RITSS HIGH SCHOOL

PRESENTS A D`VAR TORAH

ON TZAV

By Rabbi Moshe Heigh

DID MOSHE AND AHARON NOT BUDGE FROM THE MISHKAN FOR A WEEK?

     A BRIEF CALENDAR REFRESHER: To put matters into chronological perspective, let us review six significant dates in order. Bnai Yisroel had reached Midbar Sinai, our first major destination after leaving Egypt, on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, 2448 (Yisro 19:1 with Rashi). The receiving of the Torah was on Sivan 6, 2448, or Sivan 7 according to R. Yosi (Yisro 19:15 with Rashi - Gemara Shabbos 87A). The golden calf was worshipped and the luchos shattered forty days after, on Tamuz 17, 2448 (Rashi Yisro 18:13, Ki Sisa 32:1). More than eighty days later, on Tishrai 11, 2449, the day following Yom Kippur, Moshe advised Bnai Yisroel regarding the construction of the Mishkan (Rashi Vayakhel 35:1). The components of the Mishkan were finished being built on Kislev 25, 2449, but the structure was not actually set up and dedicated until Rosh Chodesh Nissan, 2449 (R. Chanina in Yalkut Shimoni Melachim 184). We will now see that the Miluim ceremony began EIGHT DAYS BEFORE THIS ROSH CHODESH NISSAN.

     A major segment of today's parsha is devoted to Miluim, the inauguration of the kohanim to serve in the Mishkan. "It is taught in Seder Olam that the consecration of the kohanim - Miluim - began on Adar 23 (2449). All seven days (of the ritual), Moshe would erect the Mishkan, offer his korbonos each morning, and he would disassemble it. On the eighth day, he set it up but did not take it down. That (eighth day, the famous 'Yom Hashmini') was Rosh Chodesh Nissan" (Rashi on Zevachim 101B). We now know the time frame for Miluim. We will see later that the Talmud Yerushalmi has different opinions concerning when and how many times each day Moshe would set up the Mishkan during this week. Incidentally, Moshe's assignment during these days was to train Aharon and his sons to perform the avodah properly.

     Where were Moshe, Aharon, and his sons during the seven days of Miluim? One would assume that they spent a great deal of time by the most sacred part of the Mishkan, the Ohel Moed or Tent of Meeting. "Do not leave the Ohel Moed entrance for seven days, until the concluding day of the days of your inauguration..." (our parsha, 8:33). This seems to say that Moshe, Aharon, and his sons had to remain right near the Mishkan CONSTANTLY during their instillation into the divine service.

     Was it really true that these people did not budge at all from that limited area for a full week plus more? Did they literally "camp out" by the Ohel Moed? Keep in mind that the Mishkan was not even in its erect state for the entire seven day period, since Moshe was building and dismantling it. Let us check the Talmud Yerushalmi in Yoma 1:1 for some information. This Yerushalmi is cited as a major source for this discussion, so we will delve into it in some detail. For the sake of clarity, we will incorporate the words of the Korban Aida, a premier commentary on the Yerushalmi, into our statements. Regarding the Miluim participants taking up residence at the door of the Ohel Moed, the Yerushalmi first examines two psukim. We already saw the first one before: "Do not leave the Ohel Moed entrance for seven days..." (8:33). The second one is 8:35: "At the Ohel Moed entrance you shall reside day and night for seven days..." It appears plain and simple, but it is not. You will now be reminded that the Written Torah and Oral Torah are inseparable; the only way to get the true meaning of Torah Shebiksav is through Torah Sheb'al Peh. No, the people did not need to remain at the Tent of Meeting ceaselessly, the way one would understand the psukim on the surface. The Tent of Meeting did not even remain built for the whole week!

     The above mentioned Talmud Yerushalmi explains that the second pasuk defines the first one. When the Torah says not to leave the Ohel Moed for seven days, it in fact means that for seven days, while the Mishkan was erected and the avodah (service) was being done, the participants needed to be at the Tent. This is true because the second pasuk declares "DAY AND NIGHT", a term used elsewhere to mean THE LATTER PART OF THE DAY AND INTO A PORTION OF THE NIGHT. Consequently, "they were NOT dwelling by the door of the Ohel Moed all day and night" (Korban Aida). He goes on to point out that they would arrive at the end of the day and stay their for the rest of the day and part of the night. The Oznaim L'torah on 8:33, commenting directly on the Yerushalmi, phrases it in the following way: "While the Mishkan was disassembled - we know that every day Moshe would put it up and take it apart - THERE WAS NO 'DOOR OF THE TENT OF MEETING', so they were allowed to go home." This is the meaning of "day and night" - the day would lead into the night. In other words, the Mishkan would be standing at the end of the day into part of the night. There is an opinion in the Yerushalmi that the night should lead into the day as well, meaning that the Mishkan was to be erected a second time within each twenty four hour period - at the end of the night and into the early part of the day. If so, they would need to be present at that time also.

     In summary, the term "day and night" is not to be read hastily and interpreted carelessly. Rather, the day was to turn into night with the Mishkan erect and the inaugurees present, practicing their avodah. This could have been a relatively short time. This authentic approach also elucidates the first pasuk (8:33) about not leaving the door of the Ohel Moed for seven days. As long as there WAS an entrance there, each time the Mishkan was erect, Moshe and the kohanim did not depart.

     The Oznaim L'torah remarks that this whole pshat takes care of another problem. If they had been told to spend an entire week there, including all night every night, they would obviously have to sleep there. Isn't it true that it is forbidden to even sit down in the holy courtyard of the Mishkan or Bais Hamikdosh? How could they sleep there? Rav Sorotzkin says that he had seen this question raised, but it is not a puzzle at all. As we have shown, they did not stay there for seven days straight. They returned home at intervals, when the Mishkan was in its dismantled state. They surely slept at home.

     Is this the end of the story? Absolutely not! We have seen the Talmud Yerushalmi so far. What about the Bavli? It addresses the matter in the midst of another discussion. Succah 43A at the bottom says clearly that by Miluim, they were at the Ohel Moel ALL DAY. Rashi explains that they did not leave at all! Tosfos at the top of Succah 43B does point out that they could not sleep there. The Mishkan courtyard was like the courtyard of the Bais Hamikdosh, where no one was permitted even to sit down, except kings descended from Dovid's royal family (Sotah 41B near the top).

     In short, the Bavli holds they remained there constantly; Tosfos clarifies that they just slept elsewhere. The Yerushalmi's position is that they spent the end of the day and beginning of the night there, plus the end of the night and beginning of the day according to one opinion. We will continue this topic in THREE weeks, on Parshas Shmini, b'ezras Hashem. Have a joyous Pesach, and join us again after Yom Tov!

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