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אם על תודה יקריבנו

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

The Midrash says that, in the future (with the advent of Moshiach Tzidkeinu), all korbanos, sacrifices, will become null; there will no longer be korbanos. The Korban Todah, Thanksgiving offering, however, will continue in full force. Likewise, all prayers will become bateil, null, but prayers of todah, gratitude, will continue unabated. Chazal do not give a reason for this.          Horav Eliyahu Baruch Finkel, zl, cites the commentary of the Ramban to Parashas Bo, where he writes that the purpose of Creation was that we should pay gratitude to the Creator, and that the purpose of mitzvos is to serve…

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אש תמיד תוקד על המזבח לא תכבה

Fire shall be kept continually on the Altar; it shall not go out. (6:6)

I had a rebbe who would often say that, when one looks through blue lenses, everything appears to be blue. An individual’s perspective is colored by the lens through which he views life around him. This applies equally to the way we view people. We often view others through the lens called “me.” We judge others through the lens of our personal proclivities and sentiments, often diminishing the value and talents of another person because they either do not live up to our personal standard or, the contrary, they tower over us, so we must put them down. There is…

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והרים את הדשון...ופשט את בגדיו ולבש בגדים אחרים והוציא את הדשן

And he shall take up the ashes… He shall remove his garments and don other garments and he shall remove the ashes. (6:3,4)

Every day – the same process. Every day began the same way, with the same service, the same ritual. The avodah was filled with details – minute details, necessary details, but it was always the same. The routine never changed. The daily routine began with the Terumas HaDeshen, lifting the ashes from the korbanos, sacrifices, of the previous day. The ashes that had accumulated were then removed. The Kohen placed wood on the Altar, so that the fire would burn continuously; the first and last korban that was offered daily was the Korban Tamid, which incidentally means “always,” “constant” –…

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והרים את הדשן אשר תאכל האש את העולה על המזבח ושמו אצל המזבח

And he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has consumed the elevation/burnt offering on the Altar, and lay them down at the side of the Altar. (6:3)

Prior to arranging the pyre and the kindling of the Altar fire, the Kohen was enjoined to perform the mitzvah of Terumas HaDeshen. The purpose of Terumas HaDeshen is not to prepare the Altar for the coming day’s sacrifices, since this is the focus of the Hotzoas HaDeshen, the removal of the ashes; rather, Terumas HaDeshen is in and of itself an avodah, priestly service. Thus, it may be carried out only by a Kohen kasher, dressed in his priestly vestments. The Haromas HaDeshen is the final conclusion to the service of the preceding day. Just as with the Korban…

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