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Parshat Tetzaveh
By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

בס"ד

לשכנו תדרשו

Discovering the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land

ויקחו אליך שמן זית זך

"And so give honor to Your People... happiness to Your Land, gladness to Your city, a budding of the horn of David your servant, and a setting of the lamp for the son of Jesse, speedily in our days...' (Amida of Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur)

The 'lamp of Jesse' is not only a term pertaining to the spiritual light and enlightenment of Messiah, but also pertains to the oil used to anoint the Messiah. This anointing oil, in the case of the Davidic line, is none other than the sacred oil used to anoint the vessels of the Bait HaMikdash. This matter hints to the high spiritual energy that is involved not only in the House of God but also in Israel's regal system, which represents the 'Throne of God' and 'the Honor of God'. Indeed, royalty is very strongly connected to honor, as halacha bids a king not to pardon his honor, 'for his honor is the honor of the entire People of Israel.' Nevertheless, at the same time, the king is bidden to conduct his reign humbly and with deep consideration and care for all the citizens.

The concept 'honor' is linked by our Sages to clothing, as R. Yohanan called his garments 'my honor'. Just as we saw the connection between honor and majesty, so too in Megillat Ester its described as 'wearing royalty'. Actually, our Sages interpret this 'wearing royalty' as achieving Divine Inspiration - Ruah HaKodesh. This interpretation of the Sages can also be explained in light of what we have explained numerous times that the 'Honor of God' is synonymous to the Holy Presence. In other words, we can say that when Ester prepared to speak on behalf of all Israel, which by no doubt is a genuinely majestic role, she wore 'majesty/Honor' connected to the spiritual energy that resides with all Israel, the Holy Presence, thereby achieving its Divine Inspiration. In this way, we gain added meaning to the garments described at length in this week's parsha, of the priests, who serve before the Holy Presence in the Temple.

The Admot Yishai - 'Lands of Jesse' - neighborhood in Hebron, where Jesse is buried, clearly reminds us of the 'lamp of Jesse' and its olive oil of anointment. At the outskirts of this neighborhood lie groves of olive trees which produce excellent olive oil, of which one can benefit from today. When we ascend to the peak of this neighborhood, the Tomb of Jesse itself and the ancient synagogue next to it, we are summoned to feel our great role before countless generations before us, who so wished to come to the Holy Land, and come to such a special spot. Indeed, at this site we 'enrobe ourselves with majesty', 'for all Israel are sons of kings' (Mishna Shabat 14, 4), realizing our great role and mission for all Israel and for all the generations before us. Yes, it is here, 'enrobed in our great realization of will and purpose', that we feel the 'oil of inspiration and en'light'enment' trickling into our consciousness, transforming us, like Saul when he was anointed - 'and you shall be transformed into a different man' )Sam. I 10, 6).

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Real Stories from the Holy Land #211

'One month I was consistently late to work, since I needed to care for medical issues in my family. I 'signed in' each day to work, but did not make any conscious record comparing the hours I entered. However, my boss did notice at the end of the month, and he asked me, 'what is this that you keep signing in exactly at 9:23 am?' I admitted that the absolute truth was that this timing was totally unintentional, and it was only Providence that I consistently came late exactly at the same time...' Y.G

Sources: Megila 15a, Rambam Mlachim 2, 3

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