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Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5754

“And he placed upon him the choshen and he put in the choshen the urim and the tumim.” (8:8)

The urim v’tumim was a parchment upon which was written the Shem Ha’Meforash, Hashem’s Ineffable Name. Only when Moshe placed the choshen on Aharon were the urim v’tumim inserted in the choshen. This procedure seems strange. Would it not have been more convenient to simply place the parchment with the Name into the choshen before the Kohen Gadol put it on? Horav Dovid Feinstein, Shlita, derives an important lesson from this process. The choshen symbolizes fairness and integrity in financial dealings, which is why it was called the choshen ha’mishpat, breastplate of justice. This choshen was attached to the ephod,…

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Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5754

“And the flesh that touches any unclean thing shall not be eaten.” (7:19)

The Kotzker Rebbe z.l. questions the unclean object’s ability to contaminate that with which it comes in contact. Why should not the clean object “cleanse” and purify the unclean one?  He answers that a davar tamei, unclean object, is clearly tamei. On the other hand, who can be certain that the clean object is pure? Perhaps we can derive from his words that, in order for a “clean object” to transform something unclean, it is essential that the clean object be totally clean. Otherwise, it might recoil and itself become contaminated. The Baal Ha’Tanya suggests a similar idea. In this…

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Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5754

“And the flesh of the feast thanksgiving peace offering must be eaten on the day of its offering.” (7:15)

The Torah stipulates that the meat and bread of the korban todah must be eaten the same day on which the sacrifice is brought. In as much as this rule similarly applies to some of the other korbanos, it is significant that this rule is expressed for the first time in regard to the korban todah. The Shaagas Aryeh cites a number of reasons for this law. In the case of a korban todah, the owner is required to invite a group of people to share in the large meal. All of the meat and the forty loaves of bread…

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Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5754

“If for a thanksgiving he offers it.” (7:12)

Rabeinu Bachya asserts that a chasan and kallah should offer a korban todah in gratitude for their abundant joy. This seems inconsistent with the Talmud in Berachos 54b which cites the injunction that one who has been saved from danger must bring a korban todah. There are four general categories of people who are required to bring a korban todah. They are those who have crossed a wilderness, those who have been imprisoned, those who have been dangerously ill, and those who have crossed a sea.  These are people who had been in situations that could have cost them their…

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Sruly Schnair
In Tzav, 5754

“In the place where the olah shall be slaughtered shall the chatas be slaughtered.” (6:18)

The Avnei Nezer asserts that the location of these korbanos suggests a deep insight into the origin of sin.  The korban olah was slaughtered in the northern portion of the courtyard, the tzafon. This word “tzafon,” which means north, can also be read as “tzafun,” hidden. The symbolic relationship between these two interpretations can be explained by the fact that the korban olah, among other things, atones for sins perpetrated by sinful “hidden” thoughts. One must atone these seemingly innocuous thoughts. In contrast, the korban chatas is brought to atone for sins committed unintentionally. Although an unintentional sin results from…

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