Reply To: Short & Sweet

Tezaveh: The Lessons of the Pomegranates

The Gemora tells us that the ???? of the Kohen Gadol atones for the aveira of Loshon HaRa. The Akedas Yitzchok explains that by studying the ????, we can learn how to overcome Lashon HaRa. He list three things we can learn from the fact that that the bells on the hem of the ???? were interspersed with “pomegranates” made of material:

1. The material of the pomegranate would dull the sound of the bells by preventing them from clanging. So too, a person should be sparing with their words and not speak for no reason – pointless chatter leads to gossip.

2. The Rimon represents Torah and Mitzvos. The bells are next to these pomegranates to hint to us that when we speak, it should be about subjects connected to the Rimon. If a person focuses on discussing Torah, Mitzvos, and things that are meaningful, they will not come to speak Loshon HaRa.

3. The Gemora tells us that ????? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ?????, even the “emptiest” Jew is as full of Mitzvos as the pomegranate is full of seeds. If we would look so positively at every Jew, we would not speak badly about any of them.

???? ??? ???? ?? ????? ??? ????
???? ?? ???? ??? ?? ?? ?????? ????