In this week’s parshah, Hakadosh Baruch Hu begins by talking to Moshe Rabbeinu and telling him “You shall command the Bnei Yisrael, and they should take for you, pure olive oil, crushed, for the lighting.” (Shemos 27:20)…Why when it’s talking about the olive oil for the menorah it says they should take ‘for YOU’?
In this week’s parshah the subject is Hashem telling Moshe to tell Klal Yisrael about the Yidden donating money and goods to the Mishkan. One of the keilim in the Mishkan was the Aron. It says regarding the Aron “you should make poles” that you put in the Aron (Shemos 25:13). Chazal say that refers to those who assist those who are involved in eisek haTorah.
I’d like to share with you today a mindset that one should have regarding the mitzvos of Purim. There is a mitzvah of mishloach manos איש לרעהו on Purim that the Yidden were mekabel upon themselves and it’s something that we still do with a great pump. People spend tremendous amounts of energy and money on this mitzvah today, as we see in all the ads, magazines and newspapers. The problem, however, is…
We find in many places in Chazal that building a home is compared to building a Beis Hamikdash. However, most people look at a home as the opposite of a Beis Hamikdash. Everybody is aware that when you go to a Beis Hamikdash you’re stepping up. You’re going for a visit with Hashem. You’re going to a place where Hashem’s presence is felt. You’re going to a place where Hakadosh Baruch Hu wants His presence to be felt. Many people view their home, on the other hand, as a place of escape, a place to relax, a place to let their hair down, a place to chill.
