The Eighth Day The Light Of Moshiach

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In this week's parsha, Shemini, on the first verse, "And it was on the eighth day," the Kli Yakar asks: Why is the day after the seven days of installation called the eighth day? There were only seven days of installation, as the verse says, "for He will install you for seven days." These seven days were the days that they inaugurated the altar, and the day after was separate, it was the inauguration of Aaron and his sons. But it calls it the eighth day, as if it was connected. Why? 

The Kli Yakar answers, that this day was special, as it says further, "for on this day Hashem will show Himself to you." Why specifically on this day and not on the previous seven? Because it was the eighth, and it has an extra holiness to it, since "Every number seven is mundane and the number eight is holy." And that is the reason that we do a Bris on Shabbos, because a Bris is on the eighth day and Shabbos is on the seventh day, and "The spiritual pushes off the physical." 

This is not to say that Shabbos isn't holy, it is definitely holy, but since it is one of the seven days of creation, it is part of creation, which is mundane compared to the number eight which is above creation, so compared to the eighth day, Shabbos is called mundane. 

As the Kli Yakar continues to explain, that the lyre of the time of Moshiach will have eight strings (it will have an eighth note), because in the era of Moshiach the light of the eighth day will shine bright. In the Temple the lyre had seven strings and it was obviously holy, but compared to the lyre of the time of Moshiach it is mundane. 

The same is true about the study of Torah now, of course it is holy, but compared to the level of Torah study that Moshiach will reveal, it is called nothing. 

The answer of the Kli Yakar is difficult to understand, because it doesn't appear to answer the question, if anything, it seems to make his question stronger. His answer is that the eighth day is completely higher than the seven days of installation, that it is in a league of its own, the seven days of installation are connected to the seven days of creation, and the eighth is above creation. Whenever you say eighth, it means that it is a continuation of the seven that come before it, but here it is totally separate. It begs the question: Why would it be called the eighth day? 

The explanation. The revelation in the time of Moshiach will come as a result of our service to Hashem in the exile, even though it will be infinitely greater than the service that we do. We do the best we can and Hashem then bestows His revelation from above, which is beyond anything we can attain on our own. However it must be prefaced by our effort. Even though it is totally separate, and beyond us, it is still connected to our effort, so it is considered as if it is from our service. 

The same is true about the eighth day. Even though it was in a league of its own, it was totally separate above the seven days of installation, as it says, "for on this day Hashem will show Himself to you," it could only come as a result of the effort of the seven days of installation that preceded it, it is therefore called the eighth day. 

Similarly, the day of Shabbos itself has these two ideas. On one hand, it is part of the week of creation, which is connected to the mundane, its holiness is therefore within creation. It is the day that comes in conjunction with the six work days, and it's a product of our effort, as it says, "to make the Shabbos." On the other hand, Shabbos is a taste of the world to come, the time of Moshiach, which is called, "The day that is totally Shabbos." It is a gift from Hashem, beyond anything we can achieve on our own, as the Talmud tells us, that Hashem says, "I have a good gift in My treasury and it is called Shabbos." This level of Shabbos is a gift from above. 

Although it is a gift from above, and beyond anything we can achieve on our own, it comes only after we put in our effort, as our sages say, "The one who toils on Erev Shabbos, will eat on Shabbos." We have to do something to merit the gift, as our sages say about gift giving, "If he didn't do anything to cause me pleasure, I wouldn't have given him a gift." A gift is not payment, it is above and beyond payment. Our effort is miniscule compared to the great gift of Shabbos that is bestowed upon us from above, but if not for our effort, we would not be getting the gift. 

You may ask: If Shabbos is so holy, how can a Bris push it off? Because even the gift level of Shabbos is only a "taste" of the world to come, and not the full thing, it doesn't compare to an eighth day, which Bris is. Therefore Bris pushes off Shabbos. 

The same is true about the eighth day. It is obvious that the effort of the seven days of installation wasn't enough to receive the gift of the eighth day, "for on this day Hashem will show Himself to you," but it was only after the service of the seven days of installation was completed, that the revelation of the eighth day could be bestowed upon them. And that is why it is called the eighth day, because it comes only after the service of the seven days before it. 

May we complete our effort in the exile and merit the ultimate level of the eighth day, which Hashem will bestow upon us with the coming of Moshiach. May he come soon. 

The Jewish Woman, Bringing Blessing To The Home

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All Vayikra Articles

This week's parsha, Vayikra, is the beginning of the book of Vayikra, which tells us about the sacrificial offerings that were offered in the Mishkan and later in the Temple. The sacrificial offerings were the primary service done in the Mishkan and Temple.

The Torah is eternal, meaning that we can and should take a practical lesson from every law and story found therein, and that applies for every person, in every place and at every time.

This is especially true about the details of the service in the Mishkan and Temple, because that is what Hashem wants most, to reside in us, that we should make ourselves, our homes and our place in the world, into a Mikdash, a holy place for Hashem to be. Even though the Temple was destroyed, its teachings are pertinent and relevant to us, and maybe more so than ever.

As mentioned above, the sacrificial offerings were the primary service in the Temple. The main offering in the Temple was the Tamid offering. It was a daily offering brought once in the morning, before all the other sacrifices, and once again in the afternoon, after all the other sacrifices.

What are some of the lessons that we are meant to learn from the Tamid offering?

The Tamid was offered twice daily, but it wasn't an obligation for every Jew to bring one, rather it was one offering that included all of the Jewish people. It was also a small offering, that consisted of a lamb, a bit of wine and oil, some flour and salt. How was everyone included in the Tamid offering? It was purchased from the half shekel that was given annually. When you divide it over a year, you realize that the part that everybody had in a Tamid was small, if not miniscule, yet this brought blessing to the Jewish people throughout the year, no matter where they were.

The lesson here is that Hashem doesn't want us to give away all of our possessions to Him, rather, He wants a little, but it is how that little bit is given that matters. Hashem wants you to do it with your whole heart, meaning with passion and joy. It is not how much you give, but how you give it, that matters to Hashem. That is why the Tamid was so powerful, because the people gave to it with their whole heart. When you give to Hashem with all of your heart, with passion and joy, then your life and home are filled with blessings, just as it was when the Tamid was brought.

Another lesson from the Tamid, is that although it was only brought in the morning and evening, it was called Tamid, which means constant. If it was only brought twice a day, why was it called constant? Because although it was only brought twice a day, its effect was constant, it affects lasted all day long, so it was constant. It was the foundation for all the offerings that came after it, it influenced and affected them.

The same is true for our day. Our day consists of a number of events and tasks, physical and spiritual and we don't always see the G-dly light in them. Even the time that one spends on soul matters are flawed, because it is done from a human perspective, which is commonly wrong, and at times, could lead one astray.

What we have to do, is give ourselves over to Hashem first thing in the morning, before anything else. And that is what we do when we say, "Modeh ani lefanecha melech... I give thanks before You King..." as soon as we wake up. This is thanking Hashem for returning our neshamas, and we call Him "King," a king is one who you give yourself completely over to, your body and even your life. It is proclaiming Hashem your King and giving yourself completely over to Him.

When one brought a sacrifice, the main things that were offered, was the blood that was sprayed on the altar, and the fat that was burned on the altar. The blood is the life force of the body, it represents the life and the passion of the person. The fat is the good stuff, it represents pleasure. What Hashem wants, is that we should give our pleasure and the our passion to Him, that we should make what He wants, our passion and our pleasure.

When you start your day with Modeh ani, all the chores of the daily grind are influenced by this proclamation, your passion and pleasure is for Hashem. It's in effect, the Tamid offering of your day, and it brings blessing to you, your home and your family.

A third lesson from the Tamid. The Midrash says, that the Tamid was an atonement for sins committed prior to its offering. In other words, Hashem gives a person the opportunity to return to Him, if he or she happened to have a moral failing.

Our lives are difficult, every one of us are put to the test regularly, and it is possible for one to fail the test. This is not a reason to give up, rather you should bring a Tamid offering, say Modeh ani, which is the same idea as the Tamid. If you say Modeh ani with your whole heart and soul, with a true resolve to give yourself completely over to Hashem, it is like offering a Tamid, and He will surely forgive you.

A Jew should never give up on himself, but he should take the opportunity to return to Hashem with all of his or her heart, repair what needs repairing, mend what needs mending, and hopefully Hashem will accept his teshuva.

This teshuva, in the way of Modeh ani, is making the decision with your whole heart, with a strong resolve to put your passion, joy and pleasure in holy things. And when you do teshuva in the way of the Tamid offering, you are forgiven by Hashem and you are given the blessings, for you, your home and your family.

This is especially important for women, who are the backbone of their homes and their families. When they set up their homes to have a Tamid atmosphere, it brings Hashem's blessing to their homes.

The blessings of the home will surely have a ripple effect, it will spread to all of the Jewish people, and it will hasten the coming of Moshiach, when we will once again see the Tamid being offered. May it happen soon.

Dedicated to my wife Dina who is the backbone of our home and a true aishes chayil, beautiful inside and out. 

Completing The Redemption, Making A Home For Hashem

In honor of mine and my father's birthdays. 

Dedicated to all those involved in the Tefillin for Yitzi campaign, and the Shabbat Candles for Yitzi campaign, and to all who did a mitzvah, put on Teffillin, or lit Shabbat candles in my merit. Thank you so much, it is the best gift. 

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This week's parsha, Pekudei, gives an account of all the donations to the construction of the Mishkan and how they were used, it tells us about the making of the priestly garments that the Kohanim were to wear when they were to do the service. The anointing of the vessels and how they began the service. And finally, "The glory of Hashem filled the Mishkan." 

Nothing in the Torah is arbitrary, not even the division of our parshas or their names. One shouldn't think, that in order to complete the Torah within a year, they had no choice but to divide it this way, rather the Zohar says, that there are "53 sedros of the Torah," meaning that there are 53 different themes, that the parshas represent. And the Shaloh Hakadosh tells us, that the parsha of the week is connected to the time of the year that it falls. 

This is the final parsha of the book of Shemos, which our sages call, the book of "The Geula," which means redemption, and the world therefore calls it Exodus. That means that parshas Pekudei represents the culmination of redemption, in which we see the ultimate purpose of the Exodus from Egypt, and it is a lesson for the final redemption, which we are waiting for. 

Most years Vayakhel and Pekudei are read together, nevertheless they have two unique themes, two important messages, however being that in most years Vayakhel and Pekudei are read together, and we have a rule that "we follow the majority," even in a year that they are separate, we must learn a lesson from the two themes coming together. In other words, even though there are two weeks, in a way, we see it as one long week. 

What are the themes of Vayakhel and Pekudei? What is the idea of them together? And what is the connection to the time of the year? 

Vayakhel tells us how Moshe gathered all the Jewish people, told them the commandment of building the Mishkan and how they donated to and built the Mishkan and its vessels. Its theme is the effort of the Jewish people in the service of Hashem, as the people served Hashem with everything they had, their money, their bodies and their souls. Their money, as everyone donated gold, silver, copper, etc., their bodies, as the men and women toiled to do everything necessary to build it, and their souls, as they all gave from their hearts, and used their talents, which are from the soul, to build a home for Hashem's Presence. 

The message to us, is that we should use all that we have - our money, body and soul - to build our personal Mishkan - our bodies, our homes, our place in the world and our synagogues - into a home for Hashem. 

Pekudei talks about the finalization of the Mishkan, which became complete with the anointing of the vessels and doing the service with them. And of course, that brought to the main point, that "The glory of Hashem filled the Mishkan." The theme is that when we complete our work, Hashem's Presence dwells with us, and it is infinitely greater than all the work we put in. 

Although the work in parshas Vayakhel, making everything for the Mishkan, also drew G-dliness, as all service to Hashem draws G-dliness, however you can't compare what is drawn by the work of people, who are extremely limited, to the completion of the Mishkan, when Hashem of His own will, filled the Mishkan, which is infinite. 

So the four parshas that speak about the Mishkan, Teruma, Tetzaveh, Vayakhel and Pekudei are in the order of how the Divine Presence is drawn into the world. Teruma and Tetzaveh is the command from Hashem that gives us the ability to make a home for Him in the physical. Teruma teaches us about the vessels of the Mishkan, and Tetzaveh teaches us about the garments of the Kohanim, which they wore when they did the service in the Mishkan. Vayakhel is us putting in the effort to make a home for Hashem, the way He wants it. And Pekudei is Hashem's Presence filling our Mishkan. 

First there is the enabling from above, then there is our effort, doing what we can below, and when our work is complete, then Hashem's infinite Presence, beyond anything that we could achieve on our own, fills our Mishkan, it is a true home for Hashem. 

You may ask: Parshas Pekudei speaks about how they made the garments of the Kohanim, isn't that part of making the Mishkan? 

According to the Rambam, it isn't a mitzvah to make the garments and it is possible that wearing them is also not a mitzvah. It is only that in order to do the service in the Mishkan, the Kohanim had to wear the proper vestments, it is a requirement for a mitzvah, not a mitzvah in itself. In other words, it is not part of making the Mishkan, but part of finalizing it and allowing for the Divine Presence to dwell there. That is the theme of Pekudei, so it fits in perfectly. 

Vayakhel is our work within the confines of nature and Pekudei is Hashem's infinite Presence filling our Mishkan, it is experiencing beyond nature. When Vayakhel and Pekudei come together, it is the ultimate Jewish experience, where nature and beyond nature, infinite and finite, come together. 

And that is what the Mishkan is all about, Hashem, Who is infinite, dwelling in the Mishkan, which is finite. And that is the idea of the redemption, Hashem, Who is beyond the natural, dwelling openly in this physical world. 

Usually Vayakhel and Pekudei are read in month of Adar. Adar is the month of Purim, which is always on a regular weekday, the epitome of finite, but at the same time, we are meant to reach the state of, "ad d'lo yada," which is beyond the natural. 

Since this Shabbos is my birthday, and they are doing a Tefillin and Shabbos candle lighting campaign in honor of my birthday, I will connect the ideas of a birthday, Tefillin and Shabbos candles, to parshas Pekudei. 

On a birthday you celebrate the day you were born, which is the day that Hashem gave you life. It is the day that your mission began, to bring redemption to your part of the world, to make it into a home for Hashem. 

Pekudei tells us, that Moshe took an exact accounting of everything that went into the Mishkan and how it was used. In other words, in order to be able to accomplish the mission, in order to have Hashem dwell in the Mishkan, there must be an accounting. 

On your birthday, you should take an account of where you stand in your mission. Have you given your money, body, i.e. your effort, and soul, i.e. your heart and talents, to make a Mishkan, a home for Hashem? Have you studied Torah, done mitzvahs, treated others properly and used your talents, possessions and time for Hashem? 

Tefillin go on the arm next to the heart and on the head over the brain. They are tied, symbolizing the self subjugation of our hearts and minds to Hashem. And when we do that, Hashem dwells upon us, as it says, "And all the nations of the land will see that the name of Hashem is called upon you and they will be afraid of you." And our sages say, that this refers to the Tefillin that goes on the head. This is akin to "The glory of Hashem filled the Mishkan." 

Shabbos and Yom Tov candles are lit after the entire effort of the mundane week and after all the preparations, shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc. And when everything is complete, women and girls light the candles, filling the home with Hashem's light and blessing. They complete their home into a home for Hashem. This is probably the closest we come to "The glory of Hashem filled the Mishkan." 

May we merit to see the third Temple, and the glory of Hashem fill it. Then we will see how it was our efforts that made it all possible, and Moshiach will be here. May it happen soon. The time has come. 

Everyone Is Important

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In this week's parsha, Vayakhel, we read how everyone gave donations for the construction of the Mishkan and its vessels, garments, etc. Everyone gave, men, women and even the children, and they gave much more than was necessary. 

There was also another donation given to the building of the Mishkan, the machatzis hashekel, the half shekel that went to make the sockets that were the foundation of the panels of the Mishkan. The machatzis hashekel had limitations as to who can give, only men from the age of 20 and up, and what they could give, a silver half shekel coin, no more and no less, "The rich person shouldn't add and the pauper shouldn't subtract from a half shekel." And even today, when we give the half shekel, only adults give it, children don't, we give for them, but it is adults that give for the children, the children themselves don't give. 

However, when it came to the regular donations to the Mishkan, there were no limitations as to how much one can give, every person gave what he or she felt like giving, or to who could give, men, women and children gave, and as a matter of fact, the woman gave first, before the men. The women also gave things that the men couldn't, as the women knew how to spin the goat hair while it was on the animal, which was necessary for the Mishkan. 

Like the half shekel, the donations to the Mishkan were an atonement for the sin of the golden calf. Because the Mishkan was constructed after the sin, and Hashem was saying that He would dwell amongst the Jewish people and He would forgive them. And where would His presence dwell? In the Mishkan. So all the donations and the construction were part of the atonement. 

Women and children weren't involved in the sin of the golden calf, why would they need an atonement? Because idol worship effects everybody else, even those who were not involved. 

There is a unique law when it comes to idol worship. If there is a city that goes astray and serves false deities, if convicted (which has never happened), the law is that every man, woman and child in the city is to be put to death. Even though many of the people of the city may have not been involved, they still have the same tragic fate. We see from this that idol worship affects not only the Idolaters, but also others, the entire community. Therefore the women and children were also affected by the sin of the golden calf, and needed some sort of atonement. 

The half shekel was also an atonement for the sin of the golden calf. How come the half shekel was only obligatory for men 20 and up, while the donations to the Mishkan included everybody, men, women and children? 

We must conclude that there were two aspects to the atonement for the golden calf. The first was accomplished by the adult men through the half shekel, and the second was through all of the Jewish people, men, women and children. 

To understand this, let's take a deeper look at the sin of Idolatry. Idolatry doesn't mean that the person throws away the belief in Hashem (heaven forfend), rather it is the belief that there are powerful entities other than Him. On a deeper level, it is the belief that there is anything else but Hashem. 

The opposite of Idolatry, is the oneness of Hashem, the belief that "there is nothing other than Him," and as it says, that He is "G-d the world," and not "G-d of the world," which would mean that the world is an existence of its own, and He is the master of it, rather "G-d (is) the world," In other words, He is the only existence, and this whole world is but a ray of G-dliness. 

This way of thinking leads one to serve Hashem in the way that our sages call, "All of your actions should be for the sake of Heaven." Not that he makes sacrifices and gives up his own desires to do what Hashem wants, rather to begin with, he understands that all of existence is there because of Hashem, is a part of Hashem, and there is nothing but Hashem, therefore his only desire is to serve Him. 

And from there, one can take it a step further, as the verse says, that there is Hashem and "nothing else." The Alter Rebbe explains that it means that there isn't even something that is secondary, nothing that can be termed, "else." In truth nothing exists, there is only Hashem. This way of thinking leads one to serve Hashem in the way of, "Acknowledge Him in all your ways." Not only are your actions "for" Hashem, but you see Him in the most physical and the most mundane actions of your life, even they are holy. 

Now we can understand why the Mishkan is the atonement for the sin of the golden calf, because the idea of the Mishkan is that Hashem wants to dwell in each and every one of us, in that, we make a dwelling for Him in our mundane activities. And that is the reason that it is an atonement for Idolatry, because it shows the ultimate oneness of Hashem, and it is the complete and utter negation of Idolatry. 

There is an order to these steps. In order to reach the highest level of service, to "Acknowledge Him in all your ways," you first have to attain the level of, "All of your actions should be for the sake of Heaven." 

"All of your actions should be for the sake of Heaven," is the foundation that "Acknowledge Him in all your ways" is built on. 

The same is true about the atonement for the golden calf. There were two stages, first there was the half shekel that went to make the sockets that were the foundation for the Mishkan, that had to be given by the 600,000+ adult men, who were a representation of the Jewish people, and it was the men who were involved in the sin. Once that was done, then everyone was able to give, men, women and even children. 

If we are all affected by a sin like Idolatry, could you imagine how powerful the opposite is. If we make ourselves into a home for Hashem, it surely will affect our family, friends, the community and eventually, the whole world. 

This is the call to every Jewish person, man, woman and child, to make themselves into a home for Hashem, building up to the point that He is everything. This way, we will surely merit to have His presence dwell amongst us openly once again, in the third Temple, with the coming of Moshiach. May he come soon.