Parshas Shemini
1. In several years (as in the calendar of this year), Parshas Shemini is read on the Shabbos before Rosh Chodesh Nissan, and this Shabbos has an evident connection (and is bound up with blessings, etc.)1 to Rosh Chodesh Nissan — for on it we read the portion of "החודש הזה לכם" ("This month shall be for you").*1
Based on what is known,2 that all the festivals "have a connection to the portions in which they fall," it is understood that there is a connection between Rosh Chodesh Nissan (and Parshas HaChodesh) and Parshas Shemini.
Now, the simple connection between Rosh Chodesh Nissan (and Parshas HaChodesh) and the portion "ויהי ביום השמיני" ("And it was on the eighth day") is that "the eighth day" (of the inauguration, the Miluim) was on Rosh Chodesh Nissan.3 However, since the matter of Rosh Chodesh Nissan is not mentioned explicitly in the portion [and the wording of the verse, "And it was on the eighth day," could be interpreted as the eighth of Nissan4], and what is stated in it explicitly is only "And it was on the eighth day" — it is therefore reasonable to say that the main connection between this portion and Rosh Chodesh Nissan (and Parshas HaChodesh) is by virtue of the matter of the eighth day of the inauguration. That is, the advantage of the eighth day of the inauguration over the seven days of the inauguration that preceded it is akin to the advantage of Rosh Chodesh Nissan over other days that seemingly resemble it.
2. Now, in a calendar such as this, where Parshas HaChodesh is read on Shabbos Parshas Shemini, the reading of Parshas Parah (which is always on the Shabbos before Parshas HaChodesh) falls on Shabbos Parshas Tzav, in which the seven days of the inauguration are discussed.5
And since the reading of Parshas Parah comes as a preface to the reading of Parshas HaChodesh (as stated in the Yerushalmi:6 "ולמה פרה קודמת... שהיא טהרתן של כל ישראל" ("And why does Parah come first [before HaChodesh]? Because it is the purification of all Israel")), and likewise the seven days of the inauguration were a preface and preparation for the eighth day — it can therefore be said that the advantage of Parshas HaChodesh over Parshas Parah ("the purification of all Israel") is akin to the advantage of the eighth day of the inauguration6* over the seven days of the inauguration that preceded it.
3. This will be understood by first introducing what our Sages said:7 "אותו יום נטל עשר עטרות" ("That day [the eighth day of the inauguration8] took ten crowns"). And Tosafos write:9 "The reason it does not count 'first for the erection of the Mishkan' is because we say in the Midrash10 that throughout the seven days of the inauguration Moshe would erect the Mishkan and dismantle it. Alternatively, it is because [the statement] refers to the erection of the Mishkan itself, and this is what it is saying: that day of the erection of the Mishkan took ten other crowns."
Now, these two answers in Tosafos are opposites: According to the first answer, the matter of being first for the erection of the Mishkan is lesser than the distinction of the ten crowns, to the extent that it is not counted among them at all; whereas according to the second answer, the main distinction of "that day" is that on it the Mishkan was erected, to the point that "that day (of the erection of the Mishkan) took ten (other) crowns."
4. This will be understood by first raising the question: Why did Moshe erect the Mishkan during the seven days of the inauguration? After all, the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded him, "ביום החדש הראשון באחד לחדש תקים את משכן אהל מועד" ("On the day of the first month, on the first of the month, you shall erect the Mishkan of the Tent of Meeting"),11 and Moshe certainly did not do so on his own initiative, G‑d forbid!
Now, the Ramban11 explains that the reason Moshe erected the Mishkan during the seven days of the inauguration is "because (the Holy One, blessed be He) told him at the outset, 'והקמות את המשכן כמשפטו אשר הראית בהר' ('And you shall erect the Mishkan according to its manner that you were shown on the mountain'),"12 meaning that it had to be erected immediately after the completion of the work of the Mishkan. However, after the Holy One, blessed be He, told him, "On the day of the first month, on the first of the month, you shall erect...," meaning that "on the day of the first month its erection would be a standing one, he knew that during the days of the inauguration he would need to erect and take down, etc."
However, the simple meaning of "On the day of the first month... you shall erect the Mishkan..." is (not that on that day "its erection would be a standing one," but rather) that the whole essential erection would be on that day. (And from the fact that Rashi, in his commentary on the Torah, does not explain that the intent of "you shall erect" is "you shall erect permanently" rather than "you shall erect" in its plain sense, it is proven that Rashi holds that the meaning of "you shall erect" is in its plain sense.)
Accordingly, the command "On the day of the first month... you shall erect the Mishkan..." is not (a command in addition to the command "And you shall erect the Mishkan...," as the Ramban explains), but rather a disclosure and explanation of the command "And you shall erect" — that the time for fulfilling this command is "on the day of the first month, on the first of the month."
As for Moshe's erecting the Mishkan before Rosh Chodesh Nissan, he was not explicitly commanded to do so; rather, he learned it from other commands:
From the fact that he was commanded to train Aharon and his sons in their service (and training in the service must take place in the place where the service will be performed on a permanent basis), and furthermore and primarily — he was explicitly commanded that all seven days of the inauguration should be "אל פתח אהל מועד" ("at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting...")13 — it follows that the Mishkan had to be erected.
5. Now, what was explained above — that the reason Moshe erected the Mishkan before Rosh Chodesh Nissan was not because of the command "And you shall erect the Mishkan..." (as the Ramban explains) — is necessarily so also according to Rashi's commentary on the Talmud:
One of the crowns that day took is "ראשון לשכון שכינה" ("first for the dwelling of the Shechinah").15 And Rashi explains: "The Shechinah rested there, as it is written,14 'ושכנתי בתוכם' ('And I will dwell among them'), which implies that until now it had not rested."15 Now, from Rashi's writing "rested there" (and not "then"), it is implied that his (main) intent is to exclude the altars and the like that preceded the Mishkan. Seemingly, this is not understood: From what is stated, "ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם" ("And they shall make Me a Sanctuary, and I will dwell among them"), it is implied that the resting of the Shechinah ("and I will dwell among them") depends solely on the making and erecting of the Mishkan ("And they shall make Me a Sanctuary"). And since during the seven days of the inauguration they also fulfilled the command "And they shall make Me a Sanctuary" (for Moshe erected the Mishkan then), what compels [Rashi to derive] from the verse "and I will dwell among them" that the eighth day is the first for the dwelling, "which implies that until now it had not rested"?
From this it is necessarily so that Rashi holds that Moshe's erecting the Mishkan16 before Rosh Chodesh Nissan did not constitute the matter of "And you shall erect the Mishkan" that comes in continuation of the command "And they shall make Me a Sanctuary," but merely the fulfillment of a detail and condition in carrying out other commands (as mentioned above at the end of Section 4). (And this is similar to "ויבן מזבח תחת ההר" ("And he built an altar beneath the mountain").17) This erection did not involve the fulfillment of "And they shall make Me a Sanctuary." Therefore Rashi explains "that until now it had not rested,"18 because only after "And they shall make Me a Sanctuary" (that is, the erection of the Mishkan by virtue of its own purpose) will there be "and I will dwell among them."19
6. Based on this, it can be said that the two answers of Tosafos depend on the dispute between Rashi and the Ramban: The first answer of Tosafos follows the approach of the Ramban, that the erection of the Mishkan during the seven days of the inauguration was also by virtue of the command "And you shall erect the Mishkan" — and accordingly the eighth day is not "first for the erection of the Mishkan," since the Mishkan had already been erected during the seven days of the inauguration. The second answer of Tosafos follows the approach of Rashi, that the erection of the Mishkan during the seven days of the inauguration was a detail in the training of Aharon and his sons, etc., and the eighth day of the inauguration is "first for the erection of the Mishkan."
7. One can further explain the difference between the two answers in Tosafos — by first clarifying the content of the distinction between the erection of the Mishkan during the seven days of the inauguration and its erection on the eighth day, each of which has an advantage over the other:
The advantage of the erection of the Mishkan on the eighth day of the inauguration is an advantage of "quality," for its erection was: (a) in a permanent manner (unlike during the seven days of the inauguration, when he would erect it and dismantle it); (b) in a manner that was prepared for "and I will dwell among them" (unlike the Mishkan that he erected during the seven days of the inauguration, in which the Shechinah did not rest, as mentioned above). Whereas the advantage of the erection of the Mishkan during the seven days of the inauguration is an advantage of "quantity." During the seven days of the inauguration they erected the Mishkan seven times (for they erected it each and every day), and moreover, according to the opinions that on each day of the seven days of the inauguration they erected it two or three times,20 it emerges that each individual day of the seven days of the inauguration was greater in quantity than the eighth day.
Based on this, it can be said that the distinction between the two answers in Tosafos depends on the opinions:21 whether abundance of quantity is preferable, or greatness of quality is preferable. According to the first answer, abundance of quantity is preferable, and therefore "it does not count 'first for the erection of the Mishkan'" — for on the contrary, the erection of the Mishkan during the seven days of the inauguration is preferable to its erection on the eighth day. According to the second answer, greatness of quality outweighs quantity — and accordingly the erection of the Mishkan on the eighth day of the inauguration is loftier than the erection during the seven days of the inauguration (to the point that this advantage is the main distinction of that day, as mentioned above).
8. According to the above, what Tosafos write in their first answer — "that throughout the seven days of the inauguration Moshe would erect the Mishkan and dismantle it" — is better appreciated.
For seemingly: to explain the reason "it does not count 'first for the erection of the Mishkan,'" only the fact that throughout the seven days of the inauguration he would "erect the Mishkan" is relevant; but what relevance does "and dismantle it" have here? Especially since "and dismantle it" seemingly detracts from the distinction of the erection of the Mishkan during the seven days of the inauguration —
The intent of this is to emphasize that since he would "dismantle it," the erection of the Mishkan took place on each and every one of the seven days of the inauguration, and consequently it was erected at least*21 seven times — an abundance of quantity.
9. According to all the above, the connection between the seven days of the inauguration (in Parshas Tzav) and the eighth day of the inauguration (in our parsha) to Parshas Parah and Parshas HaChodesh is understood.
For it is stated in the Yerushalmi:6 "בדין הוא שתקדים החודש לפרה, שבאחד בניסן הוקם המשכן ובשני נשרפה הפרה, ולמה פרה קודמת, שהיא טהרתן של כל ישראל" ("By right, HaChodesh should precede Parah, for on the first of Nissan the Mishkan was erected, and on the second the Parah was burned. Why then does Parah come first? Because it is the purification of all Israel"). Seemingly this is not understood: Since the matter of Parshas HaChodesh comes specifically after the preface of Parshas Parah — how could the erection of the Mishkan on the first of Nissan [the matter of Parshas HaChodesh] come before the burning of the Parah? And although the sprinkling of the blood of the Parah had to be "toward the front of the Tent of Meeting"22 — all the services of the seven days of the inauguration were likewise "at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting..."
And even though the reason "HaChodesh" requires the Parah is [not because of the matter of the erection of the Mishkan that is in "HaChodesh," but rather] because of the matter of the Pesach offering in it23 — nevertheless, the entire question, "By right, it should precede," is only "because on the first of Nissan the Mishkan was erected, etc." This proves that the erection of the Mishkan on the first of Nissan is also the matter of Parshas HaChodesh, and the answer "because it is the purification, etc." also addresses this — and accordingly the question returns to its place: Why was the burning of the Parah not placed before the erection of the Mishkan?
This will be understood by first introducing the difference between Pesach (the main subject of Parshas HaChodesh) and Parah in man's service [of G‑d]: Pesach — when all of the Jewish people were as at the first time, "a convert who converts is like a newborn child" — is akin to the service of the righteous (tzaddikim); and the Parah, which "the Merciful One called a sin-offering" and which atones for the [sin of the golden] calf,23* is the service of teshuvah (repentance).24 And this is what is stated in the Midrash:25 "Concerning this it says, 'זאת חקת הפסח' ('This is the statute of the Pesach'), and concerning this it says, 'זאת חקת התורה' ('This is the statute of the Torah'), and you do not know which statute is greater than the other" — because there is an advantage in the service of the righteous that is not found in the service of teshuvah, and there is an advantage in the service of teshuvah that is not found in the service of the righteous.26
The advantage of the service of the righteous lies, in general, in the matter of drawing down the light from Above, and the advantage of the service of teshuvah lies in service that comes from below. (And the conclusion of the Midrash, "And who is greater? The Parah, for those who eat the Pesach need it," is "because the righteous, too, need to do teshuvah."27)
Based on this, it will be understood why the erection of the Mishkan on the first of Nissan (which is of the matter of Parshas HaChodesh, as mentioned above) came before the burning of the Parah — because:
a) It is understood that in terms of time and fixed order, the service of the righteous precedes the service of teshuvah (which comes only if "נפש כי תחטא" ("a soul that sins")28). b) The advantage found in service from below, the service of teshuvah [by virtue of which advantage Parshas Parah must precede Parshas HaChodesh (precedence in stature)], derives from the greatness of the drawing down from Above that is effected thereby.27 Therefore the erection of the Mishkan came before the burning of the Parah, for the advantage of the burning of the Parah (service from below) also comes after, and by virtue of, the drawing down from Above ("and I will dwell among them") that took place with the erection of the Mishkan.
And this is what they said: "By right, HaChodesh should precede Parah" — meaning that even now it would be fitting to place HaChodesh before Parah — because the advantage of Parah (service from below) comes about through the erection of the Mishkan, through which "and I will dwell among them" was effected, by means of the arousal from Above of "החדש הזה לכם ראש חדשים" ("This month shall be for you the head of the months..."). However, this precedence is only "by right" (but in practice we read Parshas HaChodesh after Parshas Parah) — because through Parshas HaChodesh and the erection of the Mishkan back then, this matter is already drawn down into the world, and therefore it is possible for Parshas Parah to come without the prior reading of Parshas HaChodesh. Whereas before the erection of the Mishkan, when this drawing down had not yet been drawn into the world (in the manner of "and I will dwell among them" — inwardly), it was not possible for the burning of the Parah to take place without the prior erection of the Mishkan.
10. Accordingly, it emerges that the difference between Parshas Parah and Parshas HaChodesh is akin to the difference between the seven days of the inauguration and the eighth day — and the common denominator is twofold:
a) It was explained above (Section 7) that the advantage of the erection of the Mishkan during the seven days of the inauguration is an advantage of quantity, and the advantage of the erection of the Mishkan on the eighth day is an advantage of quality;
And similarly with regard to Parshas Parah and Parshas HaChodesh: The advantage of Parshas Parah (teshuvah) lies in the matter of service from below — the refinement of the lower realm (the vessels), as the advantage of the lower realm (the vessels) is akin29 to the advantage of abundance of quantity; and the advantage of Parshas HaChodesh (the service of the righteous) lies in the matter of the drawing down from Above — the drawing down of light, as the advantage of the "lights" is akin30 to the advantage of greatness of quality.
b) According to Rashi's view, the erection of the Mishkan during the seven days of the inauguration was learned from the command concerning the training of Aharon and his sons and was included in that training, unlike its erection on the eighth day, when there was "and I will dwell among them."
And although, also according to Rashi's approach, there is seemingly an advantage in the erection of the Mishkan during the seven days of the inauguration over its erection on the eighth day — for during the seven days of the inauguration they erected it (at least) seven times;
And it can further be said: Since the erection during the seven days of the inauguration (according to Rashi's approach) was not by explicit command, but rather Moshe learned it by inference, there is also a "special fondness" in this erection (similar to "כיון דאתיא מדרשא חביבא ליה" ("since it comes from exegesis, it is dear to him")30) —
Nevertheless, it is simply understood that this erection cannot at all be compared to the erection of the eighth day, since the Mishkan erected during the seven days of the inauguration was not [functioning in] the matter of the Mishkan.
And similarly with regard to Parshas Parah and Parshas HaChodesh:
The advantage of Parshas Parah (the refinement of the lower realm) over Parshas HaChodesh (the drawing down of light) exists only after the drawing down from Above has already taken place through the erection of the Mishkan, because the importance and distinction of the refinement and service of the lower realm exist only when it comes after (and by virtue of) the drawing down from Above, as mentioned above in Section 9. Whereas before the drawing down from Above, the burning of the Parah (whose content is refinement and service of the lower realm) in and of itself (— despite the advantage in refining the lower realm, and the special fondness that derives from the "novelty"31) does not suffice to precede the erection of the Mishkan (Parshas HaChodesh), and the main advantage lies in Parshas HaChodesh.
(From the sichos of Shabbos Parshas Shemini 5724 and 5725)
Notes
1) In addition to the fact that from the Shabbos all the days are blessed (Zohar II, 63b) — the days that follow it, including the day of Rosh Chodesh Nissan.
*1) Unlike the other Shabbos Mevarchim of a new month, where it is mentioned only as a mere request, and its whole content is a commemoration of the sanctification of the new month on Rosh Chodesh, except that it was moved to the preceding Shabbos (see Shibbolei HaLeket; Abudraham, Laws of Rosh Chodesh; and elsewhere).
2) Shelah, Torah Shebichsav section, beginning of Parshas Vayeshev.
3) Rashi at the beginning of our parsha, from Seder Olam. And so it is in Shabbos (87b); Targum Yonasan ben Uziel here; and elsewhere.
4) As the Ibn Ezra explains. And see Toras Kohanim here.
5) [Vayikra] 8:1 ff.
6) Megillah 3:5.
6*) Note also what is implied in the Yerushalmi (cited below, Section 9), that the matter of Parshas HaChodesh is the matter of the erection of the Mishkan on the first of Nissan — and the advantage of the eighth day of the inauguration (over the seven days of the inauguration before it) lies in the matter of the erection of the Mishkan (see below, Section 3 ff.).
7) Toras Kohanim here; Shabbos, ibid.; and elsewhere.
8) In Shabbos, ibid., it refers to Rosh Chodesh Nissan, but in Toras Kohanim here, "that day" refers to "And it was on the eighth day." Note also Ohr HaTorah, Shemini, p. 25 (and see also Kli Yakar at the beginning of our parsha), that the reason it took ten crowns is because it was the eighth day. See there.
9) Shabbos, ibid.
10) Sifri, Naso (on the verse 7:1). Cited in Rashi on our parsha (9:23). And see below, note 20.
11) Pekudei 40:2.
12) Terumah 26:30.
13) Tetzaveh 29:4; ibid. 29:35.
14) Terumah 25:8.
15) And so he writes in Rashi on our parsha, 9:23.
16) Note that even in the Beis HaMikdash there are two aspects: a) a house prepared for offerings; b) to make pilgrimage to it three times a year (Rambam, Laws of the Beis HaBechirah, beginning of ch. 1; Sefer HaMitzvos, positive mitzvah 20; ibid., Principle 12).
17) Mishpatim 24:4.
18) Even though also after the aforementioned "And he built an altar," "they saw the G‑d of Israel...." And see Vayetzei 26:22. This is not the place to elaborate.
19) The reason Rashi cites only "and I will dwell among them" (and does not cite the words "And they shall make Me a Sanctuary") is because it comes in continuation of the words "rested there."
20) Yerushalmi Yoma 1:1. Tanchuma, Tisa, end of sec. 35; Pekudei, sec. 11. Bamidbar Rabbah 12:9, 15.
21) See Lekach Tov by Rabbi Yosef Engel, sec. [OCR unclear]. And see at length Likkutei Sichos vol. 11, p. 64, Section 2 ff.
*21) For the words of Tosafos, and likewise Rashi on our parsha, can be explained as emphasizing that each day he would erect it and dismantle it — but they do not enter into the dispute of how many times per day (since this is not so relevant to our matter).
22) Chukas 19:4.
23) As stated explicitly in Rashi (Megillah 29a, s.v. "Parah"): "so that they offer their Pesach offerings in purity."
23*) Avodah Zarah 23b. (And in Iggeres HaKodesh, sec. 28: "... the Parah atones... in their passing... to atone... also for intentional sins.") Tanchuma, Chukas 8. Rashi, Chukas 19:22.
24) Ohr HaTorah, Chukas, beginning of p. 776; end of p. 777 ff. The maamar beginning "Zos Chukas HaTorah" (the first one), 5629.
25) Shemos Rabbah 19:2.
26) See Berachos 34b. (Note also the Rambam's Eight Chapters, ch. 6.) The maamar beginning "Malka U'Matronisa," 5697; and elsewhere.
27) The maamar beginning "Zos Chukas," ibid., at its end.
28) See Rambam, Laws of Teshuvah 7:7: "He cries out and is answered immediately, as it says, 'And it shall be that before they call, I will answer.'" That is, even before [they call]; except that one waits for the calling so that it should be as an "answer" (and as it is said concerning prayer, that one asks for one's needs). This is not the place to elaborate. And accordingly, the contradiction between the beginning and the end, etc., in the Rambam and elsewhere, is resolved. [The OCR of this note is partly unclear.]
29) Note what was once discussed at length, that the matter of "מה רבו מעשיך" ("How manifold are Your works") (abundance of quantity) derives from the vessels, and the matter of "מה גדלו מעשיך" ("How great are Your works") (quality) derives from the lights. And it is explained in several places (the discourses on Chag HaShavuos in Toras Chaim; Biurei HaZohar, in the supplements; and elsewhere) that the multiplicity below, in the vessels, is "in many parts," whereas the multiplicity Above, in the lights, is "the depth of greatness and breadth by virtue of the essence of the light."
30) Yevamos 2b, and the sources cited there.
31) Note Likkutei Torah, end of Parshas Bamidbar. And note Likkutei Sichos vol. 7, end of p. 22 ff.
Key Lesson
The seven days of the inauguration excelled in quantity, while the eighth day, when the Mishkan stood permanently and the Shechinah dwelt in it, excelled in quality. So too, the refinement of the lower realm through teshuvah (Parshas Parah) has real value, but it draws its worth from the light drawn down from Above (Parshas HaChodesh). This Sicha teaches that a person's own effort to refine himself gains its true importance when it rests on, and follows, the G‑dliness revealed from Above.