covering) is on it, and only later do we put the kaporet on top. The obvious question is what the lesson of that is – could we think that we would be able to put the luchot in while the kaporet is covering the aron and obstructing access to it?
The lesson seems to be the following. It is possible for there to be a covering of a beautiful golden kaporet, with keruvim emanating from it, and everything will be clean and bright, and that will be enough for people. Who needs the luchot inside, after all, everything on the outside is bright and shiny?! That’s why the Torah had to repeat itself and say: "No, the aron must contain the luchot!" There is a value to the all-gold ark, but its value is only when there is a testament inside. There is value to glorious garments of the kohanim, including the eight pieces of the kohen gadol and the urim v’tumim. But there is a clear prerequisite. "Aharon must arrange the lights." If he knows that he will have a clear mitzva agenda to carry out, then there can be value in his special clothes. If he knows the showiness is not the main thing, then he can have the garments that display his greatness and closeness to Hashem. It is in that way like the kaporet for the aron, bringing it glory, which is appropriate only when the luchot are in it.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Moreshet Shaul Hashem Is your Shadow – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 420 – an address from 1941
P'ninat Mishpat A Non-Contractor in Changing Times – part I
(based on ruling 85128 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Moreshet Shaul Our King on Rosh Hashana, Our Father on Yom Kippur.
Based on Aroch Siach, p. 221 (Rav Shaul Yisraeli)
P'ninat Mishpat A Non-Contractor in Changing Times – part II
(based on ruling 85128 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Moreshet Shaul Hashem Is your Shadow – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 420 – an address from 1941
Parashat Hashavua Happiness for the Right Reasons
[With painful longing, we share these divrei Torah from our co-Rosh Kollel for close to 40 years, Harav Moshe Ehrenreich zt”l.]
