Purim may not always fall out during the week of Parashas Tzav, but there is a thematic connection between the theme of Purim and the reason for a perplexing mitzvah at the beginning of the parashah.
Rabbi Schneeweiss, I must say this Dvar Torah was extremely illuminating. I gained much pleasure reading this over Shabbat. Thank you for giving me Divrei Torah to look forward to each week! Incidentally, I read another Dvar Torah (I print out 2 or 3 a week) and it was on this exact topic! I really enjoyed your insights.
Thank you SO much for taking the time to let me know! I always appreciate feedback - especially for an article like this, which was written during a very busy week when I was worried I wouldn't finish in time for Shabbos!
This also gives insight as to why Moshe started with Pharoah with such a "dinky" miracle as staff into snake which midrash rabbah says every schoolchild was able to do (and Pharoah's wife)
Why then is there a miraculous fire at all? It seems like it would be better to just have our own fire, so what is the point of having this fire to just cover it up?
I wanted to incorporate this into the piece and intended to spend some time thinking about it but I totally forgot! :(
I want to think about it some more, but for now, I think it has something to do with demonstrating this very idea. What I need to think about is what this has to do with avodah, korbanos, Mikdash, or any of the other related contexts.
Rabbi Schneeweiss, I must say this Dvar Torah was extremely illuminating. I gained much pleasure reading this over Shabbat. Thank you for giving me Divrei Torah to look forward to each week! Incidentally, I read another Dvar Torah (I print out 2 or 3 a week) and it was on this exact topic! I really enjoyed your insights.
Thank you SO much for taking the time to let me know! I always appreciate feedback - especially for an article like this, which was written during a very busy week when I was worried I wouldn't finish in time for Shabbos!
Great post! Shared it with my son over Shabbos and he enjoyed as well
Amazing! Thanks for letting me know! :)
This also gives insight as to why Moshe started with Pharoah with such a "dinky" miracle as staff into snake which midrash rabbah says every schoolchild was able to do (and Pharoah's wife)
וַיִּקְרָא גַּם פַּרְעֹה לַחֲכָמִים וְלַמְכַשְּׁפִים – בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הִתְחִיל פַּרְעֹה מְשַׂחֵק עֲלֵיהֶם וּמְקַרְקֵר אַחֲרֵיהֶם כְּתַרְנְגֹלֶת, וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם, כָּךְ אוֹתוֹתָיו שֶׁל אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם בְּנֵי אָדָם מוֹלִיכִין פְּרַקְמַטְיָא לְמָקוֹם שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לָהֶם, כְּלוּם מְבִיאִין מוּרְיָיס לְאַסְפַּמְיָא, דָּגִים לְעַכּוֹ, אֵין אַתֶּם יוֹדְעִין שֶׁכָּל הַכְּשָׁפִים בִּרְשׁוּתִי הֵן, מִיָּד שָׁלַח וְהֵבִיא תִּינוֹקוֹת מִן אִסְכּוֹלִי שֶׁלָּהֶם, וְעָשׂוּ אַף הֵם כָּךְ, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא קָרָא לְאִשְׁתּוֹ וְעָשְׂתָה כָךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּקְרָא גַּם פַּרְעֹה, מַהוּ גַּם, שֶׁאַף לְאִשְׁתּוֹ קָרָא וְעָשְׂתָה כֵן.
I had the same thought! I intend to mention that when I give this over at the Young Israel of West Hartford this Shabbos.
Contrasting approaches to miracles seem to be reflected here https://shas.alhatorah.org/Full/Shabbat/53b.18#e0n6. Not sure how this statement of Rambam's coheres with his position that miracles only occur out of necessity https://rambam.alhatorah.org/Full/Yesodei_HaTorah/8.1#e0n6. I once had a thought along similar lines here https://musingsonthetorah.blogspot.com/2023/03/sinai-purim-golden-calf.html?m=1. Thanks for the Dvar Torah, Shabbat Shalom
Why then is there a miraculous fire at all? It seems like it would be better to just have our own fire, so what is the point of having this fire to just cover it up?
I wanted to incorporate this into the piece and intended to spend some time thinking about it but I totally forgot! :(
I want to think about it some more, but for now, I think it has something to do with demonstrating this very idea. What I need to think about is what this has to do with avodah, korbanos, Mikdash, or any of the other related contexts.
I think this may explain it. It seems that this miracle is different than other miracles. Other miracles occur to fill a need (https://rambam.alhatorah.org/Full/Yesodei_HaTorah/8.1#e0n6). This miracle serves as a tangible manifestation of God's presence in the Mishkan/Mikdash. See Rashbam here https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashbam/Vayikra/9.23#m6e0n6 that says that the "Kavod" of HaShem is the fire on the mizbayach.
Agreed! I suspect that's also why the Rambam references this in the actual Mishneh Torah (as opposed to other miracles that went on in Mikdash).