Rabbi Steven Pik-Nathan for Jewish Reconstructionist Communities
Why Moses Did Not Become a Priest
This week's parashah, Tetzaveh, begins with God commanding Moses "And as for you, you shall instruct the Israelites to bring you pure olive oil of beaten olives for lighting, for kindling the Eternal Lamp (Exodus 27:20)." At first glance it does not appear that there is anything unusual or extraordinary about this verse. It is simply God giving Moses another instruction concerning the Mishkan (Tabernacle), just as God instructed him last week on how he was to build it. However, it is precisely because God's instructions to Moses had been at the center of the preceding narrative that commentators have questioned why the verse begins "V'atah tetzaveh" (and as for you, you shall command) as opposed to simply tzav (command!) or tetzaveh (you shall command). After all, "and as for you " would seem to imply that the previous verses had been addressed or referred to someone else.
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