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Tetzaveh- The Importance of Education
For this year’s Parsha Lesson I will be applying the lesson that can be derived from the Dvar Torah to the world as we know it today.
Background
Towards the beginning of this week’s parsha, Hashem instructs Moshe to appoint Aharon as the Kohen Gadol (the High Priest). This was not merely an appointment to a position for the time being and for Aharon himself, but rather this was the designating of Aharon and his progeny- for all time- as the priests and leaders of the service of Hashem in the Mishkan (Tabernacle- temporary House of worship) and then in the Beis Hamikdash (Holy Temple).
The Ibn Ezra (Spain, 1089-1167) asks an interesting question- he is bothered by why was Moshe not appointed to be the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest? Moshe was the pinnacle of human achievement on this world! Moshe reached the highest level of perfection of any human being of all time. Why then was was Moshe, and then his progeny afterwards, not installed as the Kohanim, the High Priests?
The Ibn Ezra answers that Hashem did not want to burden Moshe with the additional job of doing the service in the Mishkan. Moshe was busy teaching the Torah to the Jewish people, and he was needed on an ongoing basis to deal with any ‘difficult issues’ of law that arose, and therefore Hashem appointed Aharon as the Kohen Gadol instead.
Question
Hashem didn’t want to ‘burden’ Moshe with the additional role of Kohen!? This was no mere position of authority, which it was, it was also THE person who would direct the entire service of the Jewish nation, and by extension for all of humanity, to Hashem- for all time!
How could Moshe not want, desperately, to be the person through whom the Jewish people would serve Hashem- which is of profound importance and one of the pillars of the world? Additionally, even if it would be an additional burden during his lifetime, Moshe would surely embrace that burden in order to establish his children in this coveted position of authority and importance!?
Just because it would be a ‘burden’ on Moshe, himself, during his lifetime, his family is losing out on being the Kohanim and leaders of the spiritual service of the Jewish people for all time!?
Answer
This is an astounding lesson and example of how important Torah learning, specifically educating others in the ways of the Torah, is. If Moshe would be ‘burdened’ with the service in the Mishkan, meaning having to do it himself (he anyways needed to instruct and teach Aharon and his sons how to perform the service), then his focus and dedication to teaching the Jewish people Torah would be hindered and worsened.
A slight hindering and worsening of Moshe’s clarity of mind and focus on teaching the Torah is such a significant problem so as to warrant Moshe not getting this prestigious role for himself, and his family- forever. Why? Because, obviously, Moshe had a more important role- to educate the Jewish people in the ways of the Torah.
Lesson for our world
Education is of paramount importance. What is the difference between people who are enlightened by the light of knowledge and awareness of truth and those that aren’t? One must only look at the difference between the societies and countries where education was not important and stressed and those which valued education- and by education I mean the pursuit of truth, not the training of skills.
The problem arises when schools, which are supposed to be places of education, are used either to train workers, or to further various social agendas and indoctrination. When the true and honest pursuit of knowledge and ideas is subverted for other values- that is when society begins to fall apart and people become weaker and more enfeebled. Education in the ways of the Torah, to be enlightened in the ways of the world by the word of Hashem- who created and directs the world and who has given us an instruction manual, with the most profound wisdom and knowledge, is therefore clearly understood to be of paramount importance.
Certainly, the necessary skills that one needs for proper employment should be pursued at the right time and place. However, the value of an education which allows a person to think and understand and pursue truth, and shows them how to go about using their intellect in a rigorous manner to arrive at truth and understanding, is far more profound and important than that knowledge being used as a ‘spade to dig with.’
Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos,
Rabbi Eli Meir Kramer
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