Parshat Tetzaveh 5778-an amazing comment of the Vilna Gaon

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February 23 2018
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Parshat Tetzaveh 5778-An observation from the Vilna Gaon


Parshat Tetzaveh is unique in that it is the only parsha where the name of Moshe is omitted(a clear allusion to the 7th Adar, which is always during the week of parshat Tetzaveh and is the yahrzeit (and birth date) of Moshe, therefore explaining why his name is missing from this parsha).This question of the absence of his name is further compounded by the introduction to the parsha, where God speaks to Moshe in the ‘2nd person singular’ tense, which is a sign of great closeness, (as we find in French with the use of ‘tu’ instead of ‘vous’).This makes the omission of Moshe’s name even more curious, as the parsha exhibits the amazing closeness that Moshe experienced with God.


One of the great lamdanim in London for many years was Dayan Michael Fisher zal who passed away in 2004 at the age of 94.He had studied in Radin during the period of the Chafetz Chaim and he had also met other gedolim such as R’ Yosef Rosin zal, the Rogotshower Gaon( who died in 1936).He mentioned in one of his shiurim that his birthday is always on Parshat Tetzaveh and that is why he was named ‘Michael’. There are 101 verses in the parsha and the mnemonic to remember this number is with the numerical value (gematria) of the word ‘michael’ which adds up to 101.


The Vilna Gaon takes this idea a stage further with a mathematical analysis, unique to the style of the Gaon(quoted in the sefer  Kehillat Yitzchak). He takes the name of Moshe and writes each letter in full, e.g, מ ש ה



Mem,Shin Hay, is written in full as ‘Mem’ ‘Mem’,/ ‘shin’ /‘Yud’ /‘Nun’, and ‘Hai’/ ‘Aleph’.If you take all the hidden letters in Moshe’s name as seen here , you have the letters ‘mem’ ‘yud’ ‘nun’ and‘aleph’. The sum total of these letters is 101(mem=40, yud=10,nun=50 and aleph=1). This is a reference to the number of verses in Parshat Tetzaveh, and is telling us that although the ‘nigleh’(revealed) part of Moshe(as represented by the 'external' part of his name) is no longer with us, his essence is still as vibrant as ever and it is this essence of Moshe which we take with us as Jews throughout our lives, to be inspired and uplifted by the Torah conveyed by God to Moshe on Mt.Sinai over 3000 years ago. This is further highlighted by the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh who points out, in the first verse of Parshat Vayelech, that it says that “Moshe went’ but does not tell us where he went. The Ohr Hachaim explains that part of Moshe’s essence (neshama) went into every Jew for all generations, and this clarifies in a spiritual way the idea of the ‘pintele Yid’ which we find in so many people, who start their lives far removed from any real Jewish existence and become awakened at some point to who they really are. Truly remarkable!


The insights of these great Rabbis should encourage us to look for the depth and beauty of Torah study especially at the time of the Purim holiday when the Jews renewed their allegiance to the Oral law, as explained in Talmud Bavli (Shabbat-88a). Although God’s name is missing from the Megillah we know that the essence of God’s hashgacha is there for us all the time. We are encouraged to look beneath the surface, to see Hashem and understand His love and closeness to the Jewish people. This is a similar lesson to that of the Vilna Gaon on our parsha and is truly worthy of our attention at all times.                  


Shabbat Shalom and Purim Sameach



Venue: Stern College Stern College

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Dedicated in the memory of Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Poupko zal who passed away this week in Eretz Yisrael. A great scholar who I had the privelege to study with many years ago in Israel.

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    Learning on the Marcos and Adina Katz YUTorah site is sponsored today by Judy & Mark Frankel & family l'ilui nishmos מרדכי בן הרב משה יהודה ע"ה and משה יהודה ז"ל בן מאיר אליהו ויהודית