* TORAH WEEKLY * Highlights of the Weekly Torah Portion Parshas Tzav (Shabbos HaGadol) For the week ending 14 Nisan 5754 25 & 26 March 1994 ======================================================================== Summary The ashes of the "Korban Olah," the korban burnt on the Altar throughout the night, are removed by a Kohen from the area after he removes 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 constantly blazing. The "Korban Mincha" is a meal offering that is made from a handful of flour, oil and spices. A portion of it is burned on the Altar, and a Kohen eats the remainder without it becoming 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 "Korban Chatas", the korban brought after an accidental transgression, is described. The laws for the slaughtering and sprinkling the blood of the "Korban Asham", the guilt korban for certain unique transgressions, are described. The details for the "Korban 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, and no sacrifice may be eaten if it was slaughtered with the intention of eating it too late. Korbanos may not be eaten, and they should be burned, once they have become tamei, ritually impure. One may not eat a korban when he is ritually impure. Blood and Chelev, forbidden fats of animals, are prohibited to eat. Aaron and his sons are guaranteed 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 "Command Aaron and his sons to say" (6:2). There are two kinds of Mitzvos. Some Mitzvos are physically pleasurable, such as eating before Yom Kippur or resting on Shabbos. We tend to be highly motivated to perform these enjoyable mitzvos, so much so, that we must often remind ourselves to do them for the sake of the Mitzvah. Other Mitzvos are not as physically pleasurable, such as wearing tefillin or praying. The performance of these Mitzvos is evidence of our spiritual intentions. However, to sustain a strong motivation for these Mitzvos is more difficult, especially if they cost money. Rashi explains that the word "command" means to urge. The Torah especially tries to motivate a person to perform Mitzvos that result in a loss of money. The meat from the Korban Olah is completely burnt. The Kohanim do not receive food from it, while they do receive a share from other korbanos. Therefore, they need a special command urging them to perform this Mitzvah properly. (Yalkut Mamonim) "It is holy [among] holies, like a sin or guilt offering" (6:10). The poor man's simple meal offering is considered extremely sacred by Hashem because every penny he spends is a burden for him. For the same reason, a sin or guilt offering is also holy among holies because these offerings are brought to help a person repent after a transgression, and Ba'alei Teshuvah are very dear to Hashem. Our Sages comment that "in the place that Ba'alei Teshuvah stand, completely righteous people cannot join them." (Based on Rabbi D.Y. Abarbanel) "And the anointed Kohen replacing him [Aaron] from among his sons will do it as an eternal decree" (6:15). We must always be careful to make sure that we deserve the blessings and good things that Hashem bestows upon us. Similarly, the Torah obligated Aaron and succeeding Kohanim Gadolim to bring an inauguration korban every day to remind them that even though Hashem had promoted them to such a lofty position, they should feel each day as if they were just promoted. The truth is that he or his seed could be removed at any time from their position. Although it would be quite extreme to impeach a Kohen Gadol, Hashem could always remove him from office through bodily defects which invalidate his service, or through death. This was a lesson for the Kohen Gadol every day, and is also a lesson for us today - to renew every day our acknowledgment of Hashem's beneficence. (Rav Moshe Feinstein) "If for thanksgiving he offers it" (7:12). Our Sages taught that after four types of experiences we must be thankful: Crossing an ocean or a desert, recovering from a serious illness or being released from prison. Today, one may thank Hashem by saying the "gomail" blessing. Usually people thank Hashem only for those events that they consider positive. However, in truth, one must be thankful not only for propitious occurrences, but also for hard and trying times, because everything that Hashem does is ultimately for our benefit. Providence may arrange difficult times to encourage us to mend our ways, or to give us the opportunity to excel and rise to new heights of spiritual accomplishment. King David wrote in Psalms, "I thank you Hashem for You have afflicted me." The Sages commented that he was thankful even for the times of affliction. King David also wrote, "I will bless Hashem at all times, good or bad." Therefore one has to thank Hashem even for the hard times, when offering the "Korban Todah", the thanksgiving sacrifice. Similarly, when we bless Hashem for the good he has done for us, we should have in mind that we are also thanking Him for the benefit we have received from our difficult times. (Adapted fro m the K'sav Sofer) "All Chelev...and all blood, you must not eat..." (7:25-26). Blood and Chelev, forbidden fats, represent the extremes of the animal. The blood is the whole ego because it carries the life force throughout the animal. The fat is the final product, the ultimate aim of the whole organic life of the animal. Symbolically, in an animal korban, the blood represents the human being, the human ego, while the fat expresses human aims. But in our actual lives, our human ego must never degenerate into an animal one, and our aims to animal aims. Just because blood and fat are used in the korbanos symbolically for humans, they are never to be allowed to concretely become part of the human body, so that we should never identify human nature as being the same as that of an animal. (Rabbi S.R. Hisrch) ======================================================================== Haftorah: Shabbos HaGadol - Malachi 3:4-23 The final words words of the Books of the Prophets conclude with a reference to the purpose of the Redemption, which is a reminder of Hashem's announcement to Moshe. "To be My People" permeates this prophecy and the whole revelation of the Torah. The yearly reminder of the Shabbos that signaled our arising from the depths of Egypt, parallels Malachi's prophecy which relates our redemption in the end of days. Malachi ended the prophetic era with words which, although they became famous long ago, have new meaning for us in our day. "Behold I am sending you Eliyahu the Prophet before the coming of the great and awesome Day of Hashem. And he will return the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers..." (v. 23-24). In the era of the Messiah, not only will children return to the tradition of their ancestors, but parents will return to the religion of their children, who have already preceded them in returning to Torah and Mitzvos. (Rabbi S.R. Hirsch and the Ponovizer Rav) ========================================================================= Ohr Somayach Institutions is proud to present: THE MALBIM HAGGADAH, Overview Targum/Feldheim. Jerusalem 1993. "[...] A little known edition of this famous commentary, printed in 5654 (1894) and only recently rediscovered, includes a remarkable essay which reveals the secret of the structure of the Haggadah, a puzzle which has challenged generations of scholars. This essay, entitled Maamar Yesod Mosad, A Statement of the Fundamental Principle [of the Haggadah], has been translated and adapted as the Overview." 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