Pekudei 5774

The Da'as Zekeinim equates the Mishkan to Creation. Each day of Creation corresponds to a specific posuk said about the Mishkan. For example, the luminaries in Day 4 correspond to the Menorah, which gives off light. Day 6 and the Creation of Man corresponds to Hashem telling Moshe to "bring Aharon and his sons to be priests" (28:1). How do we see Creation of Man in this posuk? I'd like to make a suggestion. Rashi points out in that posuk that Moshe was to bring Aharon once the Mishkan was completed. The comparison can be made to Man, where he was created once the rest of the world was completed. Once he is created, he has a duty to connect to Hashem using the physical world. This is what the priests do with the keilim of the Mishkan.

Vayak'hel 5774

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks compares Bnei Yisroel from last week to this week. Last week, Bnei Yisroel were gathered together in a state of chaos to make the golden calf. This week, they are gathered together in an orderly fashion to donate to the mishkan. Moshe took their original motivation and turned it into avodas Hashem. As Rabbi Sacks puts it, "If you want to bond human beings so that they act for the common good, get them to build something together." This is an important message for a community. We all must work together in an orderly fashion. We must put aside our own personal agendas for the greater good. We shouldn't shun others due to selfish motives. Together, we can help our community grow.

Tetzaveh 5774

Why is the golden altar for incense mentioned after the priestly clothing and priestly inauguration and not along with the other vessels in the mishkan mentioned last week? R' Gedalia Schorr gives the following explanation: The Hebrew word for incense, "ketores," comes from the word "kesher," connection. The ketores has the ability to connect the lower world with the upper world by turning the bad into good. This is why the incense contains a foul-smelling spice called galbanum, to turn its bad smell into a pleasant smell. Aharon and the priests worked "from evening to morning" (27:21), which is another term for turning the bad in this world to good. Since Aharon had this middah, the Torah saw it fit to connect the golden altar with the priests.

Terumah 5774

The first vessel mentioned in the building of the mishkan is the Aron. The Gemara in Yoma says that a miracle occurred and the Aron didn't take up space. Rav Moshe Feinstein explains that this miracle teaches us to be just like the Aron. Just as the Aron held the Torah inside it, so too we are to fill ourselves up with Torah knowledge. But once you do so, you are to act with humility as if you didn't fill yourself at all. Act as if the Torah doesn't take up space inside you and continue to learn without end.

Mishpatim 5774

In the middle of the parsha we learn about the mitzvah of giving tzedakah. In the very same verse, we are commanded not to charge interest. Chazal say in many places how harsh the punishment is for doing so. Why are these two mitzvos next to each other? Rav Chaim Shmulewitz explains that tzedakah is a great mitzvah due to being done out of pure chesed. Charging interest is taking that chesed you've done and tainting it; you look to gain something in return for your good deed. By being selfish, you lose your place in the World to Come.

Beshalach 5774

Later on in the torah portion of Bamidbar, Moshe blesses Yehoshua to save him from the spies. Rashi there says the blessing was "Hashem (Yud-key) will save you". The Tzeidah Laderech asks why did Moshe use that specific name of Hashem as opposed to others. He answers based on the story at the end of Beshalach where Yehoshua defeats Amalek. Hashem swears at the end of the story to fight a continuous war against Amalek using the name (yud-key). Moshe made sure to protect Yehoshua with the swear made by Hashem, especially since the spies had mentioned Amalek in their report back to Bnei Yisroel.

Shemot 5774

There is a famous question regarding Yetzias Mitzrayim. If it was predetermined that Bnei Yisroel would be enslaved, why were the Egyptians punished? Nachmanides answers it was because they went far beyond mere enslavement; they wanted to wipe Bnei Yisroel out. Maimonides answers that Bnei Yisroel was to be enslaved, but Hashem never mentioned by whom. The Egyptians willingly did so out of their own choice.