Tzav – Page 2 – Peninim on the Torah

אם על תודה יקריבנו

Sruly Schnair In Tzav, 5782

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

Paying gratitude to the Almighty when everything seems to be going our way is very convenient. Everyone would agree that we have an obligation to acknowledge our debt of gratitude. What about when our prayers are answered with a reply that we find “unacceptable” – when the answer is, “No”? Do we still thank Hashem? We should understand that Hashem is either testing our reaction or He is saving the positive response that we crave for another time. Unfortunately, gratitude under unagreeable, trying circumstances requires cognitive deliberation, hindsight as well as foresight, to understand, accept and show our appreciation for…

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וזאת תורת זבח השלמים

Sruly Schnair In Tzav, 5781

And this is the teaching of the offering of the meal-of-peace. (7:11)

Previously (Ibid 3:1), the Torah referred to the Korban Shelamim, Peace-offering, as Zevach Shelamim, meal of peace. The Korban Shelamim is the only offering that carries with it the added appellation, zevach, meal/feast. In his commentary to Sefer Bereishis (46:1), Horav S. R. Hirsch, zl, writes that Yaakov Avinu was the first Patriarch to offer a Korban Shelamim. This was only after he heard that Yosef HaTzaddik was physically and spiritually safe. When the Patriarch arrived in Be’er Sheva, he was in his happiest frame of mind, having reached a zenith in his life, enabling him to leave his troubles…

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ופשט את בגדיו ולבש בגדים אחרים

Sruly Schnair In Tzav, 5781

And he shall take off his garments, and put on other garments. (6:4)

In his Sipurei Chassidim, Horav Shlomo Y. Zevin, zl (cited by Imrei Shammai) relates that Rav David Tzvi Chein, a Chabad chassid, who was Rav in Chernigov, was scheduled for his yechidus (private interview with the Rebbe, during which the chassid seeks guidance and inspiration) with Horav Shmuel, zl, of Lubavitch. He arrived late, so he decided that he would wait outside the Rebbe’s study. In that way, when the Rebbe would leave, he would quickly ask his question. He was late, and he had to return to Chernigov. As he was waiting, he was joined by the Rebbe’s gabbai,…

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זאת תורת העלה היא העלה על מוקדה על המזבח

Sruly Schnair In Tzav, 5781

This is the law of the Olah/Elevation-offering (that stays) on the flame on the Altar. (6:2)

The Korban Chatas, Sin-offering, is brought when one inadvertently commits a transgression for which the punishment is, when intentional, either kares, Heavenly excision, or the death penalty [any of the four forms of capital punishment/execution]. A person brings a Korban Olah for a sin which he committed with his mind, in which he had improper, sinful thoughts. Interestingly, when one performs a sin with his hand, his punishment is chatas, which is partially eaten by the owners and Kohanim. In contrast, when one commits a sin with his mind, he must bring a korban which is completely burnt. Why is…

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וישחט ויקח משה מדמו ויתן על תנוך אזן אהרן הימנית

Sruly Schnair In Tzav, 5780

And (Moshe) he slaughtered (the ram), and Moshe took from the blood and put it on Aharon’s ear. (8:23)

Moshe Rabbeinu was concluding his brief tenure as Kohen Gadol. Soon, his older brother, Aharon HaKohen, would be invested in the Kehunah Gedulah, High Priesthood, with his descendants following him as Kohanim. Moshe slaughtered the ayil ha’miluim, inauguration ram. It was a Korban Shelamim, Peace-Offering, with this service serving as the conclusion of the process by which the Kohanim were consecrated for their new role in Jewish life. In this pasuk, the word vayishchat, “and he slaughtered,” has the trop, cantillation mark, shalsheles, a sign which rarely appears in the Torah and which gives great emphasis to the word upon…

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צו את אהרן ואת בניו לאמר זאת תורת העולה

Sruly Schnair In Tzav, 5780

Command Aharon and his sons, saying: This is the law of the Elevation/Burnt offering. (6:2)

Previously,commandment/instructions concerning the korbanos, offerings, were introduced with the less-emphatic term, emor, “say,” or dabeir, “speak.” The word, tzav, command, implies that the Kohanim are being urged to be especially ardent in performing the service of the Korban Olah with alacrity. Chazal teach that this exhortation (tzav) must be repeated constantly to future generations. Furthermore, this introduction is especially relevant whenever a monetary loss (such as the Korban Olah in which the Kohanim receive nothing of the korban, since all of the meat is burned) is involved. If money (or the loss thereof) plays such a significant role in the…

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צו את אהרן ואת בניו לאמר זאת תורת העולה

Sruly Schnair In Tzav, 5780

Command Aharon and his sons, saying: “This is the law of the Elevation /Burnt offering.” (6:2)

When a commandment regarding the korbanos, offerings, was presented to the nation/Kohanim/Priests, it was introduced with the word v’amarta, “and you shall say,” or dabeir, “speak.” This is the first time that the emphatic term tzav, command, is employed. Chazal teach, that in circumstances which involve a loss of money greater urgency is required, so that the Kohanim act zealously in the performance of their duties and that they transmit this urgency and need for zealousness to the ensuing generations. (The commentators render a number of explanations which shed light on the monetary loss associated with the Korban Olah, Burnt-Offering….

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אש תמיד תוקד על המזבח לא תכבה

Roberto Szerer In Tzav, 5778

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

In the standard calculation of the Jewish day, daytime follows night. We daven Maariv, the Evening Service, hence ushering in the new day. Shacharis, the Morning Service, is actually the second service of the day. In the Mikdash, Sanctuary, it was the reverse, with evening following daytime. The way of the world is that the symbolic evening precedes the symbolic day. This means, explains Horav Nissen Alpert, zl, that (most often), before man is privy to “light,” to see what becomes of his toil and labor, he must sit it out in “darkness,” wait in hope that his efforts will…

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אם על תודה יקריבנו

Roberto Szerer In Tzav, 5778

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

a Korban Todah, Thanksgiving-offering, to express his gratitude to Hashem and as a manner of declaration that he acknowledges that no one other than Hashem saved him. Hakoras hatov, recognizing the benefits/good that we receive from others, is a critical mitzvah, quality, which defines a human being. One who is a kafui tov, denies the good that he receives, is deficient in humanness. It is a never-ending mitzvah which one cannot completely repay, because we do not know the complete extent of the benefit and consequences that we have received. Indeed, Horav Moshe Aharon Stern, zl, explains that it is…

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זאת התורה לעולה למנחה ולחטאת ולאשם ולמלואים ולזבח השלמים

Roberto Szerer In Tzav, 5778

This is the law of the Elevation/burnt-offering, the meal-offering, the sin-offering and the inauguration offering, and the feast peace-offering. (7:37)

There are three forms/categories of korban, offering/sacrifice. This means that individuals from varied backgrounds and circumstances determine the category of korban which they offer. Horav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, zl, explains the following Chazal (Midrash 3:5) which relates that King Agripas, who was quite wealthy, approached the Kohen in charge of the daily service and said, “I want to bring one thousand Olos (burnt-offering) today. I do not want anyone else to occupy the Mizbayach, Altar, other than me.” (Essentially, one thousand korbanos would preclude anyone else from bringing a korban.) Along came a poor man, and, in his hands, he…

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אם על תודה יקריבנו

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

וזאת תורת זבח השלמים

And this is the teaching of the offering of the meal-of-peace. (7:11)

ופשט את בגדיו ולבש בגדים אחרים

And he shall take off his garments, and put on other garments. (6:4)

זאת תורת העלה היא העלה על מוקדה על המזבח

This is the law of the Olah/Elevation-offering (that stays) on the flame on the Altar. (6:2)

וישחט ויקח משה מדמו ויתן על תנוך אזן אהרן הימנית

And (Moshe) he slaughtered (the ram), and Moshe took from the blood and put it on Aharon’s ear. (8:23)

צו את אהרן ואת בניו לאמר זאת תורת העולה

Command Aharon and his sons, saying: This is the law of the Elevation/Burnt offering. (6:2)

צו את אהרן ואת בניו לאמר זאת תורת העולה

Command Aharon and his sons, saying: “This is the law of the Elevation /Burnt offering.” (6:2)

אש תמיד תוקד על המזבח לא תכבה

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

אם על תודה יקריבנו

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

זאת התורה לעולה למנחה ולחטאת ולאשם ולמלואים ולזבח השלמים

This is the law of the Elevation/burnt-offering, the meal-offering, the sin-offering and the inauguration offering, and the feast peace-offering. (7:37)

YEARS

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