Parashat Tetzaveh

Torah Portions

Tetzaveh (“You Shall Command”) opens as God instructs Moses to appoint Aaron and his sons as priests. God details how to make the priestly clothing, how to sanctify the priests and offer sacrifices during the seven days of inauguration in the Mishkan (Tabernacle), and how to build the golden altar.

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The Eternal Flame

TANAKH

The eternal flame in the Tabernacle was lit each evening, to burn through the night. Parashat Tetzaveh, in the book of Exodus, details the Israelites' obligation to provide pure olive oil for the eternal flame.

You shall further instruct the Israelites to bring you clear oil of beaten olives for lighting, for kindling lamps regularly. Aaron and his sons shall set them up in the Tent of Meeting, outside the curtain which is over [the Ark of] the Pact, [to burn] from evening to morning before יהוה. It shall be a due from the Israelites for all time, throughout the ages.

Exodus 27:20-21

Sanctifying the Priests

TANAKH

Aaron and his sons needed to be anointed as priests before beginning their service. Parashat Tetzaveh details the intricate rituals necessary to sanctify Aaron and his sons for the priesthood.

Slaughter the ram, and take some of its blood and put it on the ridge of Aaron’s right ear and on the ridges of his sons’ right ears, and on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet; and dash the rest of the blood against every side of the altar round about. Take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle upon Aaron and his vestments, and also upon his sons and his sons’ vestments. Thus shall he and his vestments be holy, as well as his sons and his sons’ vestments.

Exodus 29:20-21

The Incense Altar

TANAKH

A golden altar for incense was placed in the inner chamber of the Tabernacle. Parashat Tetzaveh provides detailed instructions for constructing the incense altar.

You shall make an altar for burning incense; make it of acacia wood. It shall be a cubit long and a cubit wide—it shall be square—and two cubits high, its horns of one piece with it. Overlay it with pure gold: its top, its sides round about, and its horns; and make a gold molding for it round about. And make two gold rings for it under its molding; make them on its two side walls, on opposite sides. They shall serve as holders for poles with which to carry it. Make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold…

Exodus 30:1-7

The Unique Anointing of Aaron

COMMENTARY

Aaron was anointed the High Priest, setting him apart from the other priests. Ibn Ezra, a renowned 12th-century biblical commentator, provides insight into how Aaron was anointed.

HIS HEAD. Only on Aaron’s head, as he was the anointed priest. Now Aaron was anointed before the mitre was placed on his head, for Moses poured the oil only upon the head. We similarly read, It is like the precious oil upon the head, Coming down upon the beard; Even Aaron’s beard (Ps. 133:2).

Ibn Ezra on Exodus 29:7:1

Moses Anoints Aaron as High Priest

COMMENTARY

Moses anointed Aaron as high priest. Rabbi Chaim Ibn Attar, in his 18th-century commentary Or HaChaim, explores the significance of Moses' participation in this ritual.

ואתה הקרב אליך את אהרון אחיך, "And you shall bring near to you your brother Aaron, etc." We must understand the words: "and you- bring near- to you," in light of the statement in Shemot Rabbah 3,17 according to which it was G'd's original plan to appoint Moses as High Priest. This was changed due to Moses' repeated refusal to accept the role assigned to him by G'd which angered G'd. As a result (Exodus 4,14), G'd told Moses that his brother Aaron who had merely been a Levite up to that point, had now been promoted to be a High Priest…

Or HaChaim on Exodus 28:1:1

The Breastplate of Judgment

TARGUM

The breastplate of judgment was a part of the high priest's attire and was believed to reveal hidden truths and guide decisions. Targum Jonathan, an Aramaic translation of the Torah, discusses the role of the breastplate.

And thou shalt make the BREASTPLATE OF JUDGMENT, by which are made known the judgments that are hidden from the judges; and the order of the victories of their battles, and amends that are made for the judges; the work of the artificer; as the work of the ephod, thou shalt make it; of gold, hyacinth, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen twined, thou shalt make it.

Targum Jonathan on Exodus 28:15

The Function of the Priestly Garments

HALAKHAH

Parashat Tetzaveh intricately instructs the details of the priestly garments. Sefer HaChinukh, a 13th-century enumeration and explanation of each biblical commandment, explores the role of the priestly garments in the priest's service.

The commandment of wearing the priestly clothes: That the priests were commanded to wear special clothes for aggrandizement and glory — and then they may serve in the Temple — as it is stated (Exodus 28:4), “and they shall make priestly clothes for Aharon your brother and his sons.” From the roots of the commandment is the principle established for us, that a person is impacted according to his actions and pursuant to his thoughts and intentions. And the agent that atones must attach all of his thoughts and intentions to the [Divine] service…

Sefer HaChinukh 99:1-2

The Tzitz and Ritual Impurity

TALMUD

In a discussion of which vessels can incur ritual impurity, the topic of the tzitz, the high priest's frontplate, arises. The Babylonian Talmud discusses what the tzitz actually looked like.

On the topic of ritual impurity, the Gemara relates: When Rav Dimi came from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, he said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From where is it derived that a woven fabric of any size can become ritually impure? It is derived from the frontplate [tzitz] of the High Priest, which is considered a vessel despite its small size. Abaye said to him: And is the frontplate a woven fabric? Wasn’t it taught in a baraita: The frontplate is made like a kind of smooth plate of gold…

Shabbat 63b:14-17

Diverse Unity in Ephod Stones

CHASIDUT

The stones on the high priest's ephod symbolize the unity and diversity of the children of Israel. Rabbi Mordechai Leiner of Izbica, in his Chasidic commentary Mei HaShiloach, explores the symbolism of the ephod's stones and Aaron's role in representing the tribes of Israel.

Place the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod—stones of remembrance for the children of Israel; and Aaron shall bear their names before God on his two shoulders as a remembrance (Exodus 28:12). The idea here is that God is called “learned in mysteries” in the Talmud (Berakhot 58a:3) for creating many souls (see Mishnah Berakhot 6:8) with different minds, which contradict one another. So it ever is with Israel among themselves, that the children of Leah say that the children of Rachel constrict themselves more than is appropriate, not according to what God commanded…

Mei HaShiloach, Volume II, Exodus, Tetzaveh 3