* TORAH WEEKLY * Highlights of the Weekly Torah Portion and Haftorah. Plus Ani Ma'amin - The Rambam's 13 Principles of Faith. Parshas Tzav For the week ending 16 Adar Sheini 5755 17 & 18 March 1995 =========================================================================== Summary The Torah addresses Aaron and his sons to teach them additional laws that relate to their service. The ashes of the "Korban Olah" -- the korban burnt on the Altar throughout the night -- are to be removed from the area by the Kohen after he takes off his special linen clothing. The Olah is brought by someone who forgot to perform a positive commandment of the Torah. The Kohen retains the skin. The fire on the Altar must be kept constantly blazing. The "Korban Mincha" is a meal offering that is made from flour, oil and spices. A handful of it is burned on the Altar, and a Kohen eats the remainder before it becomes leaven. The Parsha describes the special korbanos offered by the Kohen Gadol each day, and by Aaron's sons and future descendants on the day of their inauguration. The "Chatas," the korban brought after an accidental transgression, is described, as are the laws for the slaughtering and sprinkling the blood of the "Asham," the "guilt-korban" for certain transgressions. The details for the "Shlamim," various types of peace korbanos, are described, including the prohibition against leaving the remains of the "Todah," the thanksgiving korban, uneaten until the morning. All sacrifices must be burned after they may no longer be eaten. No sacrifice may be eaten if it was slaughtered with the intention of eating it too late. Once they have become tamei (ritually impure) korbanos may not be eaten, and they should be burned. One may not eat a korban when he is ritually impure. Blood and Cheilev, forbidden fats of animals, are prohibited to eat. Aaron and his sons are granted the breast and shank of every "Korban Shlamim." The inauguration ceremony for Aaron, his sons, the Mishkan and all of its vessels is detailed. =========================================================================== Commentaries "Tzav..." (6:1). It is late in the afternoon. Reuven decides that from sundown that day until one hour after sunset the following day, he will abstain from eating and drinking. He does this as a spontaneous gift of devotion to Hashem. Two weeks later, Shimon realizes that the next day is Yom Kippur, and he will not be able to eat or drink anything for twenty-five hours. Inwardly, he groans at the thought of those long hours, the parched throat, and the headache that he will probably experience. Nevertheless, the following day he keeps the fast. Who is greater -- Reuven, who acts voluntarily, out of his own inspiration, or Shimon, who acts because he has to -- because he is commanded? One could think that someone who acts purely voluntarily is on a much higher level, but our sages teach us that "Greater is he who is commanded and does, than he who is not commanded and does" (Tractate Kiddushin 31). The reason being that psychologically a person resists that which he has to do. Thus, it is more difficult for someone who is commanded and does, than someone who is not commanded and does. The first word of this week's Parsha is "Tzav" -- "Command." Rashi tells us that the word "Tzav" is always associated with the concept of alacrity. Where there is a command, there is a greater need for zeal, since the doing is that much more difficult... (Based on Mayana Shel Torah) A continual fire shall be kept burning on it; it must not be extinguished" (6:6). Not only is it prohibited to put out the fire on the Altar, but to the contrary, the fire must be attended to and wood and kindling added as necessary, so that the flame ascends constantly. If it is forbidden to put out even a single coal on the physical Altar, how much more so is it forbidden to put out even a single burning ember on the spiritual Altar, the Jewish heart. The yearning for holiness, the flame in the heart which aspires longingly upward, homeward, must rather be constantly added to; aided and strengthened through reason, wisdom and discernment -- with the illumination of mitzvos and the light of the Torah. (Oros HaKodesh, Zevachim 91) =========================================================================== Haftorah: Yirmiyahu 7:21-8:3, 9:22-23 "For I did not speak with your forefathers nor did I command them... concerning the olah-offering or peace offering. Rather I commanded them regarding this matter, saying `Hear my voice that I may be a G-d unto you and you will be a people unto Me; and you shall follow along an entire path in which I command you...'" The vast majority of Sefer Vayikra (the Book of Leviticus) is concerned with the bringing of offerings in the Mishkan. How can the prophet say that Hashem did not "command them concerning the olah-offering or peace offering"? Offerings were never commanded by Hashem as an end in themselves. Hashem's purpose in giving us the opportunity to bring offerings is that we hear His voice, that we learn to do His will. Thus we give Hashem `nachas' by doing what He wants us to do. When we do this, He is a G-d to us and we are His people. The offering becomes a sign of a covenant between the Jewish People and their G-d, who receives the offering like a king accepting gifts from his people. But if we do not listen, then we do not recognize Him as our King. In which case, the offering can only be something separate from G-d -- for its own sake. Thus the prophet says if the offering is brought as an end in itself, then says Hashem, I did not "command them concerning the olah-offering or peace offering." (Malbim) =========================================================================== Ani Ma'amin The Rambam's 13 Principles of Faith Principle #12: "I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Mashiach, and even though he may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come." "I, Hashem, will hasten it [the ultimate redemption] in its time." Yishayahu 60:22 Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi posed a contradiction between "in its time" and "I will hasten it." His resolution: If we are worthy, He will hasten it; if we are not worthy, it will come in its time. "A poor man riding on a donkey." Zecharya 9:9 Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi posed a contradiction between the description of Mashiach coming speedily like one who rides the clouds or very slowly like the ride upon a donkey. Once again, the resolution is that if we are worthy, our redemption will come as speedily as the clouds and if we are unworthy, it will come as slowly as the ride upon a donkey. (Sanhedrin 98a) =========================================================================== Where do YOU find TW*? Stephanie Brooks of the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium in Andover, MA writes: "One of our librarians had mistakenly subscribed to a list, and it was up to me to UNsubscribe this person. It took a while, but I succeeded in my mission. During this, my first jalopy jaunt on the Internet, I noticed a listserv and, despite a few potholes along the way, I was able to access its local list -- everything I could have dreamed of about Israel. I made a hardcopy of the 1st issue of TW for my Rabbi. I now look forward to the TW with its beautiful and deeply meaningful explanations for the Torah and Haftorah portion." TW finds its way all around the globe. 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