Tetzaveh, Tetsaveh, T'tzaveh, or T'tzavveh (, the second word and first distinctive word in the parashah) is the 20th weekly Torah portion (, parashah) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the eighth in the Book of Exodus. The parashah reports God's commands to bring olive oil for the lamp (, Menorah), make sacred garments for the priests (, kohanim), conduct an ordination ceremony, and make an incense altar.
It constitutes Exodus 27:20–30:10. The parashah is made up of 5430 Hebrew letters, 1412 Hebrew words, 101 verses, and 179 lines in a Torah scroll. Jews read it the 20th Shabbat after Simchat Torah, in February or March.
Readings
In traditional Sabbath Torah reading, the parashah is divided into seven readings, or , aliyot.See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, The Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus (Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 2008), pages 201–24.
First reading—Exodus 27:20–28:12 In the first reading, God instructed the Israelites to bring Moses clear olive oil, so that Aaron and his descendants as High Priest could kindle lamps regularly in the Tabernacle.. God instructed Moses to make sacral vestments for Aaron: a breastpiece (, Ḥoshen), the Ephod (), a robe, a gold frontlet inscribed "holy to the Lord," a fringed tunic, a headdress, a sash, and linen breeches..
Second reading—Exodus 28:13–30 In the second reading, God detailed the instructions for the breastpiece.. God instructed Moses to place Urim and Thummim inside the breastpiece of decision..
Third reading—Exodus 28:31–43 In the third reading, God detailed the instructions for the robe, frontlet, fringed tunic, headdress, sash, and breeches.. God instructed Moses to place pomegranates and gold bells around the robe's hem, to make a sound when the High Priest entered and exited the sanctuary, so that he would not die..
Fourth reading—Exodus 29:1–18 In the fourth reading, God laid out an ordination ceremony for priests involving the sacrifice of a young bull, two rams, unleavened bread, unleavened cakes with oil mixed in, and unleavened wafers spread with oil.. God instructed Moses to lead the bull to the front of the Tabernacle, let Aaron and his sons lay their hands upon the bull's head, slaughter the bull at the entrance of the Tent, and put some of the bull's blood on the horns of the altar.. God instructed Moses to let Aaron and his sons lay their hands upon the first ram and slaughter it, sprinkle its blood, and dissect it.
Fifth reading—Exodus 29:19–37 In the fifth reading, God instructed Moses to take one of the rams, let Aaron and his sons lay their hands upon the ram's head, slaughter the ram, and put some of its blood and on the ridge of Aaron's right ear and on the ridges of his sons' right ears, and on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet..
Sixth reading—Exodus 29:38–46 In the sixth reading, God promised to meet and speak with Moses and the Israelites there, to abide among the Israelites, and be their God..
Seventh reading—Exodus 30:1–10 In the seventh reading, God instructed Moses to make an incense altar of acacia wood overlaid with gold—sometimes called the Golden Altar..
Readings according to the triennial cycle Jews who read the Torah according to the triennial cycle of Torah reading read the parashah according to the following schedule:See, e.g., Richard Eisenberg, "A Complete Triennial Cycle for Reading the Torah," in Proceedings of the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Conservative Movement: 1986–1990 (New York: Rabbinical Assembly, 2001), pages 383–418. Year 1Year 2Year 32023, 2026, 2029 . . .2024, 2027, 2030 . . .2025, 2028, 2031 . . .Reading27:20–28:3028:31–29:1829:19–30:10127:20–28:528:31–3529:19–21228:6–928:36–3829:22–25328:10–1228:39–4329:26–30428:13–1729:1–429:31–34528:18–2129:5–929:35–37628:22–2529:10–1429:38–46728:26–3029:15–1830:1–10Maftir28:28–3029:15–1830:8–10
In inner-Biblical interpretation The parashah has parallels or is discussed in these Biblical sources:For more on inner-Biblical interpretation, see, e.g., Benjamin D. Sommer, “Inner-biblical Interpretation,” in Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, editors, The Jewish Study Bible, 2nd edition (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), pages 1835–41.
Exodus chapters 25–39 This is the pattern of instruction and construction of the Tabernacle and its furnishings:
ItemInstructionConstructionOrderVersesOrderVersesContributions1Exodus 25:1–92Exodus 35:4–29Ark2Exodus 25:10–225Exodus 37:1–9Table3Exodus 25:23–306Exodus 37:10–16Menorah4Exodus 25:31–407Exodus 37:17–24Tabernacle5Exodus 26:1–374Exodus 36:8–38Altar of Sacrifice6Exodus 27:1–811Exodus 38:1–7Tabernacle Court7Exodus 27:9–1913Exodus 38:9–20Lamp8Exodus 27:20–2116Numbers 8:1–4Priestly Garments9Exodus 28:1–4314Exodus 39:1–31Ordination Ritual10Exodus 29:1–4615Leviticus 8:1–9:24Altar of Incense11Exodus 30:1–108Exodus 37:25–28Laver12Exodus 30:17–2112Exodus 38:8Anointing Oil13Exodus 30:22–339Exodus 37:29Incense14Exodus 30:34–3810Exodus 37:29Craftspeople15Exodus 31:1–113Exodus 35:30–36:7The Sabbath16Exodus 31:12–171Exodus 35:1–3
The Priestly story of the Tabernacle in Exodus 25–27 echoes the Priestly story of creation in Genesis 1:1–2:3.See generally Jon D. Levenson, "Cosmos and Microcosm," in Creation and the Persistence of Evil: The Jewish Drama of Divine Omnipotence (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1988), pages 78–99; see also Jeffrey H. Tigay, "Exodus," in Adele Berlin and Marc Brettler, editors, Jewish Study Bible, 2nd edition, page 157. As the creation story unfolds in seven days,(1) ; (2) ; (3) ; (4) ; (5) ; (6) ; (7) . the instructions about the Tabernacle unfold in seven speeches.(1) ; (2) ; (3) ; (4) ; (5) ; (6) ; (7) . In both creation and Tabernacle accounts, the text notes the completion of the task.; . In both creation and Tabernacle, the work done is seen to be good.; . In both creation and Tabernacle, when the work is finished, God takes an action in acknowledgement.; . In both creation and Tabernacle, when the work is finished, a blessing is invoked.; . And in both creation and Tabernacle, God declares something "holy."; .
The language used to describe the building of the Tabernacle parallels that used in the story of creation.See generally Sorel Goldberg Loeb and Barbara Binder Kadden, Teaching Torah: A Treasury of Insights and Activities (Denver: A.R.E. Publishing, 1997), page 157. The lampstand held seven candles,. Aaron wore seven sacral vestments,. the account of the building of the Tabernacle alludes to the creation account,Compare to ; to ; and to . and the Tabernacle was completed on New Year's Day.. Exodus 25:1–9 and 35:4–29 list seven kinds of substances—metals, yarn, skins, wood, oil, spices, and gemstones—signifying the totality of supplies.Carol Meyers, “Exodus,” in Michael D. Coogan, Marc Z. Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, and Pheme Perkins, editors, The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version With The Apocrypha: An Ecumenical Study Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, revised 4th edition 2010), page 117.
Exodus chapter 27 Leviticus 24:1–4 echoes and expands on the command of Exodus 27:20 about the care of the Menorah.
Exodus chapter 28 The priestly garments of Exodus 28:2–43 are echoed in Psalm 132:9, where the Psalmist exhorts, "Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness," and in Psalm 132:16, where God promises, "Her priests also will I clothe with salvation."Note the similar language of 2 Chronicles and . See Walter Brueggemann, "The Book of Exodus," in Leander E. Keck, editor, The New Interpreter's Bible (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994), volume 1, page 909. Franz Delitzsch interpreted this to mean that the priests would be characterized by conduct that accorded with God's will, and that the priests would not merely bring about salvation instrumentally, but personally possess it and proclaim it in their whole outward appearance.Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, translated by Francis Bolton (Edinburgh: T & T Clarke, 1866–1891), reprinted as C.F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, volume 5, Psalms, by F. Delitzsch (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson, 2006), pages 786–87.
The Hebrew Bible refers to the Urim and Thummim in Exodus 28:30; Leviticus 8:8; Numbers 27:21; Deuteronomy 33:8; 1 Samuel 14:41 ("Thammim") and 28:6; Ezra 2:63; and Nehemiah 7:65; and may refer to them in references to "sacred utensils" in Numbers 31:6 and the Ephod in 1 Samuel 14:3 and 19; 23:6 and 9; and 30:7–8; and Hosea 3:4.
Exodus chapter 29 The Torah mentions the combination of ear, thumb, and toe in three places. In Exodus 29:20, God instructed Moses how to initiate the priests, telling him to kill a ram, take some of its blood, and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron and his sons, on the thumb of their right hand, and on the great toe of their right foot, and dash the remaining blood against the altar round about. And then Leviticus 8:23–24 reports that Moses followed God's instructions to initiate Aaron and his sons. Then, Leviticus 14:14, 17, 25, and 28 set forth a similar procedure for the cleansing of a person with skin disease (, tzara'at). In Leviticus 14:14, God instructed the priest on the day of the person's cleansing to take some of the blood of a guilt-offering and put it upon the tip of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the great toe of the right foot of the one to be cleansed. And then in Leviticus 14:17, God instructed the priest to put oil on the tip of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the great toe of the right foot of the one to be cleansed, on top of the blood of the guilt-offering. And finally, in Leviticus 14:25 and 28, God instructed the priest to repeat the procedure on the eighth day to complete the person's cleansing.
Exodus chapter 30 In its description of the altar, Exodus 30:10 foreshadows the purpose of Yom Kippur summarized in Leviticus 16:6, 16 , and 30–34 and echoed in Leviticus 23:27–28 in the listing of the Festivals.
In early nonrabbinic interpretation
The parashah is discussed in these early nonrabbinic sources:For more on early nonrabbinic interpretation, see, e.g., Esther Eshel, “Early Nonrabbinic Interpretation,” in Adele Berlin and Marc Brettler, editors, Jewish Study Bible, 2nd edition, pages 1841–59.
Exodus chapter 28 Ben Sira wrote of the splendor of the High Priest's garments in Exodus 28, saying, "How glorious he was . . . as he came out of the House of the curtain. Like the morning star among the clouds, like the full moon at the festal season; like the sun shining on the Temple of the Most High, like the rainbow gleaming in splendid clouds."
Josephus interpreted the linen vestment of Exodus 28:5 to signify the earth, as flax grows out of the earth. Josephus interpreted the Ephod of the four colors gold, blue, purple, and scarlet in Exodus 28:6 to signify that God made the universe of four elements, with the gold interwoven to show the splendor by which all things are enlightened. Josephus saw the stones on the High Priest's shoulders in Exodus 28:9–12 to represent the sun and the moon. He interpreted the breastplate of Exodus 28:15–22 to resemble the earth, having the middle place of the world, and the girdle that encompassed the High Priest to signify the ocean, which encircled the world. He interpreted the 12 stones of the Ephod in Exodus 28:17–21 to represent the months or the signs of the Zodiac. He interpreted the golden bells and pomegranates that Exodus 28:33–35 says hung on the fringes of the High Priest's garments to signify thunder and lightning, respectively. And Josephus saw the blue on the headdress of Exodus 28:37 to represent Heaven, "for how otherwise could the name of God be inscribed upon it?"Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews book 3, chapter 7, paragraph 7.