Below is a write-up
of Rav Weinberger's Shaloshe Seudos Drasha from this Shabbos, Parshas
Vayakel-Pekudey. You can see past write-ups of
Rav Weinberger's Shalosh Sheudos Torahs here and get thousands of his shiurim
in mp3 format at ravmosheweinberger.com.
Rav Moshe Weinberger
Shalosh Seudos Drasha Parashas Vayekel-Pekudey 5752
Reb Leibele Eiger - Standing firm in Hashem's Chatzer
(Original text of the Toras Emes (Parshas Pekudey p.130) is in regular font. Rav Weinberger’s comments are in italics)
We would need at least an hour to go over this Torah from Reb Leibele Eiger, we'll do the best we can in these few minutes.
Everywhere regarding the building of the Mishkan and all it's utensils it's written ״כאשר צוה ה׳ את משה״. I heard it asked from the mouth of the Holy Admor M'Ishbitz why is this not said reading the building of the חצר (courtyard)? We find the answer printed in his Sefer Mey Hashiloach. However, considering the difficulty of this question I'll try to add my own answer.
First we need to understand why is ״כאשר צוה וכו׳״ written so many times. Wouldn't it have been enough to write it just once at the end, when all the work was completed? We can say, however, that this shows us the greatness of the ענוה (humility) of Moshe Rabbeinu ע״ה. The basis of ענוה is the pure Fear of Hashem. Even though he saw the great light that emanated from every single thing related to the building of the Mishkan, he didn't desire to do anything unless it was an express מצוה (commandment), to fulfill a specific order. Even if he was commanded to do one thing, he did not do anything else until it was directly ordered, and the same with everything else until the work of the Mishkan was completed.
Even though Moshe saw all those lights coming from all the different Keilim of the Mishkan, and he was profoundly inspired by them he didn't just run with it. He didn't think that he was "the man", and that he could just follow his inspiration and go on to the next thing.
We can compare this to a high ranking and beloved minister of a king. The king constantly shows him favor and affection and brings him close to him in all kinds of ways. He gives him permission to go anywhere in his palace, but the minister only goes into one room. Due to his great fear of the majesty of the king, he doesn't go anywhere else unless he is specifically commanded to do so. This is what the Holy Torah is telling us with each particular ״כאשר צוה ה׳ את משה״.
Regarding the חצר, however, it doesn't say " כאשר צוה וכו׳". The חצר is the outermost area, whomever leaves it, leaves the domain of the בעל הבירה (Master of the palace) completely. In this case it's not appropriate to rely on the Middah of ענוה. On the contrary, we must stand in the חצר no matter what, and desire to be close to the King.
The חצר is something else. As it says (Tehillim 92) "בחצרות אלוקינו יפריחו" (In the courtyards of our G'd they will flourish). Here humility has no place. We belong there, but we have to choose to be there, we have to desire it.
Regarding this it's written (Pesachim ch. 7) "כל מה שיומר לך בעל הבית עשה, חוץ מצא" (Anything the host commands one must do, except if he orders one to leave). On the contrary he must be strong and stand in the outer חצר no matter what, and show his great desire that the host bring him closer, and not be completely rejected ח״ו. Then the host will see his submission and broken heartedness, and he will have mercy on him and will call him to come inside.
Even if we are told to leave by the בעל הבית, we don't have to. We can stay there because we belong there. Esther stood in the חצר of the king knowing that that's where she was supposed to be. And she waited there for the King to stretch out his scepter to bring her closer.
All the more so regarding Hakadosh Baruch Hu, who is compassionate and merciful, a person must obviously stand strong and remain, no matter what, in the חצר of His palace, and to desire to be a part of His Kedusha. Then Hashem Yisborach will have mercy on him and will bring him closer. This is the meaning of the passuk (Shemos 40:35) "ולא יכול משה לבוא וגו׳" (And Moshe was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting). Even after all his deeds: he took Yisroel out of Egypt, he brought the quail, brought down the Mann, and completed the construction of the Mishkan. In his great humility and pure fear Moshe did not feel worthy of going into the Tent. He just stood in the חצר desiring the Kedusha. Immediately Hashems mercy fell on him and Moshe was called.
We see this at the very beginning of next Parsha, that starts with the words ״ויקרא אל משה וגו׳״ (and Hashem called unto Moshe).
This is the meaning of the passuk (Tehillim 65:5) "אשרי תבחר ותקרב ישכון חצריך" (Happy is the man whom You choose, and bring near, that he may dwell in Your courtyard). It does not say תשכין (You cause to dwell), in the same tense as it says תבחר (You choose) and תקרב (You bring close), but ישכון (he will dwell) on his own accord. Because regarding the חצר man has to dwell there out of his own choosing, without being commanded. Even without any הארת פנים (Divine Invitation) a person has to strengthen himself to not feel completely rejected ח״ו, until through this Hashem Yosborach will have great mercy on him and will bring him closer. Through this he will be (Tehillim 65:5) ״נשבעה בטוב ביתך, קדוש היכלך״ (satisfied with the goodness of Your House, the holy place of Your Temple).
We belong in Hashem's חצר. But we have to wait and try our best to be there. We have to work hard on ourselves learning, keeping Mitzvos, keeping Shabbos, guarding our eyes and our mouths, improving our Middos. The whole world is pulling us in the other direction. Like in the old movies, grabbing us by the neck with a hook and trying to drag us off the stage. And sometimes we can feel a sense of ייאוש (dispair), feeling that we've fallen so low that we don't belong there. But we must stand strong and wait for Hashem to bring us closer to him. Now is that time of that חצר before Pesach, "בחצרות אלוקינו יפריחו". Hashem should help us have the strength to stay in his חצר until the גאולה השלימה והאמיתית בב״א.
We would need at least an hour to go over this Torah from Reb Leibele Eiger, we'll do the best we can in these few minutes.
Everywhere regarding the building of the Mishkan and all it's utensils it's written ״כאשר צוה ה׳ את משה״. I heard it asked from the mouth of the Holy Admor M'Ishbitz why is this not said reading the building of the חצר (courtyard)? We find the answer printed in his Sefer Mey Hashiloach. However, considering the difficulty of this question I'll try to add my own answer.
First we need to understand why is ״כאשר צוה וכו׳״ written so many times. Wouldn't it have been enough to write it just once at the end, when all the work was completed? We can say, however, that this shows us the greatness of the ענוה (humility) of Moshe Rabbeinu ע״ה. The basis of ענוה is the pure Fear of Hashem. Even though he saw the great light that emanated from every single thing related to the building of the Mishkan, he didn't desire to do anything unless it was an express מצוה (commandment), to fulfill a specific order. Even if he was commanded to do one thing, he did not do anything else until it was directly ordered, and the same with everything else until the work of the Mishkan was completed.
Even though Moshe saw all those lights coming from all the different Keilim of the Mishkan, and he was profoundly inspired by them he didn't just run with it. He didn't think that he was "the man", and that he could just follow his inspiration and go on to the next thing.
We can compare this to a high ranking and beloved minister of a king. The king constantly shows him favor and affection and brings him close to him in all kinds of ways. He gives him permission to go anywhere in his palace, but the minister only goes into one room. Due to his great fear of the majesty of the king, he doesn't go anywhere else unless he is specifically commanded to do so. This is what the Holy Torah is telling us with each particular ״כאשר צוה ה׳ את משה״.
Regarding the חצר, however, it doesn't say " כאשר צוה וכו׳". The חצר is the outermost area, whomever leaves it, leaves the domain of the בעל הבירה (Master of the palace) completely. In this case it's not appropriate to rely on the Middah of ענוה. On the contrary, we must stand in the חצר no matter what, and desire to be close to the King.
The חצר is something else. As it says (Tehillim 92) "בחצרות אלוקינו יפריחו" (In the courtyards of our G'd they will flourish). Here humility has no place. We belong there, but we have to choose to be there, we have to desire it.
Regarding this it's written (Pesachim ch. 7) "כל מה שיומר לך בעל הבית עשה, חוץ מצא" (Anything the host commands one must do, except if he orders one to leave). On the contrary he must be strong and stand in the outer חצר no matter what, and show his great desire that the host bring him closer, and not be completely rejected ח״ו. Then the host will see his submission and broken heartedness, and he will have mercy on him and will call him to come inside.
Even if we are told to leave by the בעל הבית, we don't have to. We can stay there because we belong there. Esther stood in the חצר of the king knowing that that's where she was supposed to be. And she waited there for the King to stretch out his scepter to bring her closer.
All the more so regarding Hakadosh Baruch Hu, who is compassionate and merciful, a person must obviously stand strong and remain, no matter what, in the חצר of His palace, and to desire to be a part of His Kedusha. Then Hashem Yisborach will have mercy on him and will bring him closer. This is the meaning of the passuk (Shemos 40:35) "ולא יכול משה לבוא וגו׳" (And Moshe was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting). Even after all his deeds: he took Yisroel out of Egypt, he brought the quail, brought down the Mann, and completed the construction of the Mishkan. In his great humility and pure fear Moshe did not feel worthy of going into the Tent. He just stood in the חצר desiring the Kedusha. Immediately Hashems mercy fell on him and Moshe was called.
We see this at the very beginning of next Parsha, that starts with the words ״ויקרא אל משה וגו׳״ (and Hashem called unto Moshe).
This is the meaning of the passuk (Tehillim 65:5) "אשרי תבחר ותקרב ישכון חצריך" (Happy is the man whom You choose, and bring near, that he may dwell in Your courtyard). It does not say תשכין (You cause to dwell), in the same tense as it says תבחר (You choose) and תקרב (You bring close), but ישכון (he will dwell) on his own accord. Because regarding the חצר man has to dwell there out of his own choosing, without being commanded. Even without any הארת פנים (Divine Invitation) a person has to strengthen himself to not feel completely rejected ח״ו, until through this Hashem Yosborach will have great mercy on him and will bring him closer. Through this he will be (Tehillim 65:5) ״נשבעה בטוב ביתך, קדוש היכלך״ (satisfied with the goodness of Your House, the holy place of Your Temple).
We belong in Hashem's חצר. But we have to wait and try our best to be there. We have to work hard on ourselves learning, keeping Mitzvos, keeping Shabbos, guarding our eyes and our mouths, improving our Middos. The whole world is pulling us in the other direction. Like in the old movies, grabbing us by the neck with a hook and trying to drag us off the stage. And sometimes we can feel a sense of ייאוש (dispair), feeling that we've fallen so low that we don't belong there. But we must stand strong and wait for Hashem to bring us closer to him. Now is that time of that חצר before Pesach, "בחצרות אלוקינו יפריחו". Hashem should help us have the strength to stay in his חצר until the גאולה השלימה והאמיתית בב״א.
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