Decisive explosive point
Parsha and its realization - Parashat Shemini - Rabbi Eliezer Shenvald - 5769
This year we will read Parashat Shemini on Shabbat Mevarchim the month of Nissan. The Parsha begins with the dedication of the Mishkan on the eighth day of the days of ordination, which falls on Rosh Chodesh Nissan:
" וַיְהִ֞י בַּחֹ֧דֶשׁ הָרִאשׁ֛וֹן בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ הוּקַ֖ם הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃
"In the first month of the second year, on the first of the month, the Tabernacle was set up" (Shmot 40:17).
This day a national project was completed after a long process - the construction of the Mishkan and its vessels, which began the day after Yom Kippur about six months before its inauguration (Rashi, Shmot 35).
וּלְכַמָּה חֳדָשִׁים נִגְמְרָה מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר בִּשְׁלֹשָה חֳדָשִׁים נִגְמְרָה מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן תִּשְׁרֵי, מַרְחֶשְׁוָן, כִּסְלֵו. וְהָיָה מֻנָּח וּמְפֹרָק טֵבֵת וּשְׁבָט וַאֲדָר. וְהֶעֱמִידוּהוּ בְּאֶחָד בְּנִיסָן, וכו'. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא אוֹמֵר, בְּאֶחָד בַּאֲדָר הָיְתָה נִגְמֶרֶת מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן. לָמָּה, שֶׁהַמְּלָאכָה שֶׁנַּעֲשֵׂית בַּקַּיִץ בְּיוֹם אֶחָד, נַעֲשֵׂית בַּחֹרֶף בִּשְׁנֵי יָמִים,
וּכְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי שֶׁאָמַר, שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה הַמִּשְׁכָּן בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים. לָמָּה לֹא עָמַד מִיָּד. אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁחָשַׁב הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְעָרֵב שִׂמְחַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן בְּשִׂמְחַת הַיּוֹם שֶׁנּוֹלַד בּוֹ יִצְחָק אָבִינוּ (מדרש תנחומא פקודי י'א).
How many months were required to complete the work of the Tabernacle? R. Samuel the son of Nahman held that the work of the Tabernacle was completed in three months, Tishrei, Marheshvan, and Kislev, and it remained unassembled through Tevet, Shevat, and Adar. It finally was erected on the first day of Nisan, etc. R. Hanina held: The work on the Tabernacle was completed by the first day of Adar. Why? Because the work that can be accomplished on one day in the summer is equal to two days work in the winter. If what R. Samuel the son of Nahman said is correct, and the Tabernacle was completed in three months, then why was it not erected immediately? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to combine the festivities of the erection of the Tabernacle with the celebration of the birthday of our patriarch Isaac. Isaac was born on the first day of Nisan. (Midrash Tanchuma Pekudei 11).
The date for the dedication of the Mishkan was determined according to the birthday of Yitzchak Avinu, whose binding is the basis of Israel's korbanot.
On this day, the eight days of ordination, that began on the 23rd of Adar and until Rosh Chodesh Nissan, finished.
They were intensive preparation days, during which the establishment and dismantling of the Mishkan and the Avodat Hakorbanot were practiced with the ordination sacrifices mentioned at the end of the previous Parasha.
The climax at the end of the building of the Mishkan, was the fire that descended from heaven:
וַתֵּ֤צֵא אֵשׁ֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י ה וַתֹּ֙אכַל֙ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ אֶת־הָעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶת־הַחֲלָבִ֑ים וַיַּ֤רְא כָּל־הָעָם֙ וַיָּרֹ֔נּוּ וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃
"Fire came forth from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat parts on the altar. And all the people saw, and shouted, and fell on their faces". (Vayikra 9:24).
At this point, the Holy One, Blessed be He, placed His Divine Presence upon him:
וַיְכַ֥ס הֶעָנָ֖ן אֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וּכְב֣וֹד ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃
וְלֹא־יָכֹ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה לָבוֹא֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד כִּֽי־שָׁכַ֥ן עָלָ֖יו הֶעָנָ֑ן וּכְב֣וֹד ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃
"The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of the LORD filled the Tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud had settled upon it and the Presence of the LORD filled the Tabernacle". (Shmot 40:34-35).
On this day there was joy:
מה תלמוד לומר "ויהי"? מלמד שהיתה שמחה לפניו במרום כיום שנבראו בו שמים וארץ. (ספרא שמיני פרשה א)
What is the intent of (Vayikra 9:1) "And it was (on the eighth day")? We are hereby taught that (the day of the erection of the mishkan was as joyous before Him on high as the day of the creation of heaven and earth". (Sifra Shemini Mechilta d'Miluim 2:15).
Each planned process is designed to be finished. There is a deadline to finish it and when it arrives, everything should be working perfectly. In order to reach the end point perfectly and in time, intermediate steps must be set. Everything leads towards the fateful moment, the 'moment of truth'. During the process there are usually ups and downs, usually the main tension concentrates on the final moments, the "last minute", the moment of decision. Usually, if the "end is good", it feels like "everything is good," as in
"ט֛וֹב אַחֲרִ֥ית דָּבָ֖ר מֵֽרֵאשִׁית֑וֹ "(קהלת ז ח).
"The end of a matter is better than the beginning of it. (Ecclesiastes 7: 8).
"כללו של דבר הכל הולך אחר החתום"
The baraita summarizes that the general principle is: Everything follows the conclusion". (Berakhot 12a).
If the process does not reach its destination, and in time, the entire process will be a missed opportunity, and then you are left with regrets without the possibility to change. This moment is fateful, it is very sensitive and has an explosive potential. Sometimes there is only a small margin, like a thread, between a big success and a missed opportunity.
On the eighth day, at the height of the process, the great tragedy of the death of Nadav and Avihu occurred in the Holy of Holies by them offering a strange fire.
וַיִּקְח֣וּ בְנֵֽי־אַ֠הֲרֹן נָדָ֨ב וַאֲבִיה֜וּא אִ֣ישׁ מַחְתָּת֗וֹ וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ בָהֵן֙ אֵ֔שׁ וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ עָלֶ֖יהָ קְטֹ֑רֶת וַיַּקְרִ֜בוּ לִפְנֵ֤י ה֙ אֵ֣שׁ זָרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹ֦א צִוָּ֖ה אֹתָֽם׃
Now Aaron’s sons Nadav and Avihu each took his fire pan, put fire in it, and laid incense on it; and they offered before the LORD alien fire, which He had not enjoined upon them (Vayikra 10:1)
"ולדעת רוב המפרשים ז"ל הכניסו קטרת זה לפני ולפנים, וראייתם על זה פרשת אחרי מות, כי שם הוזהר אהרן שלא יכנס לפנים אלא בקטרת שלא ימות כדרך שמתו בניו, וזה דעת רש"י והחכם רבי אברהם בן עזרא ז"ל."
"Most of the commentators claim that Nadav and Avihu brought their incense into the Holy of Holies. As proof for their opinion they offer what is written in Leviticus 16,2 that even Aaron must not enter the Holy of Holies on any day other than the Day of Atonement on pain of death. The only occasion on which the High Priest is allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, equipped with incense, is the Day of Atonement. The warning of the death penalty there is linked to the death of the two sons of Aaron, suggesting that this is precisely what they had been guilty of. This is also the opinion of Rashi. Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra (on Vayikra 16:1) agrees". (Rabbeinu Bahya Vayikra 10:1)
Beginning with Rosh Chodesh, the days of the sacrifices of the princes began. Days of joy with explosive sensitivity,
גִ֗ילוּ בִּרְעָדָֽה׃ "tremble with fright". Since then these days are days of joy and we do not say Tachanun.
This year, the election campaign will enter the final line and come to an end. The fateful ten days, after several months of campaigning, will decide the entire process. Apparently, a 'celebration of democracy' for renewed Jewish sovereignty after two thousand years, but also days of explosive sensitivity that require extra caution. All the parties are making a big last-minute effort to get another vote. There is a deadline. Spin-chasing spin, and a battle of network videos is in full swing. It seems that these elections will be remembered as one of the most difficult and low ones. For the general and the religious public. After the election date, decisions will be made for several years. After them, it will be difficult to change. Many issues are on the agenda. The future of the State of Israel, the attitude toward Judaism and the Torah, and the fate of the Land of Israel.
The camps got separated and split into smaller parties that threaten the fate of them all, even among the religious public. There are floating voices, changing their minds this way and the other according to the events. And accordingly, the results of the periodic surveys fluctuate. And there are those who are not comfortable with the current situation and ask for change, although no one is sure that the replacement will be better than what already exists and perhaps even worse.
It is almost certain that, as in previous elections, at the last moment, towards the decisive moment, there will be many who will eventually "return home." To the familiar place that had been their home all these years. And will give them their voice.