Torah Portion of the Week

Tetzaveh תצוה

Exodus 27:20–30:10

Parshat Tetzaveh shifts from the Tabernacle's structure to its personnel and rituals. It opens with the commandment to kindle the Menorah with pure olive oil, then devotes most of its length to the sacred garments of the High Priest — the golden Ephod, the jeweled Breastplate bearing the names of the twelve tribes, the blue Robe with golden bells, and the golden Head-plate inscribed 'Holy to the Lord.' The parsha then describes the seven-day consecration ceremony for Aaron and his sons, the daily burnt offerings, and concludes with the golden Altar of Incense. Notably, this is the only parsha from Exodus through Deuteronomy in which Moses' name does not appear.

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Parsha Outline

1 of 7

The Eternal Lamp

נר תמיד

Exodus 27:20–27:21

God commands the Israelites to bring pure, beaten olive oil to kindle the Menorah continually in the Tent of Meeting. Aaron and his sons are to tend the lamps from evening to morning before the Lord — an eternal statute for all generations.

2 of 7

The Ephod and Shoulder Stones

האפוד ואבני השוהם

Exodus 28:1–28:14

Aaron and his four sons are set apart for priestly service. Expert craftsmen are to fashion sacred garments 'for honor and splendor.' The Ephod — an apron-like vestment of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread — has two shoulder straps, each set with a shoham stone engraved with six names of the tribes of Israel.

3 of 7

The Breastplate of Judgment

חושן המשפט

Exodus 28:15–28:30

The Breastplate is a woven square folded in half, set with twelve precious stones in four rows — each engraved with the name of one of the twelve tribes. It is attached to the Ephod by gold chains and blue cord. Inside the Breastplate are placed the Urim and Thummim, through which God's will is consulted.

4 of 7

The Robe, Tunic, and Head-Plate

המעיל, הכתונת והציץ

Exodus 28:31–28:43

The Robe (me'il) is entirely blue, with a woven collar and a hem adorned with alternating golden bells and cloth pomegranates — its sound is heard when Aaron enters the Holy Place. The golden Head-plate (tzitz) engraved 'Holy to the Lord' rests on his forehead. The Torah then describes the four garments worn by all priests: tunics, sashes, turbans, and linen breeches.

5 of 7

The Consecration of the Priests

מילואי הכהנים

Exodus 29:1–29:37

A detailed seven-day inauguration ceremony consecrates Aaron and his sons. They immerse in water, are vested in the priestly garments, and anointed with oil. Three offerings are brought: a bull as a sin offering, a ram as a burnt offering, and a second ram of consecration whose blood is placed on the right ear, thumb, and big toe of each priest. Parts of the offering are waved before God and then eaten by the priests.

6 of 7

The Daily Offerings

קרבן התמיד

Exodus 29:38–29:46

God commands a perpetual daily offering: two yearling lambs each day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, accompanied by flour, oil, and wine. God promises that through this continual worship the Tabernacle will be sanctified, and He will dwell among the children of Israel and be their God.

7 of 7

The Incense Altar

מזבח הקטורת

Exodus 30:1–30:10

The final vessel described is the golden Altar of Incense, made of acacia wood overlaid with gold, one cubit square and two cubits tall, with golden horns and a gold molding. It stands inside the Holy Chamber before the curtain. Aaron burns fragrant incense on it every morning and evening. Once a year, on Yom Kippur, he applies blood to its horns for atonement.

Prophetic Reading

Haftarah הפטרה

Ezekiel 43:10–43:27

יחזקאל

Ezekiel describes the future Temple's altar and its dedication, paralleling the parsha's instructions for consecrating the Tabernacle altar and the priestly garments.

Full Text

Parshat Tetzaveh

Exodus 27:20–30:10 · 101 verses

First Aliyah

ראשוןExodus 27:20–28:12

Chapter 27

פרק 27

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20 וְאַתָּה תְּצַוֶּה אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ שֶׁמֶן זַיִת זָךְ כָּתִית לַמָּאוֹר לְהַעֲלֹת נֵר תָּמִֽיד

21 בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד מִחוּץ לַפָּרֹכֶת אֲשֶׁר עַל הָעֵדֻת יַעֲרֹךְ אֹתוֹ אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו מֵעֶרֶב עַד בֹּקֶר לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה חֻקַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתָם מֵאֵת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

20 You shall further instruct the Israelites to bring you clear oil of beaten olives for lighting, for kindling lamps regularly.

21 Aaron and his sons shall set them up in the Tent of Meeting, outside the curtain that is over [the Ark of] the Pact, [to burn] from evening to morning before GOD. It shall be a due from the Israelites for all time, throughout the ages.

20 You shall further instruct the Israelites to bring you clear oil of beaten olives for lighting, for kindling lamps regularly.

Chapter 28

פרק 28

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1 וְאַתָּה הַקְרֵב אֵלֶיךָ אֶת אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ וְאֶת בָּנָיו אִתּוֹ מִתּוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְכַהֲנוֹ לִי אַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא אֶלְעָזָר וְאִיתָמָר בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹֽן

2 וְעָשִׂיתָ בִגְדֵי קֹדֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ לְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְאָֽרֶת

3 וְאַתָּה תְּדַבֵּר אֶל כׇּל חַכְמֵי לֵב אֲשֶׁר מִלֵּאתִיו רוּחַ חׇכְמָה וְעָשׂוּ אֶת בִּגְדֵי אַהֲרֹן לְקַדְּשׁוֹ לְכַהֲנוֹ לִֽי

4 וְאֵלֶּה הַבְּגָדִים אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשׂוּ חֹשֶׁן וְאֵפוֹד וּמְעִיל וּכְתֹנֶת תַּשְׁבֵּץ מִצְנֶפֶת וְאַבְנֵט וְעָשׂוּ בִגְדֵי קֹדֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ וּלְבָנָיו לְכַהֲנוֹ לִֽי

5 וְהֵם יִקְחוּ אֶת הַזָּהָב וְאֶת הַתְּכֵלֶת וְאֶת הָֽאַרְגָּמָן וְאֶת תּוֹלַעַת הַשָּׁנִי וְאֶת הַשֵּֽׁשׁ

6 וְעָשׂוּ אֶת הָאֵפֹד זָהָב תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן תּוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ מׇשְׁזָר מַעֲשֵׂה חֹשֵֽׁב

7 שְׁתֵּי כְתֵפֹת חֹֽבְרֹת יִֽהְיֶה לּוֹ אֶל שְׁנֵי קְצוֹתָיו וְחֻבָּֽר

8 וְחֵשֶׁב אֲפֻדָּתוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו כְּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ מִמֶּנּוּ יִהְיֶה זָהָב תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ מׇשְׁזָֽר

9 וְלָקַחְתָּ אֶת שְׁתֵּי אַבְנֵי שֹׁהַם וּפִתַּחְתָּ עֲלֵיהֶם שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

10 שִׁשָּׁה מִשְּׁמֹתָם עַל הָאֶבֶן הָאֶחָת וְאֶת שְׁמוֹת הַשִּׁשָּׁה הַנּוֹתָרִים עַל הָאֶבֶן הַשֵּׁנִית כְּתוֹלְדֹתָֽם

11 מַעֲשֵׂה חָרַשׁ אֶבֶן פִּתּוּחֵי חֹתָם תְּפַתַּח אֶת שְׁתֵּי הָאֲבָנִים עַל שְׁמֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֻסַבֹּת מִשְׁבְּצוֹת זָהָב תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתָֽם

12 וְשַׂמְתָּ אֶת שְׁתֵּי הָאֲבָנִים עַל כִּתְפֹת הָֽאֵפֹד אַבְנֵי זִכָּרֹן לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְנָשָׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת שְׁמוֹתָם לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה עַל שְׁתֵּי כְתֵפָיו לְזִכָּרֹֽן

1 You shall bring forward your brother Aaron, with his sons, from among the Israelites, to serve Me as priests: Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron.

2 Make sacral vestments for your brother Aaron, for dignity and adornment.

3 Next you shall instruct all who are skillful, whom I have endowed with the gift of skill, to make Aaron’s vestments, for consecrating him to serve Me as priest.

4 These are the vestments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a fringed tunic, a headdress, and a sash. They shall make those sacral vestments for your brother Aaron and his sons, for priestly service to Me;

5 They, therefore, shall receive the gold, the blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and the fine linen.

6 They shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen, worked into designs.

7 It shall have two shoulder-pieces attached; they shall be attached at its two ends.

8 And the decorated band that is upon it shall be made like it, of one piece with it: of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen.

9 Then take two lazuli stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel:

10 Six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth.

11 On the two stones you shall make seal engravings—the work of a lapidary—of the names of the sons of Israel. Having bordered them with frames of gold,

12 Attach the two stones to the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, as stones for remembrance of the Israelite people, whose names Aaron shall carry upon his two shoulder-pieces for remembrance before GOD.