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Home -> 5786 -> Tzav

אם על תודה יקריבנו

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5786

If he shall offer it for a thanksgiving offering. (7:12)

Chazal teach that one who has been saved from danger is obligated to bring a korban todah.  Unlike most korbanos, the todah was accompanied by forty loaves of bread which had to be eaten within a single day and night.  The abundance of food and the compressed time frame virtually required that others be invited to share in the meal.  The Torah, in effect, mandated publicity. Some people enjoy the attention they receive when everyone is patting them on the back and wishing them well.  Others are private people who shun the public limelight and view attention-grabbing as showboating, grandstanding….

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Home -> 5786 -> Tzav

אם על תודה יקריבנו

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5786

If he shall offer it for a thanksgiving offering. (7:12)

A KorbanTorah, thanksgiving offering, is brought by the beneficiary/survivor of a life-threatening crisis.  Chazal (Berachos 54b) break this obligation down into four categories: yordei ha’yam, those who have crossed the sea; holchei midbaros, those who have traveled the wilderness; choleh she’ nisrapeh, those who have been healed from serious illness; and chavush she’yotzei mi’bais ha’assurim, those who have been released from captivity.  Obviously, the obligation for gratitude exceeds these four cases, but they serve as primary examples. On a practical level, the Torah instructs the individual who brings the korban to prepare a large, festive meal, and invite all of…

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Home -> 5786 -> Tzav

זאת תורת החטאת במקום אשר תשחט העלה

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5786

This is the law of the sin-offering where the elevation-offering is slaughtered. (6:18)

In the event that there happens to be blood from a korban olah and blood from a korban chatas that require zerikah, application, on the Mizbayach, Altar, that of the Chatas, sin offering, is applied first, since the zerikah, application, on the Mizbayach, Altar, that of the Chatas, sin offering, is applied first, since the Chatas atones for more grievous sins than does the Korban Olah.  Furthermore, Chazal (Zevach 89A) liken the sin offering to an intercessor who appeases someone who has been wronged, and the olah is like a gift given to a person after the fact, as a…

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Home -> 5785 -> Tzav

אם על תודה יקריבנו

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5785

If he shall offer it for a Thanksgiving-offering. (7:12)

Rashi explains that the Korban Todah, Thanksgiving offering, is brought by a person who had been the beneficiary of a Divine miracle (everything that happens to us is Divinely initiated). For example; One who: crossed the sea; traversed a wilderness, was released from prison/captivity; cured of an illness. Such people are to offer their gratitude to Hashem, as it is written in Sefer Tehillim (107:31,22), “Let them thank G-d for His kindness and His wondrous acts for humanity… Bring offerings of thanks and, with songs of joy, tell of His deeds.” Implied herein is the notion that the obligation for…

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והכהן המשיח תחתיו מבניו יעשה אותה חק עולם

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5785

The Kohen from among his sons who is anointed in his place shall perform it, it is an eternal decree from Hashem. (615)

The Kohen Gadol offers a minchas chavitin, meal offering, repeatedly baked every day of his tenure. This is his inaugural korban on the day that he becomes Kohen Gadol and continues throughout the period that he serves. It is almost as if every day is a new day of service; as if he is inaugurated anew every day. Horav Moshe Feinstein, zl, explains that the Kohen Gadol must be infused with the knowledge that his position is a Heavenly gift that Hashem renews daily, which He can, just as easily, take away. (Hashem can strike him with a mum, physical…

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ופשט את בגדיו ולבש בגדים אחרים

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5785

He shall remove his garments and he shall wear other garments. (6:4)

Rashi explains, “This is not an obligation, but rather, proper conduct, so that he not soil, through taking out the ashes, garments in which he serves constantly, garments in which he has cooked a pot for his master…” Therefore, he shall don garments inferior to the ones which he wears when he serves in the Sanctuary. A similar idea is to be found with regard to the clothing we wear on Shabbos. Shulchan Orach Chaim (262:2): “One should try to have for himself nice clothes for Shabbos.” The Mishnah Berurah adds that this is part of honoring Shabbos. This applies…

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ואש המזבח תוקד בו

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5785

And the fire of the Altar should be kept aflame on it. (6:2)

Chazal (Menachos 97a) teach, “When the Mizbayach, Altar, was extant, it would atone for man’s sins (he would offer his korban upon it). Now that we no longer have the Mizbayach, a person’s shulchan, table, atones for him.” Rashi explains that this refers to the piece of bread that he gives to guests. In other words, the tzedakah, material outreach, be it food or material support, that we render, protects us from Heavenly reciprocity for our less-than-noble behavior. The comparison between Altar and table requires elucidation – the time in which one places the meat and blood of a korban…

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Home -> 5784 -> Tzav

אם על תודה יקריבנו

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5784

If he shall offer it for a Thanksgiving offering. (7:12)

The Korban Todah, Thanksgiving Offering, is special because it allows one who is the beneficiary of Hashem’s kindness to express his gratitude. Indeed, it is important to allow those to whom we reach out to in some manner to repay those favors. Otherwise, they feel humbled by not being able to return the favor. Gratitude does not necessarily have to be commensurate with the favor received. Some people who are the beneficiaries of the largesse of others are just not able to reciprocate. For instance, an individual who has been blessed with extraordinary material bounty is very generous with his…

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Home -> 5784 -> Tzav

והכהן המשיח תחתיו מבניו יעשה אתה

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5784

The Kohen from among his sons who is anointed in his place shall perform it. (6:15)

The pasuk refers to a Kohen Gadol who is anointed when he assumes the office of the High Priesthood as the successor to Aharon HaKohen. Concerning Shemos 28:1, “Now you bring near to yourself Aharon, your brother, and his sons with him,” the Midrash comments (Shemos Rabbah 37:4), “When Hashem said these words (Take Aharon your brother and his sons), Moshe Rabbeinu became ill at ease. (He felt bad that he would not serve as Kohen Gadol.) Hashem told him, “I had the Torah, and I gave it to you. If not for it, I would have destroyed My world.”…

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Home -> 5784 -> Tzav

תפיני מנחת פתים תקריב

Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5784

A repeatedly baked offering, broken into pieces. (6:14)

The concept of petisah, pitim, breaking the minchah into pieces, applies to all Korbanos Minchah that are baked. The Korban Minchah brought by the Kohen Gadol is slightly different, but the requisite of pitim applies. The Korban Minchah is the korban of choice that the poor man offers, simply due to economics. Horav Aharon Bakst, zl, observes how far the Torah has gone in order to protect the feelings of the poor man (ani). His wealthy counterpart brings a fowl or sheep for a korban. It is large and takes a while to be consumed. The Korban Minchah “disappears” quickly…

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