Parashat Tetzaveh: Midrash
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Devash: Midrash
Ilustration Credit: Rivka Tsinman

Midrash מִדְרָשׁ

Do you think it’s possible to pick one single most important pasuk in the Torah?
In this midrash, three Sages identify their top pasuk. Look out for the one that comes from our parashah!
נתיבות עולם, נתיב אהבת ריע א׳:ד׳
הקדמה לעין יעקב
בֶּן זוֹמָא אוֹמֵר: מָצִינוּ פָּסוּק כּוֹלֵל יוֹתֵר וְהוּא "שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד" (דברים ו:ד).
בֶּן נַנָּס אוֹמֵר: מָצִינוּ פָּסוּק כּוֹלֵל יוֹתֵר וְהוּא: "וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ" (ויקרא יט:יח).
שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן פַּזִּי אוֹמֵר: מָצִינוּ פָּסוּק כּוֹלֵל יוֹתֵר וְהוּא: "אֶת הַכֶּבֶשׂ הָאֶחָד תַּעֲשֶׂה בַבֹּקֶר וְאֵת הַכֶּבֶשׂ הַשֵּׁנִי תַּעֲשֶׂה בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם" (שמות כט:לט).
Netivot Olam, Netiv Ahavat Reia 1:4
Introduction to Ein Yaakov
Ben Zoma says: We find a pasuk that contains even more of the Torah, and it’s “Listen, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One” (Devarim 6:4).
Ben Nanas says: We find a pasuk that contains even more, and it’s “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Vayikra 19:18).
Shimon ben Pazi says: We find a pasuk that contains even more, and it’s “You shall offer one lamb in the morning and one lamb in the afternoon” (Shemot 29:39).
Ben Zoma thinks the most important pasuk in the Torah is the Shema, which states our loyalty to God. Ben Nanas thinks it’s a different famous pasuk about how much to love other people.
Shimon ben Pazi points to a pasuk from our parashah that’s about the קָרְבַּן תָּמִיד (korban tamid). Tamid means “always,” and the korban tamid was a sacrifice that was brought every single day no matter what.
Shimon ben Pazi seems to be saying that the biggest idea in the Torah, the idea that contains everything else, is to serve God always: Every. Single. Day.
  • Why should Torah and mitzvot be part of our lives every day with no vacations or breaks? Why would this be so important?
  • How do you ensure that the things that are most important to you happen every day of your life?
  • How do you express your Jewish identity every day?
  • Imagine someone saying “I love you” to their child, or to their parent, every single day for their whole life. What does it mean to say that every day without breaks? What would happen if that person skipped saying “I love you” for a few days?