CHAMISHOH MI YODEI'A - FIVE QUESTIONS ON THE WEEKLY SEDRAH - PARSHAS TZAV 5766 - BS"D
1) Ch. 6, v. 2: "Tzav es Aharon" - Throughout parshas Vayikra the commands were directed to the CHILDREN of Aharon and not to Aharon himself. This is the first place where the commands were directed to Aharon. Why not earlier?
2) Ch. 6, v. 2: "Tzav es Aharon" - Rashi (Toras Kohanim 6:1) says in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai that the word TZAV is used here to indicate alacrity. Great zeal is required where there is "chisorone kis," financial loss. Why is there more "chisorone kis" by an "oloh" than any other offering?
3) Ch. 6, v. 3: "V'lovash haKohein mido vad" - The gemara P'sochim 65b and Z'vochim 35a derives from the word "mido" that the priestly vestments must be "k'midoso," a custom fit for the Kohein. Why is this pointed out here, and not earlier in parshas T'za'veh by the creation of the garments?
4) Ch. 6, v. 10: "Kodesh kodoshim hee kachatos v'cho'oshom - Why do all "minchoh" offerings including voluntary donations have the status of "kodshei kodoshim," while "shlomim" offerings, which are also voluntary only have the status of "kodoshim kalim," a lower level of sacrificial sanctity?
5) Ch. 7, v. 11: "V'zose toras zevach haShlomim ASHER YAKRIV LASHEM" - Earlier by the "chatos" offering (6:18) the words ASHER YAKRIV LASHEM do not appear. Why?
Answer to questions on parshas Vayikra:
1) Ch. 1, v. 2: "Min ha'b'heimoh min habokor umin hatzone" - Why did Hashem not accept kosher undomesticated animals as korbonos?
1) Hashem did not want to burden people with bringing animals that are not readily available and which usually require hunting to capture them. (Rosh)
2) Undomesticated animals were not included in the blessing that Hashem gave to animals, to be abundant. The reason for this is that the snake is included in the category of undomesticated animals. (Rosh)
3) Undomesticated animals are haughty. (Rabbi Ziskind of Rottenburg)
4) Domesticated animals are readily attacked by carnivorous animals. Hashem prefers those who are pursued as stated in Koheles 3:15, "v'ho'Elokim y'vakeish es hanirdof." (Rabbi Ziskind of Rottenberg)
5) Hashem prefers oxen and sheep (sheep include goats), as they are signs of the Zodiac which are pure and bring a positive influence into the world. (Rambam Moreh N'vuchim, section 3)
2) Ch. 1, v. 5: "V'shochat" - The Holy Zohar on parshas Nosso page 124a writes that "v'shochat" of our verse specifically refers to someone who is not a Kohein, because a Kohein is prohibited from being the one who slaughters the sacrifice. This is most puzzling. Although the gemara Yoma 27a says that only from the receiving of the blood into a pan and onwards of the processing of the sacrifices blood requires a Kohein, nevertheless, a Kohein is not worse than a Yisroel who may do the slaughtering. Why then should there be a restriction on the Kohein?
Rabbi B'tzal'eil haKohein of Vilna answers that the intention of the Holy Zohar is to prohibit a Kohein while dressed in his priestly regalia to slaughter. It is quite correct to say a Kohein is prohibited, meaning one dressed in priestly vestments, as the gemara Z'vochim 17b says that when the Kohanim wear their priestly garments they have the status of a Kohein for Mikdosh service, and when not wearing those garments they are considered non-Kohanim. Since the apparel of a Kohein includes a garment that has shaatnez in it, and is only permitted to be worn to do the Mikdosh service, since the slaughtering of a sacrifice does not require a Kohein, he may not wear the priestly garments. It is not the intention of the Holy Zohar to prohibit a Kohein who is not wearing the priestly garments from slaughtering the sacrifice.
3) Ch. 1, v. 5: "V'ZORKU es hadom" - What are all the different manners of placing the blood of a sacrifice upon the altar?
1) "Z'rikoh" - throwing from a pan from a distance, upwards. (Our verse)
2) "Shfichoh" - spilling from a pan downwards from close proximity. (Shmos 12:7)
3) "N'sinoh" - placing by dipping one's finger into the blood and wiping it on the surface of the altar. (Shmos 29:12)
4) "Hazo'oh" - sprinkling by either dipping one's finger or an "eizov" (hyssop) branch into the blood which is in a pan and propelling blood droplets from a distance, or by thrusting a slaughtered bird without releasing it, and thus droplets from its lacerated neck reach the altar. (Vayikra 5:9)
5) "Mitzuy" - pressing the blood out of the laceration in the neck of the sacrifice against the wall of the altar. (Vayikra 1:15)
6) "Y'tzikoh" - We find this term in Vayikra 8:15 and 9:9, "V'es hadom YOTZAK el y'sode hamizbei'ach." The Meshech Chochmoh says that we see from this as well as from 8:12, "Va'YITZOKE mishemen hamish'choh al rosh Aharon va'yimshach oso l'kadsho" that "y'tzikoh" is pouring for the benefit of the recipient, to either sanctify a person or the altar itself.
4) Ch 1, v. 8: "Hapo'deir" - How is this word to be translated?
1) The complete body except for the head. (Targum Yonoson ben Uziel in verse 12, also mentioned by the Ibn Ezra)
2) The trachea, lungs, heart, and liver. (Rav Saadioh Gaon)
3) A general name for the fats. (Ibn Ezra and Ramban) The Ramban adds that it is so called since the letters of this word can be switched to spell "porod," - separate. The tendency of fat membranes is to be easily separated (peeled) from adjoining flesh.
4) Specifically the layer of fat that separates (again "porod") sections of the inner organs. (Ramban) Perhaps the Ramban refers to the diaphragm.
5) Ch. 1, v. 9: "V'hiktir haKohein es HAKOL hamizbeicho" - The gemara Chulin 90a that says that we include the horns and the hooves in the requirement of the "complete" burning of the "korban oloh." This is derived from the word "HAKOL" in our verse. If so, how was Avrohom allowed to save the horns of the ram that he sacrificed as a "korban oloh" (Breishis 22:13) for shofros, as mentioned in Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer chapter 31?
1) The Ohr Hachaim Hakodosh answers that the gemara Z'vochim 86a says that once the sacrifice has been placed onto the altar and the fire's intense heat causes pieces, called "pokin," to fly off the altar, the pieces need not be returned to the altar and may be used for mundane purposes. This might have happened to those horns.
2) Alternatively, he offers that the gemara there says in the name of Rabbi Z'eiro that the horns and hooves are only placed onto the altar to be consumed if they are connected to the body of the sacrifice. If they were disconnected before being placed onto the altar, they are not to be burned on the altar. The horns of the ram might have been disconnected from the body.
This second answer seems very far-fetched. However, upon taking notice of a seemingly superfluous word in the story of the A'keidoh, Breishis 22:13, "ne'echaz basvach b'KARNOV, - the ram's HORNS were entangled in shrubbery," an explanation might emerge. Why mention which part of its body was entangled? Perhaps this alludes to the answer of the Ohr Hachaim Hakodosh, that the ram's horns became detached before being placed onto the altar. This is plausible since its horns were entangled and it could very well have struggled mightily to free itself, loosening or detaching its horns in the process.
3) Finally, he offers that Avrohom did not have to comply with the future edicts of the Torah, as it had not yet been given. The decision to comply or not to depended upon weighing benefits that could arise from not complying, in this case having shofros available for the heralding of Moshiach.
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