Parshas Tzav Divrei Torah and Insights 5780

בּ“ה

Parshas Tzav

This edition of Shabbos Sparks is dedicated l’zechus refuah shleimah mi’heira

to anyone who has the coronavirus, and to a complete salvation from the pandemic.

From where do we know that one who does Teshuva, it is considered for them as if they went up to Yerushalayim, built the Beis HaMikdash and the Altar, and brought all the offerings that are listed in the Torah? From the verse (Tehillim 51:19), ‘The offerings of G-d are a broken spirit’ [i.e. referring to regret over transgressions, it would seem].

(Midrash Vayikra Rabbah 7:2)

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‘Command (צו) Aharon and his sons’ (Vayikra 6:2)

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“Command (צו)” implies a spurring to act with alacrity, immediately and for all generations (Rashi zt”l from Toras Kohanim).

In an interesting take on this, HaRav Shlomo Yosef Zevin zt”l explains a very nice message: He prefaces that the general nature of people is that something that comes suddenly, or is out-of-the-ordinary, we feel more, and it makes a bigger impression on us than things that happen regularly -- even if they are less wondrous. We see the sun rise every morning and set every evening, and yet this doesn’t leave such a mark on us, even though it really is an incredibly awesome phenomena!

For this reason, Chazal have taught us based on the words of the verse ‘That I command you today’ that every single day, the Torah should be new to us. Similarly, we say about the creation of the world that Hashem ‘renews every day continually the work of creation’, because we need to feel and see the renewal of creation every day.

When something is “immediately, and for all generations” -- i.e. it is a continual or daily thing, we need extra spurring to be vigilant to not sleep on it, as it were, because we get used to it. We must make sure to still understand and feel its amazingness.

(LaTorah Vi’LaMoadim)

Similarly, HaRav Alexander Zusia Friedman zt”l says on this, that in the Mitzvos which we do “for generations” -- we do them very frequently, such as Shema -- we need special spurring to make sure that we always do them with passion and newness.

(Maayanah Shel Torah; Vayikra p. 32)

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‘This is the law of the Olah-offering; it is the Olah-offering that burns upon the Altar the entire night until the morning, and the fire of the Altar shall burn on [lit. in] it.’ (Vayikra 6:2)

The Meforshim ask; why do we specifically speak about these things regarding the Mizbeach when discussing the Olah-offering, such as that ‘the fire of the Altar shall burn on it’?

HaRav Shalom Noach Berezovsky zt”l {previous Slonimer Rebbe} suggests an explanation based on what the Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 7:3) tells us, that an Olah-offering could be brought to atone for sinful thoughts.

He then brings a mashal (parable) from the sefer Toras Avos: There was a man who owned a large area of forest, but he now wanted to uproot the trees in order to build a city on the land. So he began to cut down the trees one by one -- that is, until he saw that it would take many years perhaps to accomplish the task of cutting them all down! What did he do? He lit a large fire, and it quickly consumed all the trees.

So too it is with a Jew, that sometimes we struggle with bad or improper thoughts, and of course, we want to get rid of them. What is one good piece of advice for this? To ignite a great flame -- an aish kodesh -- within ourselves of holy passion and fiery devotion to Hashem. This can help greatly in burning away sinful thoughts.

Now, explains Rav Shalom Noach, we can understand why the Torah talks about the fire of the Mizbeach together with the Olah-offering: Through the holy fire -- of Torah and Mitzvos -- we can help to purify ourselves of sinful thoughts, which could be the cause for bringing an Olah-offering.

(Nesivos Shalom)

The Be’er Moshe zt”l (brought in Nesivos Shalom) notes that the wording of the verse really would be translated as ‘the fire of the Altar burns in it’. In what? In the Torah. As Hashem says in Nach, ‘Is not My Word like fire’? One way of kindling our inner fire is through the eternal flame of the holy Torah.

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Interestingly, in a Torah Scroll, the letter ‘מ’ of the word ‘מוֹקדה’ (‘burns’) is written small. This comes to teach us that sometimes at first you might only “burn” a little while Davening (represented by the Mizbeach) -- i.e. you might only have a little passion and feeling. But keep trying! Good changes sometimes start small. For if you do, with the Help of Hashem, your fervor will grow and grow until you have very warmth-and-passion-filled Davenings!

(Tal U’Matar)

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‘This is the law of the Olah-offering (זאת תורת העלה); it is the Olah-offering that burns upon the Altar the entire night until the morning’ (Vayikra 6:2)

The Gemara (Menachos 110a) teaches that whoever studies the portion and Halachos dealing with the korbanos, is as if they actually brought them.

Based on this, the Likutei Ratzba elucidates our passuk: The “Torah of Olah-offering” -- studying the topics pertaining to it -- is the Olah-offering for the “entire night”, meaning this long and dark Exile, in which we don’t have the Beis HaMikdash, so we cannot bring korbanos actually. At this time, what we can do to fulfill the Olah, or the other offerings, is to study about them. Of course, this is until “the morning”, i.e. the Redemption, when we will once again have a Beis HaMikdash and be able to offer korbanos.

(Cited in Maayanah Shel Torah; Vayikra p. 34-35)

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‘The Kohen. . . shall lift up the ashes. . . and he shall bring out the ashes to the outside of the camp’ (Vayikra 6:3-4)

HaRav Shimshon Refoel Hirsch zt”l elucidates this service of the lifting of the ashes, and the removal of them: Before the fire of the new day was laid and lit, the ritual of terumas hadeshen -- the “lifting up” ordered in this verse -- had to be performed. Terumas hadeshen may be considered the final conclusion of the service of the preceding day. But yet it was also almost like the introduction to today’s service. It thus imparted the message that today is not a completely different mission; it is to carry out the same mission as yesterday, ever afresh. The Jewish “today” is completely connected to, and draws on, the “yesterday.”

On the other hand, if the lifting of the ashes was to introduce the service of the young new day with reference back to what had been accomplished on the previous day, then the removal of the ashes, the hotzaas hadeshen, would contrastingly express the thought that every day brings the Jewish mission to be accomplished afresh. Fresh -- as if nothing has yet been accomplished. Woe unto him who, with smug self-complacency, thinks he can rest on his laurels, on what he has already achieved, and who does not meet the task of every fresh day with full fresh devotion, as if it is the first day of his life!

The past is to be there and not forgotten, but it is not to invest us with complacency or haughtiness before the fresh task to which each new day calls us.

(The Hirsch Chumash)

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‘And the fire upon the Altar shall burn on [lit. in] it, it shall not be extinguished (לא תכבה), and the Kohen shall kindle wood on it every morning’ (Vayikra 6:5)

Famously, the Baal HaTanya {first Lubavitcher Rebbe; HaRav Shneur Zalman of Liadi zt”l} says: לא (which means no) -- the negative within us, תכבה -- you should extinguish!

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In a different vein, but very similar to what we spoke of above (v. 2), the Chasam Sofer zt”l explains our verse like this: ‘The fire. . . shall burn in it’ -- there is truly a fire for Hashem lit within every Jew. ‘And the Kohen shall kindle’ -- the Navi, or in our days, the Rav or spiritual leader must kindle this spark within every Jewish heart into a roaring flame. How? ‘Wood on it every morning’ -- with regular doses of fuel, i.e. frequent Torah study sessions, teaching them about Mitzvos between a person and Hashem (from the word עולה later in this verse, which connotes ‘above’), and also interpersonal Mitzvos (from שלמים of our verse, which is related to שלום, peace).

(Toras Moshe)

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‘A continual fire shall burn on the Altar, it shall not be extinguished.’ (Vayikra 6:6)

It shall not be extinguished -- even during travels (Yerushalmi Yoma, Ch. 4, Halacha 6).

Says HaRav Aharon Levin zt”l: When someone is sitting at home, where they are comfortable, and everything is set the way they are used to it, etc. usually, they will guard themselves from improper actions.

But when one travels, and they are away from home or on the road, things are a little different. Hardly anyone recognizes them, or will scrupulously take notes on their actions, as it were. Furthermore, a lot of potentially testing situations can happen while one is on a trip, and for these reasons, unfortunately, it is a lot easier to stumble and sin.

And this is what the verse, and the comment from the Yerushalmi on it, come to teach us: We must try to kindle such a fire of fear and love of Hashem on our hearts, that it does not become extinguished -- even during travels.

(HaDrash Vi’HaIyun in Maayanah Shel Torah; Vayikra)

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‘This is the offering of Aharon and his sons that they shall bring to Hashem on the day he [the Kohen] is annointed’ (Vayikra 6:13)

Rashi zt”l brings from Toras Kohanim that whereas a regular Kohen had to bring this special Mincha-offering only once -- the day they are inaugurated to the service -- the Kohen Gadol had to bring it every day.

The Meforshim discuss the significance of this. Why would the Kohen Gadol have to bring this unique Mincha-offering every day, unlike the other Kohaniim, who only bring it once?

HaRav Zalman Sorotzkin zt”l suggests that since regular Kohanim are almost automatically fit for the service, and once they are “inducted” into it, as it were, that is enough forever. . . Thus, they need only bring the inauguration offering once. But a Kohen Gadol requires appointment to this high position. One doesn’t automatically become or remain a Kohen Gadol. And even after they have been appointed to that position, they could theoretically become unfit for it at any time. Therefore, every single day for a Kohen Gadol is like a brand new designation to his high status, and so he should bring the Mincha-offering of inauguration every day.

(Oznayim LaTorah)

Alternatively, HaRav Moshe Shternbuch shlit”a explains that when someone is elevated to an exalted status, for a while, they will feel the great responsibility that falls on their shoulders. But after some time, they become used to their special service, and might start not being as serious about it as they were at first. For this reason, the Torah commands that a Kohen Gadol must offer every day the Mincha-offering that he brought on the day of his inauguration. He should see himself as if he has been appointed anew every day, and therefore, will strengthen himself completely and fully dedicate himself to the service that is incumbent upon him.

(Taam V’Daas)

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‘And an earthenware vessel in which it was cooked shall be broken’ (Vayikra 6:21)

The Torah here teaches us that if a vessel touches and absorbs a little bit from the meat of a sin-offering -- and the law is the same for all other offerings -- it takes on the same stringencies as the offering. Thus, if meat of an offering was cooked in an earthenware vessel, the vessel would have to be broken, because it is impossible to completely cleanse the absorption from it, and very shortly, once the allotted time for eating that specific offering has elapsed, it would enter the category of “nosar -- left over”, which has to be destroyed. However, if meat of the offering was cooked in a metal vessel of some sort, it merely must be scoured and washed out, and that will eliminate the absorption. (According to Rashi zt”l from Chazal).

Asks the Kli Yakar zt”l; if this law applies to all offerings, why does the Torah specifically use the example of a sin-offering?

Homiletically, he answers that the purging of vessels has some similarity to the purging of a sinner who had to bring the sin-offering. Just like some vessels absorb much, and therefore must be broken to rectify this, so too, someone who, Chas v’Shalom, “absorbed” a lot of sin, and it is difficult for them to separate from the sinful behavior that they are used to, their rectification and Teshuva can come about through “breaking their heart”, and humbling themselves.

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‘If for a thanksgiving-offering. . .’ (Vayikra 7:12)

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The thanksgiving-offering, or Korban Todah, was brought if one survived, by the grace of Hashem, a very dangerous, life-threatening situation. And the Gemara (see Berachos 54b) outlines the main categories of such situations.

This korban was to be brought along with several loaves of bread of different varieties (see Rashi zt”l here), and wafers, and it also had to be eaten in a quite small time-span -- a day and a night.

The Netziv {HaRav Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin zt”l} explains that a Korban Todah is supposed to bring the owner to relate the miracle that Hashem wrought for them. Therefore, the Torah mandates the abundance of food and the short amount of time to eat it in, so that the benefactor of the miracle will invite a lot of people to partake of the festive meal with him, and he would tell over to this multitude of people the incredible miracle that Hashem performed!

(HaEimek Davar)

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There are 96 pessukim (verses) in this Parsha, which, it has been noted, is interestingly enough, the Gematria (numerical value) of the name of the Parsha itself: צו.

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Says the Chofetz Chaim zt”l: The last Navi (Prophet) ends his book with the warning from Hashem to remember the Torah of Moshe, the Servant of Hashem. And because of this, the Jews will merit the Redemption, like the saying of our Sages z”l, Sanhedrin 99b. . .

And the Navi concludes, from what Hashem said; ‘that I commanded him in Choreiv for all of Israel’ -- meaning, that there is not a Jewish person who is able to exempt themselves from keeping the Mitzvos of the Torah.

And further in it is an exalted matter; that we were commanded regarding the Decrees and the Ordinances together, for only then the Torah is called complete -- if we uphold it with all its details and fine points.

And if we will do what is incumbent upon us, surely Hashem will uphold His Word to send to us Eliyahu HaNavi to tide us of our Redemption.

The last Mitzvah of the Taryag (613) Mitzvos of the Torah is also regarding the matter of learning Torah, like it is written, (Devarim 31:19) ‘And now, write for yourselves this Song and teach it to the Bnei Yisroel, etc.’, which comes to teach us that the main thing of all main things is the learning of the Holy Torah and the upholding of its Mitzvos. And this is all of man [i.e. our whole life].

(Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah)

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~ Maasim Tovim ~

‘If for a thanksgiving-offering’ (Vayikra 7:12)

The two holy brothers, Rebbe Pinchos of Koritz zt”l and Rebbe Shmelke of Nikolsburg zt”l went and asked their Rebbe, the Maggid of Mezeritch zt”l a question on the Gemara: They had been studying Masechta Berachos, and they learned the teaching that ‘just like one must bless Hashem for the good things, so too one must bless for the bad that happens’, and they just couldn’t understand it. How can one do so?

The Maggid told the brothers to go to the Beis Midrash and see Rebbe Zusia zt”l. He could help to answer their question. So they went to seek Reb Zusia, knowing that he suffered from a lot of hardships in his life, so he probably would be able to explain the Gemara very well.

When they arrived there, they asked Reb Zusia their question. But he replied that he also could not understand the Gemara -- as nothing bad had ever happened to him, on which he would have this obligation!

Now the brothers understood. . .

(Heard from my Rebbe, HaRav Moshe Shulman shlit”a)

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One summer, HaRav Yonasan Steif zt”l, the Viener Rav, was taking a walk through the Catskill Mountains. The day was extremely hot and humid. As he walked, a light breeze began to blow. Rav Steif stopped and exclaimed, “A dank, Ribbono Shel Olam, far dem vint -- Thank You, Hashem, for the wind.”

(Shabbos Stories, p. 116-117)

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Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!

Torah, Mussar, Chassidus, Stories, and More! - בּ"ה

Friday, April 3, 2020