Tetzave- It Is Good To Give Thanks/ Ilan Weijel
It Is Good To Give Thanks/ Ilan Weijel
Parshat Tetzave
It is good to give thanks …
This week we are reading Parashat Tetzaveh, where we mention, among others topics, the clothes of the Kohen Gadol, who has eight items of holy clothing and each has its own spiritual purpose.
As we know, the Choshen is placed on the Kohen’s chest, and it has 12 precious stones, one for each Tribe. Today it is very rare for someone to know which Tribe his ancestors belonged to. Today we are all considered to be belonging to the Tribe of Judah,[ even the Kohanim and Levi’im, who we know are from the Tribe of Levi], and we call ourselves Jews [from Judah].
The Hebrew word “Yehudi” comes from the same root as the word “lehodot” – to give thanks and it has two meanings – to recognize the truth and to say thanks.
This is how Hashem defines our purpose in the world: to recognize the Creator of the Universe and to give thanks to Him.
It is told that Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv זצק”ל, was once hospitalized. An expert specialist was brought from the USA specially to treat him. Rav Elyashiv asked one of his aides how to say “Thank you very much for your dedicated care for me” in English. One of them suggested that the Rabbi say this in Hebrew and the aide would translate it for the doctor. However, Rabbi Elyashiv answered him: “In the shaliach tzibur’s repetition we all answer Amen to every bracha, and this is our obligation. But for the blessing of thanks – birkat hahoda’a – each one has to say this himself, to teach us that we have to give thanks in person, and not pass this responsibility on to another.”
May we always have the knowledge and ability to give thanks in both senses of the word and that we should merit to see the Kohen Gadol with his Choshen in the Beit Hamikdash speedily in our times.