Parshas Tetzaveh (Zachor) 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Mar 7
- 2 min read
ואתה תצוה את בני ישראל ויקחו אליך שמן זית זך כתית למאור להעלת נר תמיד ... (כז-כ)
The Torah tells us that oil must be pressed from olives for the purpose of lighting the Menorah. However, Chazal expound on the above posuk - "כתתו עצמכם על דברי תורה" - the only way one can access the Maor HaTorah, the eternal light contained in the words of the Torah, is through Yegias HaTorah, by pressing and exerting oneself in his learning. To illustrate this, the Ohr HaChayim HaKadosh brings in the name of the Zohar, that the first three exiles were redeemed in the merit of the Avos, Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov respectively, whereas our current and final exile will be redeemed in the merit of Moshe Rabbeinu. And he writes that it is for this reason that the final galus has gone on for so long: as long as Moshe, the teacher of Torah to Klal Yisrael, sees that the Jewish people are not exerting themselves in their learning enough, that it’s not כתית למאור, that there is a lack of כתתו עצמכם על דברי תורה - he is not interested in the Geulah! Haflah V’feleh! It goes that far!
This is one of the big lessons of Purim - "קימו מה שקבלו כבר". For as the Medrash Tanchuma explains, although at Har Sinai the Jewish people accepted Torah Shebiksav, they were afraid to accept Torah Shebal Peh, due to the sweat and toil that they would have to invest in plumbing its depths. But after witnessing their miraculous salvation on the wonderful Yom Tov of Purim, the Jewish people recommitted themselves to Torah and fully accepted that cheilek of Limud HaTorah as well.
This is a bit of a personal question, but how long has it been since we really worked hard and “hureved” over a sugya like we did in yeshivah, breaking our heads over the Gemara and going through it b’iyun? Yes, without an Artscroll or Mesivta Gemara, or Reid Bites! Morai V’rabbosai, let’s rise to the call of the hour, the ikvasa d’Meshichah, and rededicate ourselves to ameilus baTorah - whether to add an iyun seder with a chavrusa, or to learn carefully and with more clarity whatever limud we are learning now - so that our beloved Moshe Rabbeinu will finally be happy to declare: NOW is the time for the Geulah!