1)

How can one possibly gather the entire community in front of the Ohel Mo'ed?

1.

Rashi: This is one of the places where a small space contained a lot of people. 1


1

Six hundred thousand men, and the Mishkan measured a hundred by fifty Amos ? minus the area of the Mizbe'ach and the Kiyor. What's more, they gathered at the entrance on the east of the Ohel Mo'ed, not in the actual courtyards on the south, north and west (Oznayim la'Torah). Rosh, Moshav Zekenim: Moshe asked how everyone will be able to fit there. Hashem said, the Shamayim was like Dok (a film) in the eye, and I widened it from one end of the world to the other! Similarly, in the future I will widen the world to fit all those who will be revived.

2)

What was the purpose of the miracle of fitting all the people into such a small space?

1.

Oznayim la'Torah #1 (DH 've'es Kol ha'Eidah Hakhel'): To enable the people to understand 1 how it was possible for Hashem, who is 'the Location of the world' to contract Himself and to fit between the two poles of the Aron when He would enter the Mishkan, 2 something that even Shlomoh ha'Melech found incomprehensible. 3

2.

Oznayim la'Torah #2 (DH 've'es Kol ha'Eidah Hakhel'): Because all of Yisrael congregating in the Mishkan (or the Beis-Hamikdah) three times a year is what united them into one nation. 4 ?


1

See Oznayim la'Torah.

2

See Terumah, Sh'mos, 25:22.

3

See Melachim 1. 8:27.

4

Which explains why, when Yerav'am ben N'vat wanted to split the nation into two, he forbade them to go to the Beis-Hamikdash. See Oznayim la'Torah.

3)

Why was it necessary to gather all of Yisrael in order to dress Aharon?

1.

Moshav Zekenim: In order to aggrandize Aharon, to show Yisrael that Hashem chose him to wear Bigdei Kodesh and do Avodas Hashem, so they will know that Hashem forgave him for the sin of the Eigel.

2.

Oznayim la'Torah (DH 've'es Kol ha'Eidah Hakhel' #3: In order to participate in the inauguration of the Kohanim, who are our Sheluchim as well as the Sheluchim of Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu. 1

3.

Sifra; To aggrandize the Kehunah in the eyes of the people, in order to treat it with Kedushah.


1

See Oznayim la'Torah Ibid).

QUESTIONS ON RASHI

4)

Rashi writes that this took place on the twenty-third of Adar, before the Mishkan was erected. How can this be - the Torah writes "Pesach Ohel Mo'ed"?

1.

Refer to 8:33:151:1.

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