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Parashas Tzav:
Shem: One of The Four Craftsmen
In this week’s Torah Portion of Tzav we become intimately introduced to the Divine Service that the Priests will perform in the Holy Temple. Among their tasks will be the care and preparations of Offerings, care of the Holy Garments, “dealing with the food”, the art of remaining Pure and Holy, working with the People, and keeping track of the Priestly Service and its appropriate anointing and consistency.
If one were to keenly observe the Priests in action in the abode of the Holy Temple, he may be a bit surprised at just how the Service is done, as it is explained in the Talmudic passages that concern themselves with the Priestly Service.
Where one may assume “slow” and “methodical” maneuvering from station to station, deeply meditating on the Oneness of Hashem, and fashioning the mind into something of an ultra macro library environment, he in reality is very far from the Temple Truth. The Temple mandates just the opposite, something along the lines of “a job” or better yet, of a Craft. For this reason we call Shem “The Kohen Tzedek” (The Righteous Priest) [1], for he was a Priest; but he was also dedicated in his diligence of Craftsmanship of the Ark, and is termed one of the Four Craftsmen. By this alone we learn that a Priest doubles as a Craftsman, thanks to Shem! The Torah specifically identifies Shem as one of the four redemptive figures in particular because of his Priestly title in association with his construction of the Ark with Noah. [2]
To be and to identify as an authentic student of Shem, we must find the essential traits of Shem as we have spoken of: To be Priestly and possess the presence of mastery within a Craft. Just as Shem exhibited these traits, all of his students would then follow suit, both Jewish and Noahide.
As we have spoken of the Priest in association with his craft, the entire Torah can be learned from this skill set. The Midrash [3] actually states that from the receiving of the Laws of the Priesthood, Abraham was able to learn everything from Shem on the Temple Mount; the entire revelation of Torah comes from the laws of Priesthood! We see that not only did Abraham become a Priest from Shem, but he was depicted as an equal in craft, as brought by the Midrash! [MR44:7 – Is. 41:7] The Midrash very clearly is based on Isaiah 41:7, stating that Shem was a Craftsman while Abraham in his relationship with Shem became a “goldsmith”; such is the outcome of being the student of Shem.
The Torah openly states that the ultimate learning experience comes not only from classic study, but from “occupation of the land”, or “דרך ארץ” – “Derech Eretz” [4] as well. The two levels of study go hand in hand: to be in the Study Hall and to learn in “Academies of the World” as is taught in the commentaries. [5]
From the days of Adam, the World became filled with a natural type of Academy conducive to studying Derech Eretz that is ultimately Torah through Craft. This would seem that Torah and the Teachings of Shem would be essential for anyone to master the Torah on a sufficient level of bringing Joy to Hashem. For the Jew, this would entail going back to being like Abraham and connecting to where the Torah came from originally: from none other than Shem - and by taking upon himself a Craft from which to learn Torah.
The Noahide, as he is occupied in Derech Eretz / Rectification of the World [6] as opposed to full time Academy lifestyle, would be able to fulfill the Priestly pre-requisite through the study of Torah. [7]
The Torah in Vayikra points out that a Noahide who learns Torah is compared to a High Priest due to the shared trait of being termed “Adam” – again, a reference to the Academies of “The Original Adam.” Thus when a Jew or Noahide combine Craft with Torah and Priestly status, he can then bask in the Teachings from Shem, as he is then considered his student. The students of Shem may have begun with Abraham, but the education still continues to this day, as the Wisdom never died. Shem went directly to the Garden of Eden [8], and Shem is indeed one of the Four Craftsmen of the Redemption.
Just as there were three time periods of the World, each 2000 years in length, Shem too spans this time: 2000 years of Chaos culminated in Shem’s Torah, 2000 years of Torah consisting of Shem’s teaching and influencing before and after Sinai, and 2000 years of Moshiach, culminating in the Four Craftsmen of which the Messianic Torah will reveal endless levels of Torah, and of which Shem was a master. Thus all 6000 years of Creation are blended with the Torah of Shem, in the merit of his Craft and Priestly status, such that he retained this rank as the Righteous Priest for all of time. As we have stated, the entire Torah comes from the Laws of the Priest.
When we reflect on this week’s Parsha, we find an amazing usage of terminology in conjunction with the Offerings and Priestly Service: for example, “The Torah of…” When the Torah describes any such Offering, it says specifically: “this is the Torah of [this particular Offering]”. And since we know that the Priests are not simply involved with God, or plainly working, they are Crafting. From their Craft (and along with their Torah knowledge, and Priestly status), they are receiving the whole Torah, when in accordance with the Craft! Thus any such Craft that a Priest does, has the power to influence the Priest to reach a revelation of the entire Torah. Such is the nature of Craft and Torah – it is the seat of the entire Torah!
When a student of Shem thereby takes on his Craft, wherever his heart leads him, and performs it with the diligence of the Craft’s Passion, he will achieve the merit of learning the entire Torah while bearing witness to himself in the Academy of Shem.
The Priest initially worked in the Tabernacle (later he would serve the Holy Temple), which was in Creation by means of the 39 Labors that the entire World consists of. Thus any labor of the Tabernacle would be a labor of the World; The World would then be made up of 39 essential Labors that would branch out to compose our entire Physical Reality. When a Priest performs these Labors within the Temple, while orchestrating the Priestly Service, in a way that is “Craft-worthy” and pure to the nature of the Priest in the Righteousness mandated by the Torah, he will merit the Revelation of the entire Torah from the Torah of whatever he is involved in. This Torah would then be akin to the same Revelation and quality of Shem before him. Granted this is true in the Temple, but the amazing truth being told, is that in the World, with the tradition being handed down going back to Shem and Abraham, one can achieve this bestowal of Knowledge of God and his Torah.
There has been an unbroken chain of students of Shem going back to the Temple Mount as recorded in the Torah. The Jewish People received the Torah and merited the Priestly Service, yet he who learns the Torah as if it were from Shem, is learning “For its own sake” as declared by Tradition, that the Torah should come from two perspectives: Jewish and “from Shem.” [9]
The Noahide as well, has been given all the keys necessary to achieve the entire Torah, and it should go without saying that there is an unbroken chain dating back to Shem as his students.
To become aware of ourselves as a student in an Academy of Shem may not be as obscure as one might be lead to believe. For if there is a mastery of a craft that is performed with Passion to the point where it begins to be a well of influence and inspiration of Torah revelation, that is the mark of Shem’s Torah throughout the ages. For the Priest, this is what is expected of him, after all, Shem is the Righteous Priest forever, while for the Jewish People it is the entrance into an upper tier of Torah Study. The Noahide however, need not wonder who he is or where he came from while in a domain of doubt and confusion, for the Noahide has the direct benefit of being an absolute extension of Shem.
Once one can identify Shem and his methodology, his Craft and Torah will give him the Priestly Passion needed to reveal the sublime nature of Torah within his soul.
The Noahide who sits in the Academy of Shem should then take comfort in being with great company, for he will soon realize that he is not alone, quite the contrary really; The World is filled with the Noahide Nations, and all that is missing is the realization that “such is the nature of the Academy of Shem,” an Academy of exclusive Craftsmen, an inheritance from the Master Craftsman, Shem ben Noah.
Footnotes:
1. Sukkah 52b
2. Midrash Rabbah
3. Midrash Rabbah
4. Pirkei Avos
5. Talmud Berachot
6. Rav Hutner on Chanuka – Pachad Yitzchak
7. Vayikra – Torah Tamimah; Talmud
8. Midrash “Wonderous”, quoted by many; original source unknown
9. Ma’Am Loez – Likut
10. Tanna D’ Bei Eliyahu
If one were to keenly observe the Priests in action in the abode of the Holy Temple, he may be a bit surprised at just how the Service is done, as it is explained in the Talmudic passages that concern themselves with the Priestly Service.
Where one may assume “slow” and “methodical” maneuvering from station to station, deeply meditating on the Oneness of Hashem, and fashioning the mind into something of an ultra macro library environment, he in reality is very far from the Temple Truth. The Temple mandates just the opposite, something along the lines of “a job” or better yet, of a Craft. For this reason we call Shem “The Kohen Tzedek” (The Righteous Priest) [1], for he was a Priest; but he was also dedicated in his diligence of Craftsmanship of the Ark, and is termed one of the Four Craftsmen. By this alone we learn that a Priest doubles as a Craftsman, thanks to Shem! The Torah specifically identifies Shem as one of the four redemptive figures in particular because of his Priestly title in association with his construction of the Ark with Noah. [2]
To be and to identify as an authentic student of Shem, we must find the essential traits of Shem as we have spoken of: To be Priestly and possess the presence of mastery within a Craft. Just as Shem exhibited these traits, all of his students would then follow suit, both Jewish and Noahide.
As we have spoken of the Priest in association with his craft, the entire Torah can be learned from this skill set. The Midrash [3] actually states that from the receiving of the Laws of the Priesthood, Abraham was able to learn everything from Shem on the Temple Mount; the entire revelation of Torah comes from the laws of Priesthood! We see that not only did Abraham become a Priest from Shem, but he was depicted as an equal in craft, as brought by the Midrash! [MR44:7 – Is. 41:7] The Midrash very clearly is based on Isaiah 41:7, stating that Shem was a Craftsman while Abraham in his relationship with Shem became a “goldsmith”; such is the outcome of being the student of Shem.
The Torah openly states that the ultimate learning experience comes not only from classic study, but from “occupation of the land”, or “דרך ארץ” – “Derech Eretz” [4] as well. The two levels of study go hand in hand: to be in the Study Hall and to learn in “Academies of the World” as is taught in the commentaries. [5]
From the days of Adam, the World became filled with a natural type of Academy conducive to studying Derech Eretz that is ultimately Torah through Craft. This would seem that Torah and the Teachings of Shem would be essential for anyone to master the Torah on a sufficient level of bringing Joy to Hashem. For the Jew, this would entail going back to being like Abraham and connecting to where the Torah came from originally: from none other than Shem - and by taking upon himself a Craft from which to learn Torah.
The Noahide, as he is occupied in Derech Eretz / Rectification of the World [6] as opposed to full time Academy lifestyle, would be able to fulfill the Priestly pre-requisite through the study of Torah. [7]
The Torah in Vayikra points out that a Noahide who learns Torah is compared to a High Priest due to the shared trait of being termed “Adam” – again, a reference to the Academies of “The Original Adam.” Thus when a Jew or Noahide combine Craft with Torah and Priestly status, he can then bask in the Teachings from Shem, as he is then considered his student. The students of Shem may have begun with Abraham, but the education still continues to this day, as the Wisdom never died. Shem went directly to the Garden of Eden [8], and Shem is indeed one of the Four Craftsmen of the Redemption.
Just as there were three time periods of the World, each 2000 years in length, Shem too spans this time: 2000 years of Chaos culminated in Shem’s Torah, 2000 years of Torah consisting of Shem’s teaching and influencing before and after Sinai, and 2000 years of Moshiach, culminating in the Four Craftsmen of which the Messianic Torah will reveal endless levels of Torah, and of which Shem was a master. Thus all 6000 years of Creation are blended with the Torah of Shem, in the merit of his Craft and Priestly status, such that he retained this rank as the Righteous Priest for all of time. As we have stated, the entire Torah comes from the Laws of the Priest.
When we reflect on this week’s Parsha, we find an amazing usage of terminology in conjunction with the Offerings and Priestly Service: for example, “The Torah of…” When the Torah describes any such Offering, it says specifically: “this is the Torah of [this particular Offering]”. And since we know that the Priests are not simply involved with God, or plainly working, they are Crafting. From their Craft (and along with their Torah knowledge, and Priestly status), they are receiving the whole Torah, when in accordance with the Craft! Thus any such Craft that a Priest does, has the power to influence the Priest to reach a revelation of the entire Torah. Such is the nature of Craft and Torah – it is the seat of the entire Torah!
When a student of Shem thereby takes on his Craft, wherever his heart leads him, and performs it with the diligence of the Craft’s Passion, he will achieve the merit of learning the entire Torah while bearing witness to himself in the Academy of Shem.
The Priest initially worked in the Tabernacle (later he would serve the Holy Temple), which was in Creation by means of the 39 Labors that the entire World consists of. Thus any labor of the Tabernacle would be a labor of the World; The World would then be made up of 39 essential Labors that would branch out to compose our entire Physical Reality. When a Priest performs these Labors within the Temple, while orchestrating the Priestly Service, in a way that is “Craft-worthy” and pure to the nature of the Priest in the Righteousness mandated by the Torah, he will merit the Revelation of the entire Torah from the Torah of whatever he is involved in. This Torah would then be akin to the same Revelation and quality of Shem before him. Granted this is true in the Temple, but the amazing truth being told, is that in the World, with the tradition being handed down going back to Shem and Abraham, one can achieve this bestowal of Knowledge of God and his Torah.
There has been an unbroken chain of students of Shem going back to the Temple Mount as recorded in the Torah. The Jewish People received the Torah and merited the Priestly Service, yet he who learns the Torah as if it were from Shem, is learning “For its own sake” as declared by Tradition, that the Torah should come from two perspectives: Jewish and “from Shem.” [9]
The Noahide as well, has been given all the keys necessary to achieve the entire Torah, and it should go without saying that there is an unbroken chain dating back to Shem as his students.
To become aware of ourselves as a student in an Academy of Shem may not be as obscure as one might be lead to believe. For if there is a mastery of a craft that is performed with Passion to the point where it begins to be a well of influence and inspiration of Torah revelation, that is the mark of Shem’s Torah throughout the ages. For the Priest, this is what is expected of him, after all, Shem is the Righteous Priest forever, while for the Jewish People it is the entrance into an upper tier of Torah Study. The Noahide however, need not wonder who he is or where he came from while in a domain of doubt and confusion, for the Noahide has the direct benefit of being an absolute extension of Shem.
Once one can identify Shem and his methodology, his Craft and Torah will give him the Priestly Passion needed to reveal the sublime nature of Torah within his soul.
The Noahide who sits in the Academy of Shem should then take comfort in being with great company, for he will soon realize that he is not alone, quite the contrary really; The World is filled with the Noahide Nations, and all that is missing is the realization that “such is the nature of the Academy of Shem,” an Academy of exclusive Craftsmen, an inheritance from the Master Craftsman, Shem ben Noah.
Footnotes:
1. Sukkah 52b
2. Midrash Rabbah
3. Midrash Rabbah
4. Pirkei Avos
5. Talmud Berachot
6. Rav Hutner on Chanuka – Pachad Yitzchak
7. Vayikra – Torah Tamimah; Talmud
8. Midrash “Wonderous”, quoted by many; original source unknown
9. Ma’Am Loez – Likut
10. Tanna D’ Bei Eliyahu
Flood 2.0 - The Messianic End: Moshe was a Gilgul of Hevel (ה) Shem (ש) and his own uniqueness (מ); he was also a gilgul of Noah (נ), thus altogether it spells: מנשה- Menashe - as in Moshiach ben Menashe
- משיח בן מ''נ''ש''ה which is Moshe with a Nun, that stands for Nun Shaarei Binah - Perfect Understanding, that comes as Moshe the Final Redeemer who comes with Moshiach ben David (Midrash Rabbah)
-May Moshe finish the job in 5772 while saving the World from a sea of Fire!
[The first redeemer is like the final redeemer, he will be revealed then concealed and then revealed again; 45 years as such. If the Geulah began in '67 (which today's World reflects the Matzav of that time based on Middle East scenarios), that puts the time of revelation in 2012]
"There will be revelation in the Galil of Melech Moshiach ben Yosef" as brought by the Zohar, a remez to Moshe/Menashe 5772...speedily in our days!
Posted in: Article,Moshiach ben Yosef,Noahide,Shem,Torah
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