Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei (HaChodesh) 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
ולא יזח החשן מעל האפד כאשר צוה ה' את משה ... (לט-כא)
The posuk warns against allowing the choshen to become disconnected from the ephod. The significance of this prohibition can be derived from what it says about the choshen earlier in Parshas Tetzaveh that Aharon Hakohen shall carry the names of Bnei Yisroel engraved on the stones of the choshen upon his heart בבואו אל הקודש. Our posuk is telling us that Aharon may never remove the choshen from its designated place, but must always carry the names of the Jewish people upon his heart. This is not just a technical requirement, but a moral imperative for the Kohen Gadol to keep the needs of his Jewish brothers close to heart as he entered before Hashem.
Now, at Matan Torah Bnei Yisroel were told: ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש - that all of Klal Yisroel are considered Kohanim. Thus, although our posuk was stated with regard to the Kohen Gadol, as a mamleches kohanim, we too are obligated to carry acheinu bnei Yisroel on our hearts and keep them in mind in our tefillos and throughout the day. It is not just the learning and fervent tefillos themselves for our brothers and sisters בכל מקום שהם that “poel ois,” but the feeling of solidarity they engender between us.
It is only through such achdus with our fellow yidden that we will be zocheh to the ultimate yeshuah, as Esther told Mordechai, "לך כנוס את כל היהודים" - do you want a yeshuah? Gather all the yidden together in achdus and daven for each other! That is the true eitzah neged the kingdom of Iran/Persia. For in Hebrew, Persia is called "פרס" which means “a broken piece.” Thus, the way to fight Paras is by showing them a united front, that we are complete and whole, כאיש אחד בלב אחד. And just as this was true bayamim haheim, so is it true bazman hazeh. Indeed, the roshei teivos of ולא יזח החשן מעל האפוד spell meiHashem, from Hashem - for it is when we keep acheinu bnei Yisroel on our hearts, that we will be zoche to the yeshuah from Hashem, and ultimately the geulah shleimah, bimeheira biyameinu amen!