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“If a person behaves unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against any of Hashem’s holy things.” (5:15)

Me’ilah is a sin whereby one “removes” an article from the possession of the Mikdash without having direct benefit therefrom – i.e., giving it as a present or selling it to someone else. The sin of me’ilah is committed only if the individual does the said act b’shogeg, inadvertently. The perplexity of the laws of me’ilah is emphasized by the fact that an unintentional misuse of a holy object profanes it, while its intentional misuse does not, but rather permits it to retain its character of holiness. We find another enigma in halacha regarding the necessity for atonement for a…

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“And its innards and its legs he shall wash in water, and the kohen will make it all go up in smoke on the mizbei’ach (for) an elevation offering, a burnt offering of a sweet savor unto Hashem.” (1:9)

The Korban Olah is completely burnt on the mizbei’ach with nothing remaining for the kohanim. Horav Chaim Volozhin, z.l., suggests that this is essentially the reason that korabanos akum, sacrifices offered by gentiles, are considered olos. The gentile is not inclined to share any part of his sacrifice with the kohen. Rav Chaim applied this logic as a response to those malcontents who were disturbed by the fact that the meshulachim, tzeddakah collectors who canvassed communities on behalf of the Volozhin Yeshiva, received their salary by taking a small percentage of the contributions for themselves. He stated emphatically that such…

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He shall offer an unblemished male; unto the door of the Ohel Moed he shall bring it, according to his will.” (1:3)

Rashi cites the Talmud in Eruchin 21 which derives from the seemingly superfluous word u,t (it) that they force him to fulfill his vow and bring the korban. I might infer that they force him to agree to bring the korban even against his will; therefore, the Torah states, ubmrk, “according to his will”. How is it possible to “force him” and yet have it remain “according to his will”? Chazal state that he is forced until he says  vmur hbt, “I am willing.” This statement is perplexing! What good is it if he is coerced against his will to…

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“And He called to Moshe and Hashem spoke to him from the Ohel Moed.” (1:1)

Chazal teach us that Hashem spoke to Moshe with a loud thunderous voice but that only Moshe could hear it. The voice broke off, however, before it left the confines of the Ohel Moed. This was not a lunb kue, low voice, but rather a jfc ‘s kue, a loud mighty voice of  Hashem. Yet, it never penetrated the walls of the Sanctuary. What was the purpose of this remarkable “voice”? On the one hand, inside the Ohel it was thunderous and mighty, yet no one heard it outside. If the purpose was only for Moshe to hear it inside…

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