PARSHA - T'TZAVA

This parsha, T'tzava, talks about the High Priest, the Kohein Godol.

The High Priest was the spiritual representative of the entire Jewish people. On their behalf he entered the Temple, where the presence of G-d was revealed. He carried with him the names of the Tribes, the totality of the Jewish people, even those Jews who imagine themselves to be completely remote from Judaism.
When the High Priest entered the Holy Sanctuary he carried with him these Jews as well, together with all others, evoking G-d's blessing for them and arousing in all of them their sense of being joined with G-d.

Through the generations this has been the function of Jewish leadership: to ask G-d for blessing for the Jewish people, and to remind all of us that we have great spiritual power.

This was the role of Mordechai, during the stirring times commemorated by Purim. Many Jews in the vast Persian empire were deeply assimilated. However, Mordechai was able to arouse them to face the threat posed by Haman and to stand up for being Jewish.
They had the chance to escape by converting to Haman's religion, bowing to him and worshiping him.
But Mordechai, their leader, caring for every single Jew, was able to inspire them all. He made them recognize that however remote they sometimes may feel, the true inner reality of each person is the portion of G-d within.
This recognition triggered the Divine response described in the Scroll of Esther, the miraculous turnabout in which the Jewish people were saved.