Interfaith Tetzaveh

[Bandit]

Tetzaveh
Exodus 27:20-30:10

this Parsha is half dedicated to the priestly garments (holy garments) & some of the rituals & sacrifice & offerings.
there is something mentioned about a seven day training period before the Tabernacle is "erected"


there are little golden bell(s) & pomegranate, this is heard when entering the holy place so he (Aron) would not die.
high hats for honor & glory.
breeches
ephod
showplate
cord of blue wool

 

[Bandit]

i think there is a difference between cap & hat & crown, but all the garments have a special meaning & purpose. i have caught on to a couple of the meanings (dignity & beauty). Arons sons wore something a little more simple called Tunic.

the tabernacle is also called the 'Tent of Meeting'


i found one purpose for the four horns on the golden altar in this parsha...

once a day each year- the Golden Altar served an additional function:
On Yom Kippur, the High Priest sprinkled the blood of the days special offerings on its horns. Once in the year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations:it is most Holy to G-d


Once a day each year is an odd way to put it.

Hey Pohaikawahine, i think you are right . we have entered some sort of MAZE. I never thought of it as a maze before.

 

[pohaikawahine]

I have read several interpretations of this parsha on priestly garments and it is certainly as complex as the tabernacle itself. I think that the discription of "outer garments" is similar to the concept that it replicates an "inner place" as well and I think that the colors also go to "vibration" and not just symbolic meaning. Vibration or frequency are important to understand as they relate to the seven energy centers in the body because the circle of stones, or the circle of elders (whatever you want to call it) controls the movement of energy through different vibrations. The energy must clear each path to rise to the summit.

The breastplate is of particular interest because it represents the 12 tribes (or the circle of stones, circle of elders) and it has a relationship to "urim and thummin" (revelation and truth). I have read several descriptions of what this might actually mean, but none of them relate to the inner process of revelation (that movement of energy into the center of the brain). So I'm thinking that the priestly garments have two purposes .... that of the outer symbolism of man and his relationship go G-d and that of the inner process of revelation and truth and the meeting with G-d face to face.


Just as there are two terms for the tabernacle or "sanctuary" which are "mishcan" and "mikdash". The 'mishcan" is the portable sanctuary that is carried while in the wilderness and then the 'mikdash' is the permanent structure which is the 'outer' structure like the garments of the high priest. So perhaps we can also look at the 'mishcan' as the inner portable sancturary and the 'mikdash' as the outer structure which reminds us of what exists internally.

Some say that the scriptures are sometimes contradictory because of the different terms and also the instructions on sacrafice .... but I don't think they are contradictory, they may just speak to "outer" or "inner".

All this to say that the details on the priestly garments are there for a very specific purpose, to guide us back to our inner selves. When I get too caught up in the details, I tend to lose the bigger pictures of how it all fits together .... so I'm trying to look at it from a distance and not too close....

aloha nui, poh

 

[Bandit]

Some say that the scriptures are sometimes contradictory because of the different terms and also the instructions on sacrafice .... but I don't think they are contradictory, they may just speak to "outer" or "inner".

All this to say that the details on the priestly garments are there for a very specific purpose, to guide us back to our inner selves. When I get too caught up in the details, I tend to lose the bigger pictures of how it all fits together .... so I'm trying to look at it from a distance and not too close....

aloha nui, poh

when i see people claim contradiction, then i dont think they are even trying to see it right. i see paradox & purpose (or another side of the same story) where others would claim contradiction, or i think some have a different agenda.

i have to also agree with stepping back & not staying too close to one thing. it lets you see the big picture---the how & why things are connected & done the way they are done.
for example, one place they put blood of a ram on their right ear, right thumbs & right big toes. stuff like that just makes no sense to me.

but, i know there are still some small tribes today that still do all these different rituals, sacrifices & wear different garments.

 

[Bandit]

this drawing is from Chabad. you can see some of the details from a distance, like the little bells at the bottom.
they kind of remind me of chefs in the kitchen

i know i will never understand the whole bible, but comparing these different garments to the spirit seems like a good idea. i was reading where some of the animals parts were burned in a diiferent place & some of what they actually cooked & ate was also cooked in a different place. not everything was done around the tabernacle or outer court.

 

[pohaikawahine]

bandit - did you notice on the last two posts that we each posted 2,365 posts ..... isn't that interesting .... and the numbers add up to 2+3+6+5=16 which equals 1+6 = 7 (this is one to look at numbers) .....

as for the location of the ram's blood on the right .... that is one that I'll have to give more thought to .... usually the right is associated with spirituality or the right hemisphere of the brain .... such as "cast your net to the right" which is symbolic of fishing for wisdom on the right side of the brain .... so the ram's blood might be associated in some way .... hmmmmmm... aloha nui, poh

I also think it may help for us to look at other cultural positions on "sanctuary's" and rituals associated with them .....

 

[Bandit]

hee hee

you are just like my aunt betty with numbers. she notices all that stuff. i was just seeing 2 X 365, like 365 days a year. but you got it to 7, the perfect number.
just cheking in. i am still at work but will be back tomorrow to read some more on this parsha & post on leviticus thread.

Pohaikawahine, thanks for all your thoughts & insights on these studies. you have been a real blessing for me in many ways
i have tons of questions on all these things & i appreciate your response & attention to them.

 

[pohaikawahine]

sorry - I made an error, my posts were only 400+ and yours were the perfect number of 7 .... I did a quick research on sanctuaries or place of refuge and found two main references .... one was the hawaiian place of refuge or a place called pu'uhonua o honaunau where hawaiians who broke a kapu or one of the ancient laws could avoid certain death by fleeing to this place .... and the other is a reference to the six cities of refuge established in ancient Israel which were given to the Levites to which a person who has killed someone may flee to be protected (Numbers 35:6) .... they sound very much alike .....

the others were primarily place of refuge for ships that could use these ports as safe havens .... I do think bandit that these concepts are connected with a safe sanctuary in the brain itself ....

I also want to do some further thinking a research on "urim and thummin" .... was hoping to find something related to a kabbalist perspective among others .... aloha nui, poh

 

[Bandit]

i have heard of the refuge you mention in Numbers. i did not know they had a similiar refuge in Hawaii also. i can see how that will relate to a safety zone somewhere in our heads.

one other thing is, there was another alter inside the tabernacle, located just outside of the holy of holies, for burning incense & spice. it also had horns & once a year there was an atonement made using the horns.
this alter is only 1x1x2H cubits.

i see you are noticing the blood on the right. i am thinking there is also a connection there for why it would also go on the big toe & the thumb. then on the middle of the ear ....

That is the cartilage, the middle wall within the ear, which is known [in Old French] as tendron, tendrum, tenron, tenrum

then there was one other thing that caught my attention..a showplate of gold. this is something that Aron wears on his head/forehead that was to bear the iniquity of the gifts of the people.