Parshas Tetzaveh
“You
shall place both stones on the shoulder straps of the ephod,
remembrance stones for the Children of Israel.” Shemos
28:12
Moshe was commanded to
make garments for the Kohanim
Moshe was commanded to make garments for
the Kohanim. Included in these was the ephod,
a piece of clothing similar to an apron, with two shoulder
straps on top holding the avnei shoham, gold settings
that contained precious stones. HASHEM told Moshe to engrave
the names of the twelve shvatim (tribes) onto these
stones as a remembrance. Rashi explains that this was so
that the memory of Reuvain, Shimon, Levi, etc. would be
invoked when the Kohain Gadol did the avodah,
and HASHEM would then remember their righteousness.
The shvatim sinned
This Rashi seems to be difficult to
understand. The avodah (service) of the Kohain
Gadol is vital and highly sensitive; the world’s very
existence depends upon it. As a result, there are many items
that are avoided in the avodah so as not to bring up
even the faintest memories of sin. While there is no
question that the shvatim were men of extraordinary
greatness, that greatness was also tainted with the sin of
selling their brother. Didn’t that sin permanently affect
who they were? Shouldn’t that be reason enough not to
mention their names in such a critical situation?
Every diamond has a flaw
The answer to this
is based on an issue of perspective.
Imagine that there are two large diamonds
in front of you, one a beautifully cut jewel with a minor
flaw, and the other the same as the first, but flawless – a
perfect diamond. If we were to ask a diamond expert to
appraise the two, there is no doubt that he would tell us
that the difference between them is huge. He would say that
the diamond with the minor flaw is worth a fortune while the
completely flawless diamond is almost worthless — because it
is a fake. One of the signs that a diamond is real is that
it has a flaw. While it may be a very minor imperfection and
almost unnoticeable, all genuine diamonds have flaws. The
only perfect diamonds are made of cubic zirconium, and are
costume jewelry.
HASHEM created the
human, knowing he would sin
When HASHEM formed man, it was not for
him to be perfect. Perfection rests in the realm of the
Molochim (angels). A moloch will spend its entire
existence without sin. Molochim are perfect. But
molochim aren’t man. Man and man alone was given the
unique opportunity in all of Creation: to determine his
destiny, either becoming the greatest of all, or sinking
below the animals.
To allow man to create who he would be
for eternity, HASHEM gave him free will. However, free will
doesn’t mean the theoretical ability to choose; it
means being put into situations where either choice is
viable and either option is real. Man has to be challenged.
To allow for that, man has to be tempted to choose either
good or bad and be given the ability to make mistakes. Every
man has, and every man will make mistakes. Some are large,
and some are small, but the idea of man living without sin
isn’t part of the picture.
The shvatim were like flawed diamonds
The answer to the question on Rashi seems
to be that the shvatim were in fact men of
unimaginable greatness, but they also had flaws and sinned.
Each would be compared to a 200-carat diamond – with an
imperfection. They were huge, beautiful diamonds, with
flaws.
When viewing a diamond, you don’t see
the flaw. To perceive it, you need to look through a
jeweler’s loop that magnifies the stone by a power of ten
times or more. Only via direct scrutiny does the flaw become
noticeable. It is always present, but the eye doesn’t see
it. All the eye sees is glimmer and reflected light in an
object of extreme beauty.
What will I be like in
Olam Habbah?
This concept has great relevance to us.
People often wonder, “What will it be like for me in the
World to Come? I’ve done many good things in my life, but
I’m no tzaddik. I’ve also done plenty wrong, and I
can’t even say that I did teshuvah for everything.”
“For eternity, I will be exactly what I
made myself into. So what kind of Olam Habbah am I
going to have? Forever I will walk around with my faults
permanently part of me. How will I ever enjoy eternity when
I am sullied – permanently stained?”
I will be like a diamond
with a flaw
This Chazal tells us that our
imperfections are what they are, and unless we remove them
with the process of teshuvah, they will be on our
permanent record. However, all that means is that I will
have flaws, like a diamond. Maybe I’ll be a two-carat
diamond, maybe a four-carat – but a precious gem
nonetheless. While the blemishes will be there, so too will
the shining brilliance of a jewel. One doesn’t cancel out
the other. The flaw isn’t eliminated, nor is the brilliance
eradicated. Both are there. I will be a diamond with a flaw.
My work now, as long as I have time
left, is to improve the quality of the diamond and to
eliminate its faults. By learning Torah, doing mitzvahs,
and working on my middos, I change the weight, color,
and clarity of the stone. Who I will be for eternity is in
my hands. If I focus my attention and energies on growth, my
reward will be perfection more valuable than the finest
diamonds ever mined.
Sent by: Joy Haber
joy.pricinggunsworld@gmail.com
on Jan 3, 2012
