This year, as I write a vort (religious discourse) on the parshat hashavua (the weekly reading from the Torah) for Tzav, I am struck by some ideas in parshat Tzav and how they relate to the idea of Dayenu (?It is enough for us? ? a traditional Passover song).
Our parsha opens with Hashem (God) speaking to Moshe saying ?Tzav et Aharon v'et banav leimor...? (?Command Aaron and his sons, saying??), in relating to Moshe the law of the Olah (the burnt offering). The commentary on Tzav in the Artscroll Torah states that ?until now, Halachot regarding the offerings were introduced with words ?Ahmartah?, ?say? (Vayikra, Perek 1, Posuk 6) or ?Dahbeir?, ?speak? (Vayikra, Perek 4, Posuk 2). The Sages explain that the more emphatic term Tzav, command, implies that the Kohanim are being urged to be especially zealous in performing this service and that this exhortation must be repeated constantly to future generations (Sifra Kiddushin 29a).?
Both the rabbis behind the Artscroll commentary and Rabbi Yehudah Zev Segal, Shlita, the Manchester Rosh Yeshiva, (Inspiration and Insight, page 167) refer to Rashi, who says, in the name of Rabbi Shimon, that the ?exhortation to be zealous is especially important with regard to mitzvot where there exists a possibility of monetary loss, as is the case here.? The Metzudah Linear Chumash footnotes ?monetary loss? in this way: ?Either because the Kohanim did not receive any of the meat of a burnt offering, receiving only the skin? or because this paroshoh prescribes the bringing of a meal-offering by the Kohen Gadol? Sifra Tzav 1,1, Kiddushin 29a points out that since the Beit HaMikdash [Temple] had to make good on Korbonot [sacrifices] which became invalid, it was necessary to urge the Kohanim to be especially careful in matters which involved a loss to the Beit HaMikdash.?
Lilmoad Ul'lamed speaks of the word Tzav, Command, as being ?deliberately expressed in a form that can refer to both the past and the future.? In other words, the commandments of Hashem are as applicable today as when Hashem first told them to Moshe Rabbeinu. Torah's laws are not outmoded. The rules governing man's devotion to Hashem are timeless. Consequently, our observance of Torah should not be tired and listless and we should not mumble and stumble through our tefillos (prayers) out of habit. (Lilmoad Ul'lamed, page 105)
I perceive that this exhortation of Tzav speaks not only about prayer, i.e., mumbling or racing to break ?the two-hour barrier? on Shabbat, but signifies observance of every aspect of Torah, both letter and spirit - to intensify our derech (path in Torah) and purify our performance of mitzvot. Our tefillah and mitzvot should always be as if fresh and brand new.
The parsha then details various other korbonot - the guilt offering, the thanksgiving offering, the donation offering, the inauguration offering. Then, Torah mentions the B'nai Yisrael (Children of Israel) six times regarding the offerings, what Hashem takes from the offerings and regarding the inaugural offering, when anointing Aharon and his sons as Kohanim.
As perek (chapter) 8 begins, the B'nai Yisrael are mentioned yet a seventh time - this time not as B'nai Yisrael, but as HaEidah HaKahal (the entire assembly). Both words are language used for ?assembly? and we learn that when Hashem wants to emphasize a point, he utilizes repetition, i.e. ?speak to... saying...? Hashem tells Moshe to take Aharon and his sons, the B'gadim Kehunah (priestly vestments), the anointing oil, the bull of the sin-offering, two rams and a basket of matzos. Hashem tells Moshe to ?Gather the entire assembly (HaEidah HaKahal) to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting (Ohel Mo'ed).? (perek 8, posuk 3) There Moshe anoints and inaugurates Aharon and his sons as kohanim and dresses Aharon in his priestly garments. The offerings are brought and Moshe tells the kohanim to remain at the Ohel Mo'ed for seven days to learn the Avodah (Temple service).
I perceive a significance to the six references to B'nai Yisrael and a seventh reference to them, this time as HaEidah HaKahal. I equate the six mentions of B'nai Yisrael with the six days of the week when the B'nai Yisrael function each for himself, for his family. Yet, when the entire nation is together on this seventh day, they are as one, in unity.
We tend to function, each in our own domain. We operate out of expediency - in davening (praying), at the place of business, dealing with our families. We, in our autos, speed past our brother who has his finger out. We see our brother running to catch a bus and don't make an effort, on his behalf, to get the driver to wait that extra second. Instead we give our brother a blank countenance. We are not totally forthcoming and truthful with our brother concerning the facts of a business or banking transaction often putting ?obstacles in the way of the blind? as we grub for that last shekel at the other guy's expense. We give and take bribes, at all levels, if it'll increase our personal influence or our position at ?the bottom line.? We are totally blase about our Land - Eretz Yisrael. Each group has an agenda working against every other group.
I hold that the purity and freshness our performance of mitzvot and our unity is directly related to Dayenu. If our tefillah is real and genuine, if we treat our brother as we would want to be treated ourselves and if we finally recognize that the ultimate truth of the unity of B'nai Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael overrides the various agendas, then Arafat and the Arabs, Dubya, Cheney, Zinni, Powell and Clinton, before them, are as nothing. We will bring the Geula Shlaima, the Ultimate Redemption. No more Dayenu.
Have a Chag Kosher V'Sameach.
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Moshe Burt, of Ramat Beit Shemesh, is the Founder and Director of the Sefer Torah Recycling Network.
Our parsha opens with Hashem (God) speaking to Moshe saying ?Tzav et Aharon v'et banav leimor...? (?Command Aaron and his sons, saying??), in relating to Moshe the law of the Olah (the burnt offering). The commentary on Tzav in the Artscroll Torah states that ?until now, Halachot regarding the offerings were introduced with words ?Ahmartah?, ?say? (Vayikra, Perek 1, Posuk 6) or ?Dahbeir?, ?speak? (Vayikra, Perek 4, Posuk 2). The Sages explain that the more emphatic term Tzav, command, implies that the Kohanim are being urged to be especially zealous in performing this service and that this exhortation must be repeated constantly to future generations (Sifra Kiddushin 29a).?
Both the rabbis behind the Artscroll commentary and Rabbi Yehudah Zev Segal, Shlita, the Manchester Rosh Yeshiva, (Inspiration and Insight, page 167) refer to Rashi, who says, in the name of Rabbi Shimon, that the ?exhortation to be zealous is especially important with regard to mitzvot where there exists a possibility of monetary loss, as is the case here.? The Metzudah Linear Chumash footnotes ?monetary loss? in this way: ?Either because the Kohanim did not receive any of the meat of a burnt offering, receiving only the skin? or because this paroshoh prescribes the bringing of a meal-offering by the Kohen Gadol? Sifra Tzav 1,1, Kiddushin 29a points out that since the Beit HaMikdash [Temple] had to make good on Korbonot [sacrifices] which became invalid, it was necessary to urge the Kohanim to be especially careful in matters which involved a loss to the Beit HaMikdash.?
Lilmoad Ul'lamed speaks of the word Tzav, Command, as being ?deliberately expressed in a form that can refer to both the past and the future.? In other words, the commandments of Hashem are as applicable today as when Hashem first told them to Moshe Rabbeinu. Torah's laws are not outmoded. The rules governing man's devotion to Hashem are timeless. Consequently, our observance of Torah should not be tired and listless and we should not mumble and stumble through our tefillos (prayers) out of habit. (Lilmoad Ul'lamed, page 105)
I perceive that this exhortation of Tzav speaks not only about prayer, i.e., mumbling or racing to break ?the two-hour barrier? on Shabbat, but signifies observance of every aspect of Torah, both letter and spirit - to intensify our derech (path in Torah) and purify our performance of mitzvot. Our tefillah and mitzvot should always be as if fresh and brand new.
The parsha then details various other korbonot - the guilt offering, the thanksgiving offering, the donation offering, the inauguration offering. Then, Torah mentions the B'nai Yisrael (Children of Israel) six times regarding the offerings, what Hashem takes from the offerings and regarding the inaugural offering, when anointing Aharon and his sons as Kohanim.
As perek (chapter) 8 begins, the B'nai Yisrael are mentioned yet a seventh time - this time not as B'nai Yisrael, but as HaEidah HaKahal (the entire assembly). Both words are language used for ?assembly? and we learn that when Hashem wants to emphasize a point, he utilizes repetition, i.e. ?speak to... saying...? Hashem tells Moshe to take Aharon and his sons, the B'gadim Kehunah (priestly vestments), the anointing oil, the bull of the sin-offering, two rams and a basket of matzos. Hashem tells Moshe to ?Gather the entire assembly (HaEidah HaKahal) to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting (Ohel Mo'ed).? (perek 8, posuk 3) There Moshe anoints and inaugurates Aharon and his sons as kohanim and dresses Aharon in his priestly garments. The offerings are brought and Moshe tells the kohanim to remain at the Ohel Mo'ed for seven days to learn the Avodah (Temple service).
I perceive a significance to the six references to B'nai Yisrael and a seventh reference to them, this time as HaEidah HaKahal. I equate the six mentions of B'nai Yisrael with the six days of the week when the B'nai Yisrael function each for himself, for his family. Yet, when the entire nation is together on this seventh day, they are as one, in unity.
We tend to function, each in our own domain. We operate out of expediency - in davening (praying), at the place of business, dealing with our families. We, in our autos, speed past our brother who has his finger out. We see our brother running to catch a bus and don't make an effort, on his behalf, to get the driver to wait that extra second. Instead we give our brother a blank countenance. We are not totally forthcoming and truthful with our brother concerning the facts of a business or banking transaction often putting ?obstacles in the way of the blind? as we grub for that last shekel at the other guy's expense. We give and take bribes, at all levels, if it'll increase our personal influence or our position at ?the bottom line.? We are totally blase about our Land - Eretz Yisrael. Each group has an agenda working against every other group.
I hold that the purity and freshness our performance of mitzvot and our unity is directly related to Dayenu. If our tefillah is real and genuine, if we treat our brother as we would want to be treated ourselves and if we finally recognize that the ultimate truth of the unity of B'nai Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael overrides the various agendas, then Arafat and the Arabs, Dubya, Cheney, Zinni, Powell and Clinton, before them, are as nothing. We will bring the Geula Shlaima, the Ultimate Redemption. No more Dayenu.
Have a Chag Kosher V'Sameach.
----------------------------------
Moshe Burt, of Ramat Beit Shemesh, is the Founder and Director of the Sefer Torah Recycling Network.