Looking at the parsha through a Mussar lens of Separation / Prishoot / פְּרִישׁוּת
פְּרִישׁוּת f. (פָּרַשׁ) 1) separation, parting. Gen. R. s. 70, a. e., v. נְשִׁיקָה. —2) (v. פָּרוּשׁ) abstinence, restriction, self-restraint, piety. Yoma 74ᵇ פ׳ דרך ארץ the enforced abstinence from marital connection. Num. R. s. 10, a. e., v. נְזִירוּת. Sot. IX, 15 משמת … טהרה ופ׳ with the death of … ceased the dignity of the Law, and levitical purity and abstinence died out. Ib. טהרה מביאה לידי פ׳ ופ׳ וכ׳ levitical cleanness leads to self-control, and self-control to sanctity; a. e.
Parsha Highlights
The description for building of the Mishkan [portable sanctuary] continues and begins with the commanded instructions for the Ner Tamid {the constant light} which is to be lit every day "from evening to morning" using pure olive oil.
Aaron and his four sons are appointed as kohanim along with descriptions of the nature of their garments during service.
[The next 43 verses—about half of the Parshah’s total—consist of these instructions]
All kohanim wore: 1) the ketonet—a full-length linen tunic; 2) michnasayim—linen breeches; 3) mitznefet or migba’at—a linen turban; 4) avnet—a long sash wound above the waist.
In addition to that, the Kohen Gadol wore: 5) the ephod—an apron-like garment made of blue-, purple- and red-dyed wool, linen and gold thread; 6) the choshen—a breastplate containing twelve precious stones inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel; 7) the me’il—a cloak of blue wool, with gold bells and decorative pomegranates on its hem; 8) the tzitz—a golden plate worn on the forehead, bearing the inscription “Holy to God.”
God gave detailed instructions for the 7 day initiation of Aaron and his four sons—Nadav, Avihu, Elazar and Itamar—into the priesthood, instructions for the slaughtering of sacrificial offerings, and instructions for the making of the golden altar, on which the ketoret (incense) was burned.
ונמצא הפרישות עם החסידות הוא כמו הזהירות עם הזריזות, שזה בסור מרע וזה בעשה טוב.
We find that Separation is to Piety as Watchfulness is to Zeal. For the former concerns "turning from evil" (Tehilim 34:14), while the latter concerns "doing good" (ibid). ~Mesillat Yesharim 13:2
והענין, שכל דבר שיוכל להולד ממנו גרמת רע אף על פי שעכשיו אינו גורם לו וכל שכן שאיננו רע ממש, ירחק ויפרוש ממנו.
The intent is that a person distance and separate from anything which may lead to something which could bring about evil, even though right now it does not cause evil and even though it is not itself evil.
To center our learning, this is from Trumah, last week's parsha.
וְעָ֥שׂוּ לִ֖י מִקְדָּ֑שׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּתוֹכָֽם׃
And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.
(כ) וְאַתָּ֞ה תְּצַוֶּ֣ה ׀ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְיִקְח֨וּ אֵלֶ֜יךָ שֶׁ֣מֶן זַ֥יִת זָ֛ךְ כָּתִ֖ית לַמָּא֑וֹר לְהַעֲלֹ֥ת נֵ֖ר תָּמִֽיד׃
(20) You shall further instruct the Israelites to bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the lighting, for kindling lamps regularly.
Now you, command the Children of Israel, that they may take you oil of olives, clear, pounded (to be free from impurities) for the light, to go up as a perpetual lamp. ~translation Ruth Schapira
וְעָ֥שׂוּ לִ֖י מִקְדָּ֑שׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּתוֹכָֽם׃
The meaning of the expression of the children of Israel, is that they bring you the oil from the children of Israel, from whoever has it in his possession, just as He said, of every man whose heart maketh him willing. Similarly He said, And bring thou near unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, meaning that you yourself are to call them and give them the tidings of this distinction. And thou shalt make them holy garments means by commanding the wise men who wrought the work as was done with all the work of this pattern. Likewise, And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted means that Moses himself is to speak to them, for he will recognize their qualifications and know which is the work that ought to be given over to each of them.
Exodus 27,20. “and you shall command the Children of Israel to take to you pure olive oil, etc.;” the expression ויקחו אליך instead of ויביאו אליך, “they shall bring to you,” or ויקחו לי “they shall take for Me,“ as at the beginning of Parshat T’rumah, is unusual, to say the least. The point is that the menorah together with all its details was part of a vision that Moses had been shown by G’d while he had been on the Mountain, just as he had been shown the other components of the Tabernacle there. Being shown all this by G’d had been an expression of G’d’s joy at the degree of awe and love for Him that Moses had achieved, a level of closeness to the Creator not achieved by any subsequent prophet. When Moses was instructed to tell the people to bring the pure oil for lighting the menorah “to you,” instead of “to Me,” [and he was instructed to write this down in the Torah, Ed.] this was to tell the reader to what exceptional spiritual heights Moses had risen. This is why the Torah testified after Moses’ death (Deuteronomy, 34,10) that no prophet who was as close to G’d as Moses ever arose after him in history.
And thou shalt command means that there is an eternal command upon the congregation to continually provide olive oil to kindle a perpetual light. Do not be troubled by the oil which the princes brought. It was anointing oil. The congregation, on the other hand, was obligated to bring oil for the light. There is a practice in countries where olives grow to choose pure olives, that is, olives that do not have any rot on them or olives that have not been partially eaten. These olives are then used to make oil for the king’s food. This is the reason that Scripture mentions pure before beaten.
Since the use of an Eternal Light in the synagogue is based upon the Eternal Light commanded by God of Moses for the Tabernacle (Exodus 27:20 and Leviticus 24:2), one would imagine that this beloved symbol, with such ancient roots, would continually come up for discussion in the long sequence of Jewish legal literature. Yet the astonishing fact is that it is not mentioned at all as part of the synagogue appurtenances in any of the historic codes, the Mishnah, the Talmud, the Shulchan Aruch, or the others... the synagogue Eternal Light certainly has been in use for three centuries, and that is long enough for it to have become a beloved symbol. Evidently, its association with the biblically ordained Eternal Light for Tabernacle and Temple gave this symbol of the synagogue (whenever it did arise) an immediate and now a continuous sanctity. www.ccarnet.org
That which fuels the m'norah must be pure, uncontaminated by jealousy, selfishness, pride, or greed. Why olive oil? In antiquity as today, the olive branch was a sign of peace. Olive trees mature slowly, so only when there was an extended time of peace, with agriculture left undisturbed, could the olive tree produce its fruit."Even as the oil of the olive does not mix with other liquids with which it comes in contact, so has the people Israel kept its own identity when it has come in contact with other nations" {Exodus Rabbah, 36:11] ~Etz Hayim, p.504
The divine oil requires a "wick" to channel its substance and convert it into an illuminating flame. The Torah is the divine wisdom; but for divine wisdom to be manifest in our world, there must be physical minds that study it and comprehend it, physical mouths that debate it and teach it, and physical media that publish it and disseminate it. www.chabad.org
...An everlasting fire shall be kept burning on the altar, it should not be extinguished. And, on that it is also said: To light the eternal flame. This is surely the light of the divine, the light that shines within the soul of every person...
Mussar master Rabbi Menachem Mendel Levin (1749–1826), the author of “Heshbon ha-Nefesh: the Accounting of the Soul,” lists 13 different attributes or traits that we must inculcate, including the trait of cleanliness. At first glance, we may wonder how in the world cleanliness, of all the things to strive for, could even make Levin’s list. But for Levin, careful and meticulous attention to our appearance, to what we wear and how we wear it, can be a direct link to our inner spiritual purity...But how do we strike that finely tuned balance toward attending to our external appearance and tending to our inner purity? How do we dress for the holy task while keeping the goal of becoming more empathic front and center in our hearts and minds? ~Rabbi Susan Leider
The removal of the ashes from the lamps of the Menorah and their kindling in the morning and the afternoon is a positive commandment, as [Exodus 27:21] states: "Aaron and his sons shall arrange it." The kindling of the lamps supersedes [the prohibitions of forbidden labor] on the Sabbath and [the restrictions of] ritual impurity, as do the [other] sacrifices that [are offered at] a fixed time, as [ibid.:20] states: "To raise up a continuously [burning] lamp."
The Midrash explains that G-d does not need the light of the candelabra, but He wanted us to provide that light in the tabernacle so that He in turn could provide a great light for us in the world of the future. G-d also wishes to demonstrate to mankind at large that those who kindle lights for Him, deserve to have Him light the way for them. In order to enjoy the benefits of the natural guidance of G-d, one needs to be constantly aware of G-d’s guiding hand in history as well as His share in shaping the fate of individuals. The leaders of the people especially, need visible reminders of that. Therefore, leaders, i.e. Levites were encamped around the tabernacle. The priests would be reminded of G-d’s presence and intervention in the fate of man whenever they would look at the eternal flame on the altar. The holy ark was carried physically by the group of Levites of the highest moral fibre. By the awareness of the proximity of G-d, they in turn invoked the hashgachah peratit, Divine involvement at the personal level. This kept all the dangers inherent in an inhospitable climate such as the desert, away from the Israelites. (see our commentary in chapter 34)
The soul of man is a lamp of G‑d whose purpose in life is to illuminate the world with divine light. G‑d provided us with the "fuel" that generates His light - the Torah and its commandments (mitzvot), which embody His wisdom and will and convey His luminous truth. www.chabad.org
For the commandment is a lamp,
The teaching is a light,
And the way to life is the rebuke that disciplines.
Exodus 27;20 “they shall take to you pure oil of beaten olives for lighting;”we know that the evil urge is trying to seduce human beings by causing them to give in to lust and the desire aroused by what they see that appeals to them. It is his foremost desire to prevent man from carrying out the commandments of his Creator. What is the remedy that can stop the evil urge in his tracks? The remedy is for man to use logic. He should say to himself that if fulfilling his desire to satisfy his lust and cravings with merely physical objects, objects that satisfy only momentarily, how much more worthwhile is it for him to satisfy his ability to come closer to his Creator and to experience enduring satisfaction from the result?
When a person applies this kind of reasoning and as a result eschews sin in favour of carrying out what he knows to be G’d’s will, even the evil he had had in mind originally becomes a כסא, “throne, supporting stool,” for the good he does. When G’d created evil [only in its most primitive stage, ברא, Ed.] in the first place, He did so in order to provide His creatures with this additional merit when he decides to carry out G’d’s will although he had been given another option. By creating evil, G’d had, so to speak, placed man at a distance from Him. When man has to cover this distance in order to approach G’d more closely, G’d derives far more satisfaction from man’s efforts to serve Him than He would if such “service” would be “natural.” Any תענוג, pleasurable experience, regardless if it is experienced in our spheres of the universe or in the celestial spheres, retains its flavour only when it is not a continuously, repetitive experience. When it is experienced at relatively infrequent intervals it is especially welcome as such. When G’d observes how man in the attempt to come closer to His essence, has to break through repeated obstacles, this is what pleases G’d.
If and when the tzaddik engages in helping others to establish closer ties with their Creator, G’d’s pleasure of his service will keep increasing even though he has been serving G’d constantly, without interruption. When applied to the symbolism expressed by lighting the menorah and keeping it burning, the commandment of ואתה תצוה וגו', contains the challenge addressed to every true servant of the Lord to elevate both himself and his peers.
In kabbalistic parlance every thought formulated, reflects the letters it contains if it were committed to paper or parchment. Alien thoughts, i.e. unworthy thoughts, are considered as “broken letters.” The word כתית, crushed, symbolizes such thoughts, and the function of the servant of G’d, primarily the priest representing the collective soul of the Jewish people, is to elevate, i.e. להעלות, to sublimate such unworthy thoughts so that they all point in the direction of the נר תמיד, “the eternal flame,” expressing the desire for communion with the Creator. That expression reflects the satisfaction, pleasure derived by the Creator from efforts by His people who crave His closeness.
Using the Torah and God’s decrees as our guiding principles, we must carve out a life that is tenable, one where we can fully function and live. It is, I believe, a call to find the right balance—a balance between a life that knows no boundaries and one that looks to create too many strictures and limitations. A life of shunning, entirely, ma’aseh Ca’naan and ma’aseh Mitzrayim. ~ Rabba Sara Hurwitz, Yeshivat Maharat
The Torah therefore prohibits many kinds of food, clothing, sexual relations, certain acquisitions and practices, all of which strengthen sensual lust; it also exhorts us to use those means which resist lust and are its opposite. These are prayer, fasting, charity-giving, [acts of] kindness; by which the intellectual faculties are revived and man is aided in this world and for the world to come, as David said: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Tehilim 119:105) ; "For the commandment is a lamp and the torah is light" (Mishlei 6:23) ; "I saw that wisdom is preferable to folly as light is preferable to darkness" (Koheles 2:13).
נֵ֣ר יְ֭הוָה נִשְׁמַ֣ת אָדָ֑ם חֹ֝פֵ֗שׂ כָּל־חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃
The lifebreath of man is the lamp of the LORD
Revealing all his inmost parts.
I reiterate my request that you guide your sons and daughters with words of kindness and Mussar that will find a place in their heart. This is true especially if we merit to arrive in Eretz Yisrael, because one must be extra cautious to follow Hashem's ways there. Therefore, train them well, since one must work hard on one's speech and character traits, and only through good habits can we control ourselves (Shaarey Teshuvah). All beginnings are hard (Mechilta Yisro). But afterwards, one is worthy of praise (Mishlei 20:14). For the wicked person knows that he is taking the wrong path, but it is hard for him to change. But this is man's main task, not to go after his desires, but (Tehillim 32:9) "to restrain himself with a bit and bridle when he is being groomed." Man must deprive himself until he dies, not by fasting or asceticism, but by controlling his mouth and desires. This is teshuvah. And this is the whole reward of the World-to-Come, as it is written (Mishlei 6:23): "For the commandment is a lamp and the Torah is a light" - but "the way to life is the rebuke that disciplines." And that is worth more than any amount of fasting and self-affliction! For every second that man controls his tongue, he merits some of the "hidden [by Hashem for the righteous] light," something which no angel or [other] creature can imagine (Midrash). And it is stated (Tehillim 34:13,14): "Who is the man who desires life, and loves days that he may see good? Guard your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceitfully." This will atone for any sin and save one from Gehinnom, as we find (Mishlei 21:23): "He who guards his mouth [from too much eating and drinking] and tongue [from idle words] guards himself from trouble." Also (ib. 18:21): "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." Woe to one who gives away his life for one word! Then what advantage is there to one who has a tongue (see Koheles 10:11)? And, "Everything has a cure except, etc." It is most important to refrain from speaking words of praise about anyone. How much more so does this apply to speaking ill of anyone! Why must one speak about others? "The mouth that speaks strangely is a deep pit; he who angers Hashem falls into it" (Mishlei 22:14).
...as we find in Midrash Rabbah, Parshath Tetzaveh (Shemoth 36) on Mishlei 6:23: "'For a mitzvah is a lamp and Torah is light.' What is the intent of 'For a mitzvah is a lamp'? Anyone who does a mitzvah is like one who lights a lamp before the Holy One Blessed be He, and he vivifies his soul, which is called 'a lamp,' viz., (Mishlei 24:27): 'The lamp of the L-rd is the soul of a man.' And what is the intent of 'and the Torah is light'? Often, one thinks of doing a mitzvah and the yetzer hara within him says: 'Why do a mitzvah and losr your possessions? Before giving to others, give to your sons.' And the yetzer tov says: 'Give for the mitzvah. See what is written: 'For a mitzvah is a lamp.' Just as a lamp, when it is burning, even if thousands upon thousands light from it, its light remains in its place, so, all who give for a mitzvah do not lose their possessions, wherefore it is written: 'For a mitzvah is a lamp and the Torah is light.'"
a light for my path.
If you contemplate and consider the matter, you will see that there are three different levels here: (1) The prohibited things themselves. (2) Their "fences", namely, the decrees and safeguards instituted by our sages, of blessed memory, enacted for every Jew. (3) The distancing measures incumbent on every Parush (man of Separation) to make for himself to withdraw in and build [additional] personal fences, namely, to abstain from permitted things themselves which are not forbidden to every Jew and separate from them in order to keep far away from the evil a great distance.
Separation related to the pleasures....Namely, to not take from the world except what necessity forces. This encompasses all that is pleasurable to any one of the senses, whether it be through food, conjugal relations, clothing, strolling, listenings, or in all other similar matters - to partake of them only at days where their enjoyment is a mitzva.