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Analyzing the sacrificial offerings mentioned in this week's Torah portion, the Zohar compares their purity with the consequences of anger. A person who is angry is sacrificing his senses to the blood of his passions. This is a form of idol-worship.

Instead of accepting the will of G-d, the angry person believes that his anger will achieve what he thinks he needs. He is placing his belief in a foreign deity because he wants something outside the situation he is confronted with. This very situation comes from G-d, and yet he is furious with it! His whole worldview is therefore "d-anger-ous" to a person who believes in Divine Providence and does the will of G-d.

Inside the doubled fabric of the priestly breastplate, the choshen, was inserted a parchment inscribed with G-d's Name, called the "urim v'tumim". The Ari explains that the urim v'tumim were a manifestation of the 42-Name of G-d and the 72-Name of G-d.

The urim, which manifested the 42-Name, were positioned in the head, while the tumim, which manifested the 72-Name, were in the torso, for the urim are associated with the intellect and pre-intellect, while the tumim are associated with the emotions.

Although it was evident that G-d’s presence was indeed in the Tabernacle on the day it was erected, not all considered this as evidence that G-d’s presence would remain there on a permanent basis. But the "Western Lamp", the lamp on top of the Menora's middle shaft, gave evidence of an ongoing miraculous presence. This lamp burned around the clock instead of only at night although, not only did it not receive more oil than the other lamps, but the other lamps drew on its oil supply. This served as testimony that G-d’s presence was there to stay.

The Kohanim, whose work was to bring bringing down high levels of holiness and divine light from Above, needed to be covered with special garments as they went about their service in the Temple so as not to attract any would-be evil doers.

The Levites were not involved in bringing revelation down into the world, but in lifting the world up, a task requiring discipline and caution. It didn’t attract any would-be evil doers, because the forces opposed to holiness are not lured by discipline and asceticism. Therefore it wasn’t necessary to conceal the movements of the Levites, and they didn’t need to wear any special clothes.

It was clear to all that regarding Moses, “fear of G-d” permeated his being. Nobody wanted to approach him, for fear of being “burnt” by the high level of G-dliness surrounding him. Therefore, it was sufficient for Moses to wear a simple white garment.

The Menorah was lit with purest olive oil, from the first pressing of the olives. The olive is bitter, representing the concealment of G-d's supervision of His Creation, which may lead a person to think that there is no law and no judge. There are two paths to straighten out this misunderstanding. One is called the Path of Suffering (Heaven protect us), where through difficulties and pain a person improves his actions. The second is the Path of Torah, where through understanding and contemplation in the ways of G-d, one comes to see the goodness of Divine Providence.

These paths are symbolized by the bitter olive, which can be crushed, smashed and hit in order to release the light buried within. This crushing is the suffering that precedes the path of Torah, after which a person comes to illumination and he merits to see that all of the concealments were for the sake of good.

Something that is done seemingly with human strength alone is temporary; only something impacted by the inner divine strength can be everlasting. A person must realize that when he does anything of value, it is not with his own human ability and strength alone - rather, each time he acts, he arouses divine power. G-d put a point of holiness within each person's soul. When a person truly makes an effort, then the power he or she applies engages inner divine strength, resonating one on the other, allowing the divine power to awaken and express itself.

A skeptic of Rabbi Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl learns his lesson.