SHABBOS
TABLE-TALK
Parshas Tetzaveh Parshas Zochor 5770

I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.

In the 1830`s, there was a major controversy between the Jewish printing house in Vilna, and the Jewish printing house in Slavita, about who had the rights to publish the Talmud. At one point the case came before Rabbi Akiva Eiger. He ruled that the Vilna press could publish the Talmud as well as the Slavita press.
The Slavita publishers, who were themselves learned people, did not like this, as previously they had been granted sole rights to publish the Talmud. One of them wrote to a friend, that one should not rely any more on the rulings of Rabbi Akiva Eiger, because he had aged and was now over-influenced by others. Rabbi Akiva Eiger was famous for his humility. He had been known to conceal his identity in order to avoid receiving honour, he always preferred to give others honour rather than receive it himself. Nevertheless, when he saw a copy of this letter he stood up and said; “Hashem! I teach the teachings of your Torah, I forgive the offence to me personally, but I don`t forgive the offence to your Torah”.
Shortly afterwards, one of the Slavita publishers was subjected to a false accusation by the government, and made to run between two rows of people hitting him with sticks. Later on, he met Rabbi Akiva Eiger and said to him, “I know Hashem made this happen to me because of your words, but why were you not kinder to us, in view of our learning?” Rabbi Akiva Eiger replied, “ because in this generation the honour of the Torah resides in me!”
There is a fine dividing line here. In matters of personal honour, Rabbi Eiger was famous for his dislike of honours and compliments. But if his Halachic rulings were challenged he was unyielding. Because he knew, that if his authority were to be challenged in one case, then his authority in all cases would be undermined.
We should all be forgiving in matters of honour. We should not take offence if we are not invited to a Simchah. If people are rude to us because they are having a bad day, we should forgive them. But in matters of Halachic principle, we must be polite, but stand our ground.
In this Sedra we are told, the High priest wore a majestic blue cloak, amongst his other splendid clothes, so that people would honour him. But on the hem of the cloak, were little bells which tinkled before he entered the sanctuary, as if he was ringing the bell to ask permission before entering. The magnificent clothes were so that people would respect his high office, and what it represented, but the bells were to ensure he retained his personal humility.
Achashverosh obtained the Priestly clothes, and wore them at his party. (See Talmud Megillah 12). He understood the message of beautiful clothes gaining respect, he did not understand the message of the bells, that we must retain personal humility.

SOURCES; Sefer Chut Hameshulosh & Sabbath Shiurim, Rabbi M. Miller

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QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;

The Sedra of Terumah describes all the vessels of the Mishkan except one, the inside altar. The Sedra of Tetzaveh describes the clothes of the kohanim, then the procedure for the dedication of the Mishkan and the kohanim, and then the dimensions of the inside altar. Why is the description of the inside altar, separate from the description of all the other vessels of the Mishkan?

ANSWER;

The Divine presence could not rest on the Mishkan until it, and all the other vessels in it, were complete. But the inside altar was not essential. In fact, the offering of the spices, for which it was used, could have been done without it. Therefore it is only mentioned later.

SOURCES; Seforno & Sefer Meshech Chochmoh.