by Rabbi Avi Billet
A year ago 17 families’ worlds and lives were turned upside down, as were the lives of countless relatives, friends and communities with the horrific shooting in Parkland, FL.
A year later, and we can and must remember. Not just because 5 of the families are Jewish, but because all 17 families were victims of a senseless criminal act that is now part of history, but very much remains part of our collective present.
There is no word for “history” in older Hebrew. In modern Hebrew, the word used is “Historia,” but in older Hebrew, history was defined based on the root “Zchor” – to remember. What people remember and carry as memorials - that defines history.
Tetzaveh is filled with memory – all aimed at teach the Bnei Yisrael about their history. In Chapter 28, we are told: “Place the two stones on the two shoulder pieces of the ephod as remembrance stones (Zikaron) for the sons of Israel, and Aharon will carry the names, before God, on his shoulders as a remembrance (Zikaron).“ (28:12)
It seemed pretty clear from the first mention of Zikaron that the stones atop the shoulder straps of the Ephod – on which were engraved the names of the 12 tribes - were meant to be Memorial stones for the tribes of Israel, both the individual sons of Yaakov and their descendants. This memorial is something Aharon was to carry with him always, in his role as Kohen Gadol.
The 12 stones of the Choshen were also a Zikaron.
Aharon was to carry the names of Bnei Yisrael, on the CHoshen, on his heart, as a Zikaron Before Hashem always. (28:29)
The very next verse describes how the Choshen had the Urim and Tumim and that they were placed on Aharon’s heart (28:30).
Aharon’s job was to carry the laws or judgment of the Children of Israel on his heart always.
There was one more burden Aharon was to bear. When the Tzitz, the forehead plate, is described, we are told that it was to be on Aharon’s forehead.
“Aaron shall thus carry the device that expiates errors in the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate as holy gifts. It shall be on his forehead at all times to make [these offerings] acceptable for [the Israelites] before God.” (28:38)
Aharon was to carry the burden of mistakes in the Kodshim that Bnei Yisrael would bring. It would be on his forehead Tamid. Before God. Always.
To summarize: On his shoulders, a Zikaron remembers the past. On his heart, the names of the tribes of Israel were a Zikaron before God – a concern for the present. Finally, on his forehead, he carried the missteps of the Kodshim (holy offerings) - the future. This is the totality of the story of the Jewish people. This is what Aharon carried.
What do we carry on our shoulders, on our hearts, on our minds? Burdens? Cares? Loved ones? Do we think about others? Pray for others? Wish the very best for others? Try to help people have both a healing of the body and the soul, both of which are so needed today?. What we carry on our hearts, shoulders and minds is something to think about. It reflects the past, the present and the future.
What is a Zikaron Lifnei Hashem – a memory before God? Doesn’t He see everything, know everything? How could He possibly need a reminder for anything?
Memory is something humans have. “I recall a memory.” “If memory serves me right.” “I’m losing my memory.” “I have no memory of that.”
Memory is for us. We see the tzitzis and we are supposed to REMEMBER the Mitzvos of Hashem and do them. We have a seder to remember Yetzias Mitzrayim. How God was there for our ancestors, and how He remains there for us now. We have to remember Amalek. So we can make every effort and take every precaution that they not rise again. We have reminders, through the mezuzah, through certain seasonal mitzvos we have, through the Shema, of where we stand with relation to God.
WE need Reminders. God does not. And yet the memory is “before Hashem”?
Netziv explains that God’s memory is essentially triggered when a salvation is needed. Aside from Yosef’s memory of his dreams, the four “And he remembered” refers to God remembering Noach during the flood, remembering Avraham while Lot was being saved from Sodom, remembering Rachel post her claim that she would die if she has no child, and remembering Israel in Egypt and His promise to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov.
Aharon’s carrying the Zikaron on his shoulders and on his heart was meant to serve as a constant reminder of the love God had for Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, and their children. This is also why Rosh Hashana is called Yom HaZikaron – it’s a time when the memory of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov is invoked in order to bring about what is hopefully a salvation for the Jewish people.
While there are certainly some people whose lives are devastated forever on account of tragedies, some manage to continue to live – even with a deep hole in the heart. And that hole is an important hole that should never be filled. Because if it is filled, there is no memory.
What we all must take from the memory of those lost to terrorism and senseless acts of violence and other tragedy is to do good and positive things in the memory of those whose lives were cut short. We make their memory a blessing when we do chesed and fulfill mitzvos in their name. In their memory. Or change policy – such as the Taylor Force Act to stop funding Palestinian terrorism. And that’s how we imitate Aharon, who carried the Bnei Yisrael, as a Zikaron before Hashem tamid.
Having a memory, having a sense of history, is meant to inspire us to be better people. Sadly we have to live life with an air of caution! But we must also promote the memory of our forbears and those who can no longer do good things, through bringing goodness to the world in their name, in their memory and on their behalf.
Aharon’s job was to carry the laws or judgment of the Children of Israel on his heart always.
There was one more burden Aharon was to bear. When the Tzitz, the forehead plate, is described, we are told that it was to be on Aharon’s forehead.
“Aaron shall thus carry the device that expiates errors in the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate as holy gifts. It shall be on his forehead at all times to make [these offerings] acceptable for [the Israelites] before God.” (28:38)
Aharon was to carry the burden of mistakes in the Kodshim that Bnei Yisrael would bring. It would be on his forehead Tamid. Before God. Always.
To summarize: On his shoulders, a Zikaron remembers the past. On his heart, the names of the tribes of Israel were a Zikaron before God – a concern for the present. Finally, on his forehead, he carried the missteps of the Kodshim (holy offerings) - the future. This is the totality of the story of the Jewish people. This is what Aharon carried.
What do we carry on our shoulders, on our hearts, on our minds? Burdens? Cares? Loved ones? Do we think about others? Pray for others? Wish the very best for others? Try to help people have both a healing of the body and the soul, both of which are so needed today?. What we carry on our hearts, shoulders and minds is something to think about. It reflects the past, the present and the future.
What is a Zikaron Lifnei Hashem – a memory before God? Doesn’t He see everything, know everything? How could He possibly need a reminder for anything?
Memory is something humans have. “I recall a memory.” “If memory serves me right.” “I’m losing my memory.” “I have no memory of that.”
Memory is for us. We see the tzitzis and we are supposed to REMEMBER the Mitzvos of Hashem and do them. We have a seder to remember Yetzias Mitzrayim. How God was there for our ancestors, and how He remains there for us now. We have to remember Amalek. So we can make every effort and take every precaution that they not rise again. We have reminders, through the mezuzah, through certain seasonal mitzvos we have, through the Shema, of where we stand with relation to God.
WE need Reminders. God does not. And yet the memory is “before Hashem”?
Netziv explains that God’s memory is essentially triggered when a salvation is needed. Aside from Yosef’s memory of his dreams, the four “And he remembered” refers to God remembering Noach during the flood, remembering Avraham while Lot was being saved from Sodom, remembering Rachel post her claim that she would die if she has no child, and remembering Israel in Egypt and His promise to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov.
Aharon’s carrying the Zikaron on his shoulders and on his heart was meant to serve as a constant reminder of the love God had for Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, and their children. This is also why Rosh Hashana is called Yom HaZikaron – it’s a time when the memory of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov is invoked in order to bring about what is hopefully a salvation for the Jewish people.
While there are certainly some people whose lives are devastated forever on account of tragedies, some manage to continue to live – even with a deep hole in the heart. And that hole is an important hole that should never be filled. Because if it is filled, there is no memory.
What we all must take from the memory of those lost to terrorism and senseless acts of violence and other tragedy is to do good and positive things in the memory of those whose lives were cut short. We make their memory a blessing when we do chesed and fulfill mitzvos in their name. In their memory. Or change policy – such as the Taylor Force Act to stop funding Palestinian terrorism. And that’s how we imitate Aharon, who carried the Bnei Yisrael, as a Zikaron before Hashem tamid.
Having a memory, having a sense of history, is meant to inspire us to be better people. Sadly we have to live life with an air of caution! But we must also promote the memory of our forbears and those who can no longer do good things, through bringing goodness to the world in their name, in their memory and on their behalf.
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