Chapter Previewהַקְדָּמָה
In this first aliyah of Parshas Beha'alotcha, Hashem commands Moshe Rabbeinu regarding the lighting of the Menorah in the Mishkan. Aharon HaKohen is instructed to kindle the lamps so that their light shines toward the center of the Menorah, showing his absolute dedication to fulfilling Hashem's word exactly as commanded. We also learn about the precise, intricate construction of the Menorah, which was hammered out of a single block of pure gold according to the exact pattern shown to Moshe on the mountain.
The aliyah then transitions to the purification and dedication of the Levi'im for their sacred avodah in the Mishkan. Hashem commands Moshe to set them apart from the rest of Bnei Yisrael through a process of purification, shaving, and immersion. This preparation readies them to be presented before Hashem as a special offering, representing all of Bnei Yisrael in their holy service.
All introductions, summaries, and contextual notes are the editor's commentary and are not part of the original text.אַלע הַקְדָּמוֹת, סִכּוּמִים, און הערות זענען דעם רעדאַקטאָר'ס באַמערקונגען און זענען נישט קיין טייל פונעם אָריגינעלן טעקסט.
פָּסוּק א
Pasuk 1
וַיְדַבֵּרAnd spokeיְהוָהHashemאֶלtoמֹשֶׁהMosheלֵּאמֹר׃saying
פָּסוּק ב
Pasuk 2
דַּבֵּרSpeakאֶלtoאַהֲרֹןAharonוְאָמַרְתָּand you shall sayאֵלָיוto himבְּהַעֲלֹתְךָwhen you kindleאֶת—הַנֵּרֹתthe lampsאֶלtowardמוּלthe front ofפְּנֵיthe face ofהַמְּנוֹרָהthe Menorahיָאִירוּshall shineשִׁבְעַתthe seven ofהַנֵּרוֹת׃the lamps
פָּסוּק ג
Pasuk 3
וַיַּעַשׂAnd he didכֵּןsoאַהֲרֹןAharonאֶלtowardמוּלthe front ofפְּנֵיthe face ofהַמְּנוֹרָהthe Menorahהֶעֱלָהhe kindledנֵרֹתֶיהָits lampsכַּאֲשֶׁרasצִוָּהcommandedיְהוָהHashemאֶת—מֹשֶׁה׃Moshe
פָּסוּק ד
Pasuk 4
וְזֶהand thisמַעֲשֵׂהwas the construction ofהַמְּנֹרָהthe Menorahמִקְשָׁהhammered workזָהָבof goldעַדfromיְרֵכָהּits baseעַדtoפִּרְחָהּits flowerמִקְשָׁהhammered workהִואit wasכַּמַּרְאֶהaccording to the patternאֲשֶׁרthatהֶרְאָהshowedיְהוָהHashemאֶת—מֹשֶׁהMosheכֵּןsoעָשָׂהhe madeאֶת—הַמְּנֹרָה׃the Menorah
פָּסוּק ה
Pasuk 5
וַיְדַבֵּרAnd spokeיְהוָהHashemאֶלtoמֹשֶׁהMosheלֵּאמֹר׃saying
פָּסוּק ו
Pasuk 6
קַחTakeאֶת—הַלְוִיִּםthe Levitesמִתּוֹךְfrom amongבְּנֵיthe children ofיִשְׂרָאֵלYisraelוְטִהַרְתָּand you shall purifyאֹתָם׃them
פָּסוּק ז
Pasuk 7
וְכֹהand thusתַעֲשֶׂהyou shall doלָהֶםto themלְטַהֲרָםto purify themהַזֵּהsprinkleעֲלֵיהֶםupon themמֵיwater ofחַטָּאתpurificationוְהֶעֱבִירוּand they shall passתַעַרa razorעַלoverכָּלall ofבְּשָׂרָםtheir fleshוְכִבְּסוּand they shall washבִגְדֵיהֶםtheir clothesוְהִטֶּהָרוּ׃and they shall purify
פָּסוּק ח
Pasuk 8
וְלָקְחוּAnd they shall takeפַּרa bullבֶּןyoung ofבָּקָרthe herdוּמִנְחָתוֹand its meal-offeringסֹלֶתfine flourבְּלוּלָהmixedבַשָּׁמֶןwith oilוּפַרand a bullשֵׁנִיsecondבֶןyoung ofבָּקָרthe herdתִּקַּחyou shall takeלְחַטָּאת׃for a sin-offering
פָּסוּק ט
Pasuk 9
וְהִקְרַבְתָּand you shall bringאֶת—הַלְוִיִּםthe Levitesלִפְנֵיbeforeאֹהֶלthe Tent ofמוֹעֵדMeetingוְהִקְהַלְתָּand you shall assembleאֶת—כָּלall ofעֲדַתthe congregation ofבְּנֵיthe children ofיִשְׂרָאֵל׃Yisrael
פָּסוּק י
Pasuk 10
וְהִקְרַבְתָּand you shall bringאֶת—הַלְוִיִּםthe LevitesלִפְנֵיbeforeיְהוָהHashemוְסָמְכוּand shall layבְנֵיthe children ofיִשְׂרָאֵלYisraelאֶת—יְדֵיהֶםtheir handsעַלuponהַלְוִיִּם׃the Levites
פָּסוּק יא
Pasuk 11
וְהֵנִיףand he shall waveאַהֲרֹןAharonאֶת—הַלְוִיִּםthe Levitesתְּנוּפָהas a wave-offeringלִפְנֵיbeforeיְהוָהHashemמֵאֵתfromבְּנֵיthe children ofיִשְׂרָאֵלYisraelוְהָיוּand they shall beלַעֲבֹדto performאֶת—עֲבֹדַתthe service ofיְהוָה׃Hashem
פָּסוּק יב
Pasuk 12
וְהַלְוִיִּםAnd the Levitesיִסְמְכוּshall leanאֶת—יְדֵיהֶםtheir handsעַלuponרֹאשׁthe head ofהַפָּרִיםthe bullsוַעֲשֵׂהand makeאֶת—הָאֶחָדthe oneחַטָּאתa sin offeringוְאֶתand —הָאֶחָדthe otherעֹלָהa burnt offeringלַיהוָהto Hashemלְכַפֵּרto atoneעַלforהַלְוִיִּם׃the Levites
פָּסוּק יג
Pasuk 13
וְהַעֲמַדְתָּAnd you shall standאֶת—הַלְוִיִּםthe LevitesלִפְנֵיbeforeאַהֲרֹןAharonוְלִפְנֵיand beforeבָנָיוhis sonsוְהֵנַפְתָּand you shall waveאֹתָםthemתְּנוּפָהa wave offeringלַיהוָה׃to Hashem
פָּסוּק יד
Pasuk 14
וְהִבְדַּלְתָּAnd you shall separateאֶת—הַלְוִיִּםthe Levitesמִתּוֹךְfrom the midst ofבְּנֵיthe children ofיִשְׂרָאֵלYisraelוְהָיוּand they shall beלִיMineהַלְוִיִּם׃the Levites
Chapter Summaryסִכּוּם
The aliyah begins with the mitzvah of lighting the Menorah, emphasizing Aharon HaKohen's faithful execution of the command, and describes the Menorah's unique hammered-gold construction. It then details the purification process of the Levi'im, which includes sprinkling purifying waters, shaving their bodies, washing their garments, and bringing specific korbanos—a burnt offering and a sin offering. Finally, Bnei Yisrael lay their hands upon the Levi'im, and Aharon elevates them as a wave offering before Hashem, officially setting them apart to perform their sacred service in the Tent of Meeting.
לְמַעֲשֶׂהWhat To Take Home
My dear talmid, look at how the Torah praises Aaron HaKohen: "Aaron did so... as Hashem had commanded Moses." Rashi immediately points out the greatness here: "To tell the praise of Aaron, that he did not change." Think about this. Aaron was the High Priest, a holy giant of a man. Yet, his greatest praise in this moment was simply that he did exactly what he was told, without adding his own twists, without seeking shortcuts, and without letting the routine dull his passion. He lit the Menorah with the very same devotion on the last day as he did on the first.
In our own daily avodah, we often face the challenge of the routine. We put on tefillin, we daven, we make brachos, and we learn Torah day after day. The yetzer hara whispers to us to make changes, to rush through, or to treat these holy acts as mere habits. But true greatness lies in consistency. When we perform a mitzvah exactly as Hashem commanded, with the same freshness and care every single time, we are walking in the footsteps of Aaron HaKohen.
Today, choose one daily mitzvah or tefillah that has become a bit routine for you—whether it is saying Asher Yatzar with kavana, benching from a siddur, or saying Shema before sleep—and perform it with absolute care, exactly as it was commanded, without rushing or changing a thing.