Discussion of the first verses of the parsha through the middah of Zerizut זריזות - Enthusiasm / Zeal, part of a class on Mussar + Torah offered by Inner Judaism.
SUMMARY
The portion goes over the details of the different sacrifices described in the previous parsha of Vayikra:
Olah (ascending) that is wholly burned by the fire on top of the altar. Represents giving everything, having entire commitment. (voluntary)
• Minchah (meal offering), of which there are 5 kinds prepared with fine flour, olive oil and frankincense
• Shelamim (complete, means wholeness) known as the offering of well-being, whose meat was eaten by the one bringing the offering {after parts are burned on the altar}, parts of which are also given to the kohanim (priests). (voluntary)
• Chatat (sin offering) brought to atone for transgressions committed unintentionally by the Kohein Gadol (High Priest) or the entire community, or an ordinary person. Some is offered up, some eaten by Kohanim, none by people. (mandatory)
• Asham (guilt offering) brought a person guilty of a wrongdoing (does not report a wrong, or knowingly commits a sin, or by swearing falsely to defraud another person, or deals dishonestly. Sacrifice occurs after restoration is made. (mandatory)
God speaks to Moses and commands Aaron and his sons listing their responsibilities (including clothing) and rights as kohanim who offer korbanot (offerings) in the Mishkan (Sanctuary).
The fire on the altar must be kept burning at all times.
The kohanim eat the meat of the sin and guilt offerings, and the remainder of the meal offering. The holy meat of the offerings must be eaten by ritually pure persons, in their designated holy place and within their specified time.
Aaron and his sons remain within the Sanctuary compound for seven days, during which Moses initiates them into the priesthood.
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ צַ֤ו אֶֽת־אַהֲרֹן֙ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֣יו לֵאמֹ֔ר זֹ֥את תּוֹרַ֖ת הָעֹלָ֑ה הִ֣וא הָעֹלָ֡ה עַל֩ מוֹקְדָ֨הֿ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֤חַ כׇּל־הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙ עַד־הַבֹּ֔קֶר וְאֵ֥שׁ הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ תּ֥וּקַד בּֽוֹ׃
יהוה spoke to Moses, saying: Command Aaron and his sons thus: This is the ritual of the burnt offering: The burnt offering itself shall remain where it is burned upon the altar all night until morning, while the fire on the altar is kept going on it.
צו את אהרן. אֵין צַו אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן זֵרוּז מִיָּד וּלְדוֹרוֹת...
צו את אהרן COMMAND AARON — The expression “Command …!” always implies urging on to carry out a command, implying too, that it comes into force at once, and is binding upon future generations...
בְּרֵישׁ פָּרָשַׁת צַו כְּתִיב: "זֹאת תּוֹרַת הָעוֹלָה, הִיא הָעוֹלָה עַל מוֹקְדָהּ". פֵּרֵשׁ רַשִּׁ"י, זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה: אֵין צַו אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן זֵרוּז. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: בְּיוֹתֵר צָרִיךְ הַכָּתוּב לְזָרֵז בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ חֶסְרוֹן כִּיס. עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ.
At the beginning of Parashas Tzav it is stated, “Command Aharon and his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the burnt offering, this is the burnt offering upon the fire’” (Vayikra 6:2). Rashi comments, “The word ‘command’ signifies nothing other than the urging of zeal, as Rabbi Shimon observed, ‘It is especially necessary for Scripture to urge zeal in a place where there is financial loss.’”
The translation of "זֹ֥את תּוֹרַ֖ת הָעֹלָ֑ה" is "This is the Torah of the Olah (offering). Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, a modern Mussar Master (1914 - 2005) noted that the "Torah" of the offerings was concerned with extremely detailed descriptions and concluded that this attention to details is an important message of the Torah:
“This is the Torah of …” The details are referred to as Torah, and they give us the strength we need to battle our yetzer hara [evil inclination]"
היא העולה על מוקדה (ויקרא ו, ב). אמרו רז"ל (ויק"ר ז, ו) כל המתגאה נידון באש. זה הרמז העולה בגאות נידון על מוקדה:
היא העולה על מוקדה . Our sages (Vayikra Rabbah 7,6) say that anyone who brags or boasts will be judged by fire. This statement is rooted in our verse here, i.e. if someone is עולה, he will find himself on the מוקדה, on the site where things are apt to be burned.
Commentary on the Guilt / Asham offering:
The ancient system of sacrifice offered a ritual of coming together for the community. Rather than worry in isolation about acts committed and omitted, the individual was able to articulate the wrong and bring a symbol of contrition.
Amorphous feelings of guilt were brought out of one’s internal world and were transformed into concrete objects in a shared communal experience. While our modern sense of guilt connotes angst, “shoulds” that stay inside of us to no good purpose, the ancient guilt offering went out and away…and nourished the priests.
~ Rabbi Dorothy A. Richman
וְלָבַ֨שׁ הַכֹּהֵ֜ן מִדּ֣וֹ בַ֗ד וּמִֽכְנְסֵי־בַד֮ יִלְבַּ֣שׁ עַל־בְּשָׂרוֹ֒ וְהֵרִ֣ים אֶת־הַדֶּ֗שֶׁן אֲשֶׁ֨ר תֹּאכַ֥ל הָאֵ֛שׁ אֶת־הָעֹלָ֖ה עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וְשָׂמ֕וֹ אֵ֖צֶל הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ וּפָשַׁט֙ אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וְלָבַ֖שׁ בְּגָדִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וְהוֹצִ֤יא אֶת־הַדֶּ֙שֶׁן֙ אֶל־מִח֣וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה אֶל־מָק֖וֹם טָהֽוֹר׃
The priest shall dress in linen raiment, with linen breeches next to his body; and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has reduced the burnt offering on the altar and place them beside the altar. He shall then take off his vestments and put on other vestments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a pure place.
מדו בד HIS LINEN ROBE — this is what is elsewhere termed the כתונת, the undercoat; and why then is it here called מדו? To intimate that it (the כתונת) must be made to his measure (מדו from מדד to “measure”) (Sifra, Tzav, Chapter 2 1; Yoma 23b).
Rabbi Y. Chaver, student of the Vilna Gaon
The Gaon explains that “being particular about one’s robe” refers to the middot of a person, as it says, “The Kohen shall wear his garment [middo] of linen–to his precise measurement” This means he must mold his middot and turn them into holiness. T
In his linen garment. The Midrash interprets the verse: “It is the burntoffering (עולה) on its pyre” — anyone who is arrogant (= עולה) is judged with fire. That the עולה atones for arrogance is hinted in the verse (Yechezkel 20:32): “והעלה על רוחכם (lit. that which goes up upon your spirit).”
The Torah mentions ashes in this context because the rectification for arrogance is ashes, i.e., one should say, “I am dust and ashes,” like Avraham. This causes that he will be elevated to great heights, for anyone who lowers himself is lifted up by Hashem. Thus, the kohein making the atonement wears these two garments: The linen garment, according to his size, and not too big — to hint that one should not behave in a manner beyond his level. Secondly, the linen pants, which atone for the transgression of illicit relations, which he needs if he was arrogant, as Chazal said (Sotah 4b): Anyone who is arrogant is considered as if he transgressed all the illicit relations. The ashes are placed next to the altar, which represents humility.
וְהָאֵ֨שׁ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֤חַ תּֽוּקַד־בּוֹ֙ לֹ֣א תִכְבֶּ֔ה וּבִעֵ֨ר עָלֶ֧יהָ הַכֹּהֵ֛ן עֵצִ֖ים בַּבֹּ֣קֶר בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וְעָרַ֤ךְ עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ הָֽעֹלָ֔ה וְהִקְטִ֥יר עָלֶ֖יהָ חֶלְבֵ֥י הַשְּׁלָמִֽים׃ אֵ֗שׁ תָּמִ֛יד תּוּקַ֥ד עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לֹ֥א תִכְבֶּֽה׃ {ס}
The fire on the altar shall be kept burning, not to go out: every morning the priest shall feed wood to it, lay out the burnt offering on it, and turn into smoke the fat parts of the offerings of well-being. A perpetual fire shall be kept burning on the altar, not to go out.
An everlasting fire shall be kept burning on the altar, it should not be extinguished. And, on that it is also said: To light the eternal flame. This is surely the light of the divine, the light that shines within the soul of every person. Come, light it with her.
Those in whom this desire [for Divine service] does not burn as it should, would do well to stir themselves by force of will so that, as a result, this desire will become natural—for outer movements awaken inner desire.
Mesillat Yesharim, Path of the Just, chapter 7 Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Mussar Master, 1707 - 1746)
If you conduct yourself with such enthusiasm and effort for the refinement of your body, in spite of its limitations in physicality, and despite your limited capacity to save it from damage or even to benefit it, how much more is it your duty to conduct yourself with such passion and effort for the refinement of your soul, which is so important and which you will be left with forever ---- which you were commanded to guide its matter, pursuing what will rectify it by acquiring wisdom and understanding,
Rabbi Ibn Pakuda, Duties of the Heart, 8th Treatise on Examining the Soul, 3:98
[Edited for clarity, Ruth Schapira]