The Weekly Shtikle - Shemini

Apropos for parshas Shemini coming on the heels of Pesach (and on the eighth day of the Omer, no less )

    At the end of the parsha, the pasuk (11:45) says "Ki ani HaShem hamaale eschem..." Rashi comments that in all other instances it says "hotzeisi" but here it says "hama'ale" and quotes from Tana d'Bei Eliyahu that the term ma'ale implies that this mitzva itself is a ma'ala, a virtue in and of itself, for which B'nei Yisroel merited exodus from Egypt. The obvious inference is from the change of terminology from 'yetzia' to 'aliyah'.

 

    However, perhaps there is another inference to be made. In all other instances, the word "hotzeisi" is used. It is in past tense. Here, had the pasuk said "asher he'eliesi" then there would not have been such a strong implication that this mitzva is a ma'ala but only that HaShem took us out and therefore we should keep it. Now that it is written in the present tense, it implies that with this mitzva HaShem brings us up to a higher level and it is a virtue for us. The Midrash is clearly not making this inference but it may still be used to arrive at the same conclusion.

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
EzBulka@hotmail.com
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