Join our weekly Peninim on the Torah list!

  • Reset
Category

Back to Home -> Tzav -> 5775


Home -> 5775 -> Tzav

ופתח אהל מועד תשבו יומם ולילה שבעת ימים ושמרתם את משמרת ד' ולא תמותו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tzav, 5775

At the entrance of the Ohel Moed shall you dwell day and night for a seven day period, and you shall protect Hashem’s charge so that you will not die. (8:35)

The Chasam Sofer, as cited by U’masuk Ha’or, interprets this pasuk homiletically to teach us a lesson concerning man’s true focus in life. If a person lives his life in such a manner that he “dwells” in front of the Ohel Moed it means that he never forgets the most important principle of existence in this world: life does not go on forever. One day, each and every one of us will return “home,” from whence we came. If this awareness accompanies our every life’s endeavor, then we will merit to “protect Hashem’s charge, so that you (we) will not…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5775 -> Tzav

וישם על המצנפת אל מול פניו את ציץ הזהב נזר הקדוש

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tzav, 5775

He put the Turban on his head; and, upon the Turban, toward his face, he placed the golden Head-plate, the sacred diadem/crown. (8:9)

Interestingly, the Tzitz HaKodesh, Holy Head-plate worn by the Kohen Gadol, is referred to as a nezer, crown/diadem, while the crown worn by a king is called an atarah. Why is the Kohen Gadol’s crown called a nezer, and the crown of the Melech Yisrael, King of Yisrael, called an atarah? Horav Moshe Nechemiah Kahanov, zl, distinguishes between these two terms in the sense that their functions are not similar. The nezer, which is wrapped around the forehead does not, in fact, cover the entire head. In the case of the Kohen Gadol, it was a gold plate with Hashem’s…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5775 -> Tzav

ואת כל העדה הקהל אל פתח אהל מועד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tzav, 5775

Gather the entire assembly to the entrance of the Ohel Moed. (8:3)

Rabbeinu Bachya writes that the ability of the entire eidah, Jewish congregation, to assemble in front of the Ohel Moed was miraculous. Hichzik ha’muat es ha’merubah, this was a case of the few supporting the many. Indeed, the Midrash quotes a dialogue between Moshe Rabbeinu and Hashem concerning this anomaly. Moshe asked, “Ribono shel olam, how can I place 600,000 men and 600,000 youths in front of the Ohel Moed?” Hashem replied, “Concerning this you are wondering? The Heavens were (originally) the size of the pupil of an eye; yet I ‘stretched’ it out to cover the entire world.” In…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5775 -> Tzav

אם על תודה יקריבנו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tzav, 5775

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

Rashi explains that the Korban Todah, Thanksgiving offering, was offered as gratitude for miracles incurred in four different circumstances: when one who has crossed the sea; when one traveled through the wilderness; when one was liberated from prison; or when one was healed from serious illness. In each of these circumstances, the Torah enjoins the individual to demonstrate his gratitude to the Almighty. Interestingly, the Korban Todah was accompanied by forty loaves which, together with the sacrifice, had to be consumed during the requisite period of one day and a night – less time than was allotted for a regular…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5775 -> Tzav

ואש המזבח תוקד בו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Tzav, 5775

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

The fire of one’s avodas Hashem, service to the Almighty, should burn passionately bo, “within him.” In other words, he should do nothing during his service to Hashem that in any way offends, takes advantage of, or imposes upon someone else. The well-known Chazal (Sukkah 28) relates the level of intensity evinced by the Torah-study of the Tanna, Yonasan ben Uziel. His intensity was to the extent that when he studied Torah, birds flying over the roof of his house would be burned. The Sfas Emes was presented with the Chazal accompanied by the following question: If this was the…

Continue Reading

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our weekly Peninim on the Torah list!

You have Successfully Subscribed!