SEDRAH SELECTIONS PARSHAS TZAV 5766 BS"D
Ch. 6, v. 2: "Tzav es Aharon" - Command Aharon - Rashi quotes Rabbi Shimon who says that extra warning is required where there is financial loss. What financial loss is involved in this parsha of removal of the ashes? Rashi on verse 4 (gemara Yoma 23b) says that the Kohein who is privileged to remove the ash should not wear his regular four garments when doing this because they will become soiled from the soot. Rather he wears simpler, cheaper garments for this task. Clothes worn when cooking in the kitchen should not be worn when serving the food to the master. What is wrong with wearing regular priestly garments, getting them sooty, and using clean ones when performing other services? Obviously, there will be greater expenditures for more and more sets of clean garments, as soiled ones may not be used when doing the service. The money for these garments comes from funds contributed by the public. This is the lesson of "extra warning is required when there is financial loss," especially when the funds are the public's contribution. (Shem Efrayim)
Ch. 6, v. 2: "Tzav es Aharon" - Command Aharon - This is the first command directly to Aharon about the sacrificial service. No offering in the previous parsha was directed to Aharon. Now that he was finally personally involved, we find the seemingly lackluster task of removal of ash from the altar, and at a very early hour to boot, when hardly anyone is around to see the Kohein. This teaches us that the essence of any mitzvoh is not its glamour and splendour. Rather, it is the fact that one is fulfilling Hashem's command. This is why priestly garments should be donned even for such a service. (Rabbeinu Yonah)
Ch. 6, v. 2: "Zose toras ho'oloh" - This is the law of the oloh offering - This parsha follows immediately after the laws of rectifying theft at the end of parshas Vayikra. This teaches us that even if a person is offering the choicest of sacrifices and even if it is a voluntary contribution, an oloh, nevertheless, he must be very careful to not offer a sacrifice from ill-gotten money. (Medrash Habiur)
Ch. 6, v. 2: "Hee ho'oloh al mokdoh al hamizbei'ach kol halailoh" - It is the oloh offering on its pyre on the altar all the night - These words allude to the staunch faith the bnei Yisroel have in Hashem even though they suffer throughout the ages. Bnei Yisroel are named oloh, as in Shir Hashirim 3:6, "Mi zose oloh min hamidbor." They have been on the pyre as a result of remaining fast in Your belief "kol halailoh," throughout the night, i.e. the bitter golus. (Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel)
Ch. 6, v. 18: "Bimkome asher tishocheit ho'oloh tishocheit hachatos" - In the same place the oloh is slaughtered the chatos shall be slaughtered - Rabbi Yochonon said in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, "Why did the Rabbis institute that amidoh be said quietly? It is so that the sinners who confess during their prayers not be shamed, just as we find that the chatos is offered in the same location as the oloh. One who sees an animal being offered there will not conclude that the owner is a sinner because he might have brought an oloh.
This might be an insight into the words of our prayer, "V'sei'ro'eh l'fo'necho asiro'seinu ch'oloh uchkorbon," and may our entreaties be seen in front of You as an oloh and a sacrifice. We pray quietly. Some of our prayers are thanks, etc. Some are requests for atonement. Those of thanks should be like an oloh, and those for atonement, like a korbon, whose specific name we do not even mention, as we mean a chatos. (Nirreh li)
Ch. 6, v. 21: "Umorak v'shutaf bamoyim" - And washed and flooded with water - This process removes the flavours that were absorbed in the vessel. Rashi and Tosfos say that the flavour becomes "Nosar," and this must be removed. Rosh says that this is a Torah law with no understandable reason. Perhaps he posits that the flavour becomes spoiled, "nifgam," and normally would need no removal. Moshav Z'keinim and Riv"a posit that even "nifgam" is a problem when it comes to "kodoshim."
The Ra"n says that this cleansing is in place of burning "nosar."
Ch. 7, v. 10: "V'chol minchoh vluloh vashemen vacha'reivoh l'chol bnei Aharon ti'h'yeh" - And every minchoh that is mixed with oil and a dry one shall be for all the sons of Aharon - Bchor Shor offers that since these two types of minchoh do not require as much effort in preparation, as they are not baked, all Kohanim get a portion. Medrash Hagodol says that since these two types specifically come for atonement, and we have the maxim, "Kohanim ochlim uvaalim miskaprim," the Kohanim eat the offering and this brings about atonement for the owners, it is no simple matter to have human consumption on such a lofty level to expiate a sinner. By giving the meal offering to many Kohanim, even though each receives a paltry amount, we maximize the probability of a Kohein who can bring about atonement. I don't fully understand this. The "minchoh v'luloh vashemen" is not offered for atonement. An atonement minchoh is always without oil.
Ch. 7, v. 23: "Kol cheilev shor v'chesev vo'eiz lo socheilu" - Any gristle of an ox and a sheep and a goat you shall not eat - This prohibition is limited to specific fats of these species, which are the only animals offered on the altar. An exception is the fat of the tail, which is permitted. This is derived from the equating of these three species in our verse. This might be why the next verse says "Ki kol ocheil cheilev MIN hab'heimoh asher yakriv mi'menoh." The verse could have said "cheilev hab'heimoh." "Min" connotes "of," but not all. "Cheilev" of the "alyoh," tail, is excluded from this prohibition. (Nirreh li)
Ch. 7, v. 29: "Hamakriv es zevach shlomov laShem yovi es korbono" - The one who brings his shlomim sacrifice shall bring his offering - The last words of this verse seem to be repetitive. When one brings a chatos, oshom, or even oloh, since they are brought for atonement, we do not wish him to bring a similar offering in the future. It is better for him to not sin and not bring. A shlomim offering is totally a "present" for Hashem. We wish him when he brings it that "yovi," he should again do the same in the future. (Nachal K'dumim)
Ch. 7, v. 30: "Yodov t'vi'enoh" - His hands should bring it - Chatos, oshom, and even oloh offerings are brought for atonement (oloh for sins in the realm of thoughts). Therefore the Torah does not spell out that the owner should being them with his own hands, as per the verse in Breishis 32:21, where Yaakov sent a peace offering to Eisov, "Achaproh fonov b'minchoh haholeches l'fonai v'acha'rei chein e'reh fonov." A shlomim is totally a voluntary offering, a "present" to Hashem. This type of offering is brought by the donour himself. (Nachal K'dumim, Kli Yokor)
Ch. 8, v. 4: "Va'yaas Moshe kaasher tzivoh Hashem oso vatiko'heil ho'eidoh" - And Moshe did s Hashem commanded him and the congregation assembled - When the leader behaves properly it follows that the nation congregates around him to learn from his ways. (Holy Admor of Kotzk)
Ch. 8, v. 5: "Va'yomer Moshe el ho'eidoh zeh hadovor asher tzivoh Hashem laasos" - And Moshe said to the congregation this is the thing that Hashem said to do - This is the thing Hashem said, "TO DO!" Don't frivol away your life. Accomplish!(Nirreh li)
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