CHAMISHOH MI YODEI'A - FIVE QUESTIONS ON THE WEEKLY SEDRAH - PARSHAS TZAV 5769 - BS"D

2) Ch. 6, v. 2: "Hee ho'oloh al mokdoh" - The "oloh" sacrifice atones for sins of the mind (M.R. 7:3). The "chatos" sacrifice atones for actual committed sins. If so, wouldn't it be logical to burn the complete "chatos," a sort of total submission to Hashem, and only burn parts of the "oloh," the reverse of the actual law?

3) Ch. 6, v. 6: "Aish tomid" - "Aish" is feminine and would require the adjective "t'midoh."

4) Ch. 7, v. 10: "V'chol Minchoh v'luloh va'shemen vaCHA'REIVOH" - Targum Onkelos on these words says "D'filoh bimshach u'd'loh filoh." FILOH is Aramaic for "mixed," hence he is translating CHA'REIVOH whose literal meaning is DRY, as "not mixed" (with oil). Compare this with the Targum Onkeles on Breishis 8:13 on the words "CHORVU hamayim," which he translates as "N'GIVOH mayoh," - the water DRIED up. Why does he seemingly stray from the literal translation of "vacha'reivoh" - "u'N'GIVOH," and use the words "u'd'loh filoh," which would more accurately be a translation of "v'einoh v'luloh?"

5) Ch. 7, v. 17: "V'hanosor mibsar ha'zevach bayom hashlishi bo'aish yiso'reif" - Which practical lesson in our daily lives can we learn from this ruling?

ANSWERS:

#1

Here the Ibn Ezra says that the name OLOH given to this sacrifice is because its entire body is elevated onto the altar to be consumed. In 1:4 he says because this sacrifice atones for sins of the mind (M.R. 7:3), which are referred to by the Prophet Yechezkel as "V'ho'OLOH al ruchachem hoyo lo si'h'yeh" (20:32), it is called OLOH. Here Rabbeinu Bachyei and the Chizkuni on 1:3 say that the word OLOH means the best, "m'uloh," as it is totally consumed on the altar.

#2

The Mata'mei Yaakov explains that since the gemara Yoma 29a says that thoughts of sinning are more severe than actually sinning, the atonement requires total consumption on the altar, contrary to a "chatos" offering that also comes to atone, and only parts of it are burned on the altar, as it atones for an actual sin, which a person realizes is more severe and is more likely to repent.

#3

Rashi (gemara Yoma 45b) tells us that the word "tomid" does not refer to the fire itself, but rather it teaches us that this fire is used for another function which is associated with the word "tomid," namely the kindling of the menorah about which the Torah says in Shmos 27:20 "L'haalos ner TOMID." Rabbi Noach Mindes in Parp'ro'os L'chochmoh finds a mathematical allusion to this. "Aish" and "menorah" each equals 301.

#4

Rabbi Mordechai Levenstein in Nefesh ha'Geir answers with the words of the mishnoh in the gemara M'nochos 55a. The mishnoh says that ALL meal offerings were kneaded with warm water, but were carefully guarded to not become leavened, as per the Torah's edict that "no leavened nor sweetened offerings shall be burned upon the altar" (Vayikroh 2:11). The mixing with water includes meal offerings which come as an atonement, even though they are not permitted to have accompanying oil or "l'vonoh," frankincense. Thus CHA'REIVOH in our verse does not mean dry, but rather dry of oil. This is why Targum Onkeles says "u'd'loh filoh," - and not mixed, rather than "u'n'givoh," which means totally dry of any liquids, as in Breishis 8:13.

#5

The Chinuch in mitzvoh #143 says that we can learn from this requirement that one who has full trust in Hashem does not put away vast amounts for the future, fearing that he will not be supplied his needs by Hashem. In the process this person causes himself great deprivation in the present with his mind always on the future. One who leaves food for a number of days ahead will be burned, "bo'aish yiso'reif," by his self-inflicted deprivation.

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