Last Call for Exodus!

Vayakhel-Pekudei is the last portion in the Book of Exodus.  In some years, these two portions are combined; in some years they are separate portions.I thought I would stay with the Baal HaTurim, and then let's see who we pick for next week!

In Vayakhel, we an important juxtaposition of verses: On six days work may be done, but the seventh day shall be holy for you, a day of complete rest for God; whoever does work on it shall be put to death.  You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day. (Exodus 35:2-3)  These two verses juxtaposed against the following several verses provide both the commandment against lighting a fire and (according to the Talmud) the various forbidden labors on Shabbat.  

The Baal HaTurim makes two points.  First, he suggests that the number of forbidden labors, 39, can be deduced from the gematria (numerical value) of the Hebrew word 'la-asot,' which arranged in a certain way adds up to 39.  OK, great!

A more interesting nugget, in my view, is the Baal's comment on verse 3 (about kindling fire):  "The Holy One Blessed be He said, 'My fire, that is to say the fire of Gehinnom (Hebrew for 'Hell') rests on your behalf on the Sabbath, so too, your fire should rest on the Sabbath.' WOW!

Why would the fires of Hell rest on Shabbat?  The Zohar is instructive for we learn that even the sinful ones being punished there also find rest.  I bet many of you are surprised about that!

Ki Tisa

This week, we are reading in the Book of Exodus (known in Hebrew as 'Shemot') in the portion called Ki Tisa.  The main focus of this portion is taking of the census of the Children of Israel. Let's examine the teaching of Rabbi Yaakov, a/k/a The Baal HaTurim.

The Baal HaTurim was born in Germany in the 13th century.  His father, Rabbi Asher, was a very famous commentator in his own right and was known as The Rosh.  The Baal HaTurim wrote his own commentary to the Torah.  In contrast to Rashi, who was known for his p'shat commentary which focused on the simplest meaning of words, phrases or verses in the Torah, the Baal HaTurim focused on the remez or hidden meaning of words phrases or verses in the Torah.

A nice example of the Baal Ha Turim's approach can be found in the opening verses of this weeks' portion:  God spoke to Moses:  "When you take a head count of the Children of Israel according to their numbers, every man shall give to God atonement money for his soul...(Exodus 30:11)

The Baal HaTurim points out that the Hebrew word for 'give' in this conjugation is 'vuv-nun-tav-nun-vuv' which is a palindrome--it reads the same way in both directions.  The Baal asks why this is so.  His answer?  Because the word itself suggests the very essence of 'giving' or 'tzedakah:' it comes back to you.  You offer tzedakah (in this case a contribution as a result of the census to be used to support the Jewish community) and it comes back to you in ways you cannot even imagine!  Or as the Baal HaTurim says, 'you will not be missing anything as a consequence of giving.'