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THE WEEKLY SIDRA- T’RUMAH
Rabbi Moshe Greebel
On certain occasions, this mailing will involve itself with a more philosophical discussion, in order to reveal some very enlightening and informative aspect of the Torah HaK’dosha, that heretofore, was unknown to many. Yet, even within the most technical and clinical aspects of Torah, lies the inevitable Mussar Haskel (ethical lesson), more often than not, dealing with modesty.
In his Sefer (text) M’kor Chayim, Rabbeinu Shlomo Ben Y’huda Ibn Gabirol (1021-1058) of blessed memory, concluded (as did Aristotle in Metaphysics) that any particular object is a combination of both matter and form. That is, the bricks, timber, stones, etc. of a house, are the matter of that structure, while its form is simply that of a house, plain and straightforward. As far as human observation is concerned, form is noticed prior to its particular matter.
While attending an antique automobile show, our natural human tendency is to first notice form, that we are in the presence of an automobile. The fact that it is a 1954 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible, a classic with an Aztec Red finish, is sensed as matter by us afterwards. The gold pillow with the word ‘Miami’ embroidered on it below a typical palm tree, is to the human species first a pillow (form), before it is ever considered a souvenir of a trip to Florida (matter). Again, humans notice form before they notice matter.
Based on all this, consider the following Passuk (verse) in this week’s Sidra, which speaks of some of the fine materials used in the construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle):
“And turquoise, and purple, and the silk of worms, and fine linen, and goats.” (Sh’mos 25:4)
Now, what did the Torah mean by simply writing these colors such as turquoise and purple? The Gemarah in Y’vamos 4b explained this as:
“…..And yet, the All Merciful said that in them ‘turquoise’ shall be inserted, and turquoise surely, is wool…..”
On our above Passuk, Rashi, citing the Gemarah in M’nachos 42b, taught that ‘turquoise’ was:
“…..Wool dyed in the blood of the Chilazon (sepia officinalis or, the common cuttlefish)…..”
Now, while this explanation of wool applies as well to the purple, it surprisingly also applies to the silk of worms, as we see from the following Passuk, which speaks of the Korban (offering) of one who is cured from the Biblical affliction of Tzoras:
“Then shall the Kohain command to take for him who is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and silk of worms, and hyssop.” (Vayikra 14:4)
Rashi on this Passuk instructed:
“’Silk of worms’ is a strand of wool, colored crimson.”
That is, the expression ‘silk of worms’ refers to the color of a wool dye, not to the material of silk. The Rambam (Maimonides, 1135- 1204) of blessed memory, in the third chapter of Hilchos Parah Adumah, Halacha #2 of Mishna Torah, concurred with this.
Along with all this new found knowledge of what the Torah is really saying, there are the inevitable questions, which were posed by Rav Shimon Schwab of blessed memory (1908- 1993), in his text Mai’Ain Bais HaSho’Aiva. Initially, if the Torah spoke of wool, why did it simply not utilize the word ‘wool’? Second, if the colors of turquoise and blue were the traditional wool dyes in that time, why was it necessary for the Torah to list them separately? Would it not have been more expedient for the Torah to have written, “And dyed wool”?
Continuing with this theme, Rav Shimon posed the following as well. The ‘fine linen’ of our above Passuk, is actually flax (see Y’vamos 4b), its name changed to ‘fine linen’ because it was spun like fine linen. Why did the Torah simply not refer to it by what it really was- flax? As well, concerning the expression ‘And goats,’ the thought of the Torah must have been to goat fur, not to goats themselves. Why as well, did the Torah not write, “And the fur of goats”?
Rav Shimon responded with the following observations. As stated prior, objects are made up of form and matter. As well, it is the very nature of human beings to first observe form, and only a nano second afterwards, to note matter. That is, form is foremost, while matter is incidental. What is initially detected, is that the object in front of us is wool. Once our minds have made that initial step, we then realize it to be dyed turquoise or purple in color.
Nevertheless, taught Rav Shimon, when it comes to the construction of a Mishkan, all human rules are reversed. Matter becomes foremost, while form becomes incidental. That is why the Torah lists these fine materials not by what their forms are, but rather, by their descriptive matter. Concerning flax for example, the form is not what is foremost in the Torah, but rather, its matter, or appearance as something that was spun as fine silk would have been spun. And, in order to stress this perception of matter over form regarding dyed wool, the Torah makes a point to list both colors of turquoise and purple separately.
The same even applies with the ‘goats’ of the Torah. While the fine material here was certainly goat fur, the Torah eluded instead, to a very unique process of spinning goat fur, of which the Gemarah in Shabbos 99a taught:
“…..And, it was taught in Rav Nechemiya’s name, ‘It was washed (direct) on the (live) goats, and spun on the goats.’”
That is, while humans would first take note that goat fur was placed before them (form), the Torah referred instead to live goats (matter), off of which the fur was spun.
Certainly then, the ways of Shamayim (heaven) and this lower world in which humanity resides, are without doubt very different in the ways in which things are perceived. Why exactly, there should be this complete reversal of matter and form between human comprehension and the construction of the Mishkan, may be better suited at this point, to another mailing.
Yet, one way or the other, the Sidra causes us to be confronted by the limitation, the inability of mankind to see and comprehend entireties. And, to honestly realize how as a species, human comprehension is restricted, is a good beginning to developing modesty, that most beautiful of all human attributes.
May we soon see the G’ulah Sh’laimah in its complete resplendency- and in our times. Good Shabbos.
NCYI's Weekly Divrei Torah Bulletin is sponsored by the Henry, Bertha and Edward Rothman Foundation - Rochester, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Circleville, Ohio
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