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~ Review this basic idea: the small alef indicates the need to be aware of the power of the ego. Too much ego and we can't learn.
The book of Vayikra, with ten parshiot, can be divided as follows:
Chapters 1 through 7: List and laws of the korbanot (sacrifices)
Chapters 8 through 10: The Dedication of the Mishkan (Tabernacle, portable temple)
Chapters 11 through 18: Tum'ah and Taharah [includes kosher animals, giving birth, skin afflictions, discharges, purification of the mizbeach (altar, ie, Yom Kippur), laws of animal blood, laws of sexual liaisons]
Chapters 19 through 24: Holiness code
Chapters 25 through 27: Laws of Har Sinai [includes shemitah and yovel (Jubilee), admonitions, vows and consecrations]
Parashat Vayikra |
Parashat Tzav |
|
Olah – The Burnt Offering (ch. 1) | Olah – The Burnt Offering (6:1-6) | |
Mincha – The Grain Offering (ch. 2) | Mincha – The Grain Offering (6:7-16) | |
Shelamim – The Peace Offering (ch. 3) | Hattat – The Sin Offering (6:17-23) | |
Hattat – The Sin Offering - Hattat Penimit – “Inner” Sin Offering (4:1-21) - Hattat Hitzonit – “Outer” Sin Offering (4:22-35) - Oleh ve-Yored – “Variable” Sin-Offering (5:1-13) |
Asham – The Guilt Offering (7:1-7) | |
Asham – The Guilt Offering (5:14-26) | Shelamim – The Peace Offering (7:11-34) | |
The first three sacrifices – Olah, Mincha, and Shelamim – are voluntary offerings, while the last two – Hattat and Asham – are sacrifices brought for atonement. This difference is reflected in the introduction of each set of sacrifices. | A portion of each of the first four sacrifices – Olah, Mincha, Hattat, and Asham – is given to the priest, but no portion of these sacrifices is given to the person offering the sacrifice. The final sacrifice – Shelamim – is eaten by the person offering the sacrifice, after portions are offered on the altar and given to the priest. | |
The introduction of the first three sacrifices indicates that the offering is the initiative of the one offering the sacrifice: “When one among you should bring an offering … if the offering is a burnt offering…” (1:2-3) “And when one brings a grain offering…” (2:1) “If your offering is a peace offering…” (3:1) In contrast, the final three offerings are described as a necessary part of atonement for a sinful act: “One who sins unintentionally…” (4:2) “One who sins…” (5:1, 17, 21) The two introductory styles emphasize the perspective of the person offering the sacrifice. |
The introduction of each sacrifice in this cycle is identical – “These are the laws of…” (6:2, 6:7, 6:18, 7:1, 7:11). The order of the offerings and the identical introductions both emphasize the perspective of the sacrificing priest. |
This table is from Hatanakh.com, with minor corrections
(א) וַיִּקְרָ֖א אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר ה' אֵלָ֔יו מֵאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אָדָ֗ם כִּֽי־יַקְרִ֥יב מִכֶּ֛ם קׇרְבָּ֖ן לַֽה' מִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה מִן־הַבָּקָר֙ וּמִן־הַצֹּ֔אן תַּקְרִ֖יבוּ אֶת־קׇרְבַּנְכֶֽם׃ (ג) אִם־עֹלָ֤ה קׇרְבָּנוֹ֙ מִן־הַבָּקָ֔ר זָכָ֥ר תָּמִ֖ים יַקְרִיבֶ֑נּוּ אֶל־פֶּ֜תַח אֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ יַקְרִ֣יב אֹת֔וֹ לִרְצֹנ֖וֹ לִפְנֵ֥י ה'׃ (ד) וְסָמַ֣ךְ יָד֔וֹ עַ֖ל רֹ֣אשׁ הָעֹלָ֑ה וְנִרְצָ֥ה ל֖וֹ לְכַפֵּ֥ר עָלָֽיו׃ (ה) וְשָׁחַ֛ט אֶת־בֶּ֥ן הַבָּקָ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י ה' וְ֠הִקְרִ֠יבוּ בְּנֵ֨י אַהֲרֹ֤ן הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ אֶת־הַדָּ֔ם וְזָרְק֨וּ אֶת־הַדָּ֤ם עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ סָבִ֔יב אֲשֶׁר־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃ (ו) וְהִפְשִׁ֖יט אֶת־הָעֹלָ֑ה וְנִתַּ֥ח אֹתָ֖הּ לִנְתָחֶֽיהָ׃ (ז) וְ֠נָתְנ֠וּ בְּנֵ֨י אַהֲרֹ֧ן הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֵ֖שׁ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וְעָרְכ֥וּ עֵצִ֖ים עַל־הָאֵֽשׁ׃ (ח) וְעָרְכ֗וּ בְּנֵ֤י אַהֲרֹן֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים אֵ֚ת הַנְּתָחִ֔ים אֶת־הָרֹ֖אשׁ וְאֶת־הַפָּ֑דֶר עַל־הָעֵצִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הָאֵ֔שׁ אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ (ט) וְקִרְבּ֥וֹ וּכְרָעָ֖יו יִרְחַ֣ץ בַּמָּ֑יִם וְהִקְטִ֨יר הַכֹּהֵ֤ן אֶת־הַכֹּל֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חָה עֹלָ֛ה אִשֵּׁ֥ה רֵֽיחַ־נִיח֖וֹחַ לַֽה'׃ {ס}
(יב) וְנִתַּ֤ח אֹתוֹ֙ לִנְתָחָ֔יו וְאֶת־רֹאשׁ֖וֹ וְאֶת־פִּדְר֑וֹ וְעָרַ֤ךְ הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֹתָ֔ם עַל־הָֽעֵצִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הָאֵ֔שׁ אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ (יג) וְהַקֶּ֥רֶב וְהַכְּרָעַ֖יִם יִרְחַ֣ץ בַּמָּ֑יִם וְהִקְרִ֨יב הַכֹּהֵ֤ן אֶת־הַכֹּל֙ וְהִקְטִ֣יר הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חָה עֹלָ֣ה ה֗וּא אִשֵּׁ֛ה רֵ֥יחַ נִיחֹ֖חַ לַה'׃ {פ}
(יז) וְשִׁסַּ֨ע אֹת֣וֹ בִכְנָפָיו֮ לֹ֣א יַבְדִּיל֒ וְהִקְטִ֨יר אֹת֤וֹ הַכֹּהֵן֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חָה עַל־הָעֵצִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הָאֵ֑שׁ עֹלָ֣ה ה֗וּא אִשֵּׁ֛ה רֵ֥יחַ נִיחֹ֖חַ לַה'׃ {ס}
(א) וְנֶ֗פֶשׁ כִּֽי־תַקְרִ֞יב קׇרְבַּ֤ן מִנְחָה֙ לַֽה' סֹ֖לֶת יִהְיֶ֣ה קׇרְבָּנ֑וֹ וְיָצַ֤ק עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ שֶׁ֔מֶן וְנָתַ֥ן עָלֶ֖יהָ לְבֹנָֽה׃ (ב) וֶֽהֱבִיאָ֗הּ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹן֮ הַכֹּהֲנִים֒ וְקָמַ֨ץ מִשָּׁ֜ם מְלֹ֣א קֻמְצ֗וֹ מִסׇּלְתָּהּ֙ וּמִשַּׁמְנָ֔הּ עַ֖ל כׇּל־לְבֹנָתָ֑הּ וְהִקְטִ֨יר הַכֹּהֵ֜ן אֶת־אַזְכָּרָתָהּ֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חָה אִשֵּׁ֛ה רֵ֥יחַ נִיחֹ֖חַ לַה'׃ (ג) וְהַנּוֹתֶ֙רֶת֙ מִן־הַמִּנְחָ֔ה לְאַהֲרֹ֖ן וּלְבָנָ֑יו קֹ֥דֶשׁ קׇֽדָשִׁ֖ים מֵאִשֵּׁ֥י ה'׃ {ס}
(ז) וְאִם־מִנְחַ֥ת מַרְחֶ֖שֶׁת קׇרְבָּנֶ֑ךָ סֹ֥לֶת בַּשֶּׁ֖מֶן תֵּעָשֶֽׂה׃ (ח) וְהֵבֵאתָ֣ אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר יֵעָשֶׂ֛ה מֵאֵ֖לֶּה לַה' וְהִקְרִיבָהּ֙ אֶל־הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְהִגִּישָׁ֖הּ אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ (ט) וְהֵרִ֨ים הַכֹּהֵ֤ן מִן־הַמִּנְחָה֙ אֶת־אַזְכָּ֣רָתָ֔הּ וְהִקְטִ֖יר הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה אִשֵּׁ֛ה רֵ֥יחַ נִיחֹ֖חַ לַה'׃ (י) וְהַנּוֹתֶ֙רֶת֙ מִן־הַמִּנְחָ֔ה לְאַהֲרֹ֖ן וּלְבָנָ֑יו קֹ֥דֶשׁ קׇֽדָשִׁ֖ים מֵאִשֵּׁ֥י ה'׃ (יא) כׇּל־הַמִּנְחָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר תַּקְרִ֙יבוּ֙ לַה' לֹ֥א תֵעָשֶׂ֖ה חָמֵ֑ץ כִּ֤י כׇל־שְׂאֹר֙ וְכׇל־דְּבַ֔שׁ לֹֽא־תַקְטִ֧ירוּ מִמֶּ֛נּוּ אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַֽה'׃
(יד) וְאִם־תַּקְרִ֛יב מִנְחַ֥ת בִּכּוּרִ֖ים לַה' אָבִ֞יב קָל֤וּי בָּאֵשׁ֙ גֶּ֣רֶשׂ כַּרְמֶ֔ל תַּקְרִ֕יב אֵ֖ת מִנְחַ֥ת בִּכּוּרֶֽיךָ׃
(טו) וְנָתַתָּ֤ עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ שֶׁ֔מֶן וְשַׂמְתָּ֥ עָלֶ֖יהָ לְבֹנָ֑ה מִנְחָ֖ה הִֽוא׃
(טז) וְהִקְטִ֨יר הַכֹּהֵ֜ן אֶת־אַזְכָּרָתָ֗הּ מִגִּרְשָׂהּ֙ וּמִשַּׁמְנָ֔הּ עַ֖ל כׇּל־לְבֹנָתָ֑הּ אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַה'׃ {פ}
(ג) וְהִקְרִיב֙ מִזֶּ֣בַח הַשְּׁלָמִ֔ים אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַה' אֶת־הַחֵ֙לֶב֙ הַֽמְכַסֶּ֣ה אֶת־הַקֶּ֔רֶב וְאֵת֙ כׇּל־הַחֵ֔לֶב אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַקֶּֽרֶב׃ (ד) וְאֵת֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י הַכְּלָיֹ֔ת וְאֶת־הַחֵ֙לֶב֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲלֵהֶ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַכְּסָלִ֑ים וְאֶת־הַיֹּתֶ֙רֶת֙ עַל־הַכָּבֵ֔ד עַל־הַכְּלָי֖וֹת יְסִירֶֽנָּה׃ (ה) וְהִקְטִ֨ירוּ אֹת֤וֹ בְנֵֽי־אַהֲרֹן֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חָה עַל־הָ֣עֹלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הָעֵצִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הָאֵ֑שׁ אִשֵּׁ֛ה רֵ֥יחַ נִיחֹ֖חַ לַֽה'׃ {פ}
(ב) צַ֤ו אֶֽת־אַהֲרֹן֙ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֣יו לֵאמֹ֔ר זֹ֥את תּוֹרַ֖ת הָעֹלָ֑ה הִ֣וא הָעֹלָ֡ה עַל֩ מוֹקְדָ֨הֿ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֤חַ כׇּל־הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙ עַד־הַבֹּ֔קֶר וְאֵ֥שׁ הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ תּ֥וּקַד בּֽוֹ׃ (ג) וְלָבַ֨שׁ הַכֹּהֵ֜ן מִדּ֣וֹ בַ֗ד וּמִֽכְנְסֵי־בַד֮ יִלְבַּ֣שׁ עַל־בְּשָׂרוֹ֒ וְהֵרִ֣ים אֶת־הַדֶּ֗שֶׁן אֲשֶׁ֨ר תֹּאכַ֥ל הָאֵ֛שׁ אֶת־הָעֹלָ֖ה עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וְשָׂמ֕וֹ אֵ֖צֶל הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ (ד) וּפָשַׁט֙ אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וְלָבַ֖שׁ בְּגָדִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וְהוֹצִ֤יא אֶת־הַדֶּ֙שֶׁן֙ אֶל־מִח֣וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה אֶל־מָק֖וֹם טָהֽוֹר׃ (ה) וְהָאֵ֨שׁ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֤חַ תּֽוּקַד־בּוֹ֙ לֹ֣א תִכְבֶּ֔ה וּבִעֵ֨ר עָלֶ֧יהָ הַכֹּהֵ֛ן עֵצִ֖ים בַּבֹּ֣קֶר בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וְעָרַ֤ךְ עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ הָֽעֹלָ֔ה וְהִקְטִ֥יר עָלֶ֖יהָ חֶלְבֵ֥י הַשְּׁלָמִֽים׃ (ו) אֵ֗שׁ תָּמִ֛יד תּוּקַ֥ד עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לֹ֥א תִכְבֶּֽה׃ {ס}
(2) 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. (3) 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. (4) He shall then take off his vestments and put on other vestments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a pure place. (5) 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. (6) A perpetual fire shall be kept burning on the altar, not to go out.
~ What do you make of the sentences about the fire on the altar? Why is the olah translated as burnt offering, whereas the term isheh is translated as "an offering by fire"?
The Master said above: "The smoke arose from the wood-pile on the altar." Was then any smoke on the altar? Behold we have been taught in a Baraita: "Five things have been said concerning the fire on the altar: It had the form of a lion, it was clear as the sun, it was palpable, it consumed moist things as it did dry ones and never emitted any smoke." The smoke was that of fire kindled by men, as we are taught in a Baraita: (Lev. 1:7) And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, i.e., although the fire descended from heaven, it was meritorious to bring fire from outside the sanctuary also. "It had the form of a lion." Behold, we are taught in a Baraita: R. Chanina, the Segan (Chief) of the priests, said: "I have seen it, and it had the form of a dog." No difficulty is presented: during the time of the first Temple it was like a lion, during the second, like a dog. Was there then any fire in the second Temple? Has not R. Samuel b. Inia said in the name of R. Acha: "What is the meaning of the passage (Hag. 1:8) Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; that I may take pleasure in it, and be glorified; it is written V'ekabed (and I shall be glorified) although we read it V'ekabdah. Why is the letter Hay missing? This is to suggest that five [the numerical value of Hay] things were missing in the second Temple. They are: The Ark, the Kaporet, the Cherubim, the divine fire, the Shechina, the Holy Spirit, and the Urim and Tumim. [Hence we see there was no heavenly fire in the second Temple at all.] I will tell thee: It was there, only it did not assist in consuming.
~ This midrash presents the differences between the first and second temples. What is missing from first to second?
~ What does the text say about the fire?
~ How does this midrash make a bridge between what we know about the fire in the Mishkan (Tabernacle, in the desert, think Aharon's sons and Korach's 250 followers) and the fire in the first and second temples?
~ Sha'arei Teshuvah (Gates of Repentance) is a standard Jewish ethical work of the Middle Ages. It was written by Yonah Gerondi to atone for his earlier attacks on Maimonides and to emphasize his repentance. Yonah Gerondi was born in Girona, Catalonia, present day Spain, c. 1200 and died in Toledo, then Castille, on 1264.
And one who issues a legal ruling in front of his teacher is liable. And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Eruvin 63a) [that] when Nadav and Avihu brought a foreign fire, they did not die for the sin of bringing [it], since their intention was for the sake of a commandment: They said, “Behold it is written in the Torah (Leviticus 1:7), ‘And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar’ - although fire descends from Heaven, it is [nonetheless] a commandment to [also] bring ordinary fire.” Rather their punishment was because they issued a legal ruling in front of Moses, their teacher.
~ Why did Nadav and Avihu die, according to Yonah Gerondi?
~ How does this text deal with the fire of the Mishkan? Was it dangerous?
~ Reshit Chokhmah (“The Beginning of Wisdom”) is a 16th-century work by Rabbi Eliyahu de Vidas. Based largely on the Zohar, it describes a method of meditation that combines visualization and permutation of Hebrew letters and is intended to inspire the reader with a sense of purity and holiness.
(לה) ומתנאי שמחת המועדים, שלא יהיה שמח בשחוק וטיולים כמנהג שמחת הכותיים בחגיהם, שנאמר (הושע ט, א) אל תשמח ישראל אל גיל כעמים, אלא יהיה בשמחת המועד עצמו, שהם ימי מקראי קדש, כדפי' לעיל, והוא כאדם שיהיה עומד בחשך שישמח בבא אליו אור חדש, כך צריך שיהיה שמח בשמחת התורה במועד יותר משאר הזמנים, כדפירשו רבותינו ז"ל (ירושלמי שבת פט"ו ה"ג) שלא ניתנו ימים טובים לישראל אלא לעסוק בתורה.
(לו) ודע כי מציאות השמחה גורם יחוד, שאי אפשר שיתקרבו העלולים עילה בעלול אם לא יהיה ביניהם שמחה שתחפוץ העילה שיתקרב עלולה אצלה, וכן שמחת העלול להכלל בעילתו, כדי שיאור ממנו, וזהו קרבן לה' שפי' בתיקונים (דף לד ע"ב) שאמרו זה לשונם וכד יהון מקרבין אתיין אב עם אם בן עם בת, כל חד בבת זוגיה, ה' עילאה לגבי י', ה' תתאה לגבי ו', האי איהו קרבן עולה ויורד, בההוא זמנא (יחזקאל לז, ז) ותקרבו עצמות עצם אל עצמו, ובסוף דבריו וכד נחיתת לגבי ברא איתמר בה (ויקרא ו, ה) והאש על המזבח תוקד בו, אתוקד בשלהובין דרחימו, עד כאן לשונו לעניננו.
(לז) ושלהובין דרחימו, הוא הוא השמחה, והוא אש הבאה מצד השמאל שהוא היין המשמח, והוא הגורם הזווג, וכן פירש בזוהר (פ' קרח דף קעח ע"ב) בענין ועבד הלוי הוא (במדבר יח, כג), זה לשונו הוא, אשלים שלימותא למהוי כלא חד. הוא, פשיטא לקבלא לכנסת ישראל כדאמר (שה"ש ב, ו) שמאלו תחת לראשי, בגין לחברא זיווגא כחדא, מאן איתער רחימותא הוי אומר הו"א, עד כאן לשונו. ושם פירש כמה פירושים במלת הו"א, ולפירוש הזה הו"א בבינה, ומשם תתעורר השמחה לכנסת ישראל בזווג, באופן שיתיחד האצילות בשלימותו כלו כאחד. נמצא כי עיקר השמחה הוא ייחוד וקשר האצילות כלו כאחד והארתו על ידי המאציל, שזהו כל השמחה שיאירו ויתיחדו כולם כאחד עד שיאיר בהם המאציל כראוי.
(35) And from the Tanna'im regarding the happiness on a festival [we learn] that one should not be happy with laughter and frivolity like the idolaters in their festivals, as it is written "Rejoice not, oh Israel, with joy as the peoples" (Hosea 9:1), rather, one should be happy simply because it is a festival, as they are days of holy gatherings, as we explained above. One should feel like a person who is standing in the dark, that feels happy when they see new light, so too one needs to be happy through Torah in the holy days more than in regular days, as our rabbis explained "holy days were only given to Israel so Israel would busy themselves with Torah" (Yerushalmi Shabbat Perek 15, Halacha 3).
(36) And know that the reality of happiness is that it brings about connection, that it is impossible that the weak ones would come close to on high if there was no happiness among them, which makes the ones on high desire closeness with the weaker ones, and so happiness of the weak one has to be included in the weak one's ascent, so that the weak one will be illuminated by it. And this is "korban lHashem" [sacrifice/getting close] that the explanation in the Tikkunim (Tikkunei Zohar 105b) that they said, and these are their words: "And when they came to sacrifice, father with mother, son with daughter, each one with their corresponding pair, the Yud above would be with the Hey, the Hey below with the Vav, that was the Korban Oleh VeYored [a sacrifice/coming close that goes up and down], and in that same moment "the bones came together, bone to matching bone" (Ezek. 37:7) [etzem/bone/essence] and at the end of his words, when "and the fire on the altar shall be kept burning" (Lev. 6:5) - up to here are the words of our issue.
(37) And the kindling of love is truly happiness, and this is the fire that comes from the left side, which is the wine that makes happiness, and it is the what brings about connection, and so too it is explained in the Zohar (Korach, 178b) regarding the issue of "and the Levite, he will work" (Numbers 18:23) - and this is the text: "He will complete a completeness, and be one with all. He - simply to receive the congregation of Israel, as it says "and His left hand is under my head" (Songs, 2:6), in the sense of the connection of a pair as one. Who says love? It is "he". Until here the words of the text. And there, there are many explanations for the word "he", and in this explanation "he" is in Binah, and from there the happiness of the congregation of Israel arouses, in the pairing, in a way that the World of Emanations will unite and become completely one. It is seen that the essence of happiness is the union and connection of the World of Emanations all as one, and see that through the One Who Emanates, this is all the happiness that they illuminate and become one, all as one, until the One Who Emanates will illuminate them, as appropriate.
~ What is the basic connector between us (the weak ones) and the stronger power of Above? Why? How does that connect with the idea of fire?
And we shold explain beforehand this mitzvah that Maimonides counted among his list of mitzvot (positive commandment #29): to keep the fire burning under the altar at all times, as it is written "A perpetual fire shall be kept burning on the altar, not to go out" (Leviticus 6:6) - we need to understand: Torah and mitzvot are eternal, and if so, how does this mitzvah apply to us in our times? And also, it should apply to every person.
ונראה לי דיבואר זה עם ביאר הפסוק פרשת צו את אהרן וגו' כל הלילה עד הבוקר ואש המזבח תוקד בו (ויקרא ו, ב-ו). דקשה הל"ל תוקד עליו, מה שאין כן בו משמע דקאי על אהרן דפתח בי' הכתוב צו את אהרן וגו'.
And it appears to me that the explanation of this can only come through explaining the verses 2 through 6 of the 6th chapter of Vayikra: it is difficult, behold, why do I have written "is kept going on it" (Leviticus 6:2) which does not seem to apply to Aharon, and yet the verse opened with "command Aharon".
ונראה לי, דאיתא בש"ס דעירובין פ"ו (סג.) מאי דרשו, ונתנו בני אהרן הכהן אש על המזבח (ויקרא א, ז), אף על פי שהאש יורד מן השמים מצוה להביא מן ההדיוט וכו'. ופירש הרב רמ"א בספרו (תורת העולה ח"ג פ"ב), שצריך שיתעורר האדם להתלהב באש הדיוט, ואז יורד שלהבת י"ה משמים וכו', יעו"ש. אך דלדברי התוספות שם (ד"ה מאי) לא שייך זה, דהקשו התוס', לכאורה משמע שהקטירו על המזבח החיצון, דאי במזבח הפנימי שם לא הי' יורד אש משמים וכו' מיהו בתורת כהנים משמע שהקטירו בפנים ושם נשרפו, וצ"ע, עכ"ל.
And it appears to me as it is present in Eruvin 63a what they explained, that the children of Aharon the priest will light the fire on the altar (Leviticus 1:7) even though the fire comes down from heaven, it is a mitzvah to bring common fire, etc. And the Rema (Moshe Isserles) explained in his book (Torat HaOlah III, chapter 2) that a person needs to become aroused to kindle with a common fire, and then the kindling of Y"ah comes from heaven, etc, see there. And the words of the Tosfot, in Eruvin (Mai) teach that they offered incense on the outside altar, because if it was on the inside, fire from heaven would not have descended, etc, however in the Torat Kohanim it is taught that they offered in the inside altar, and there they were burned, and this needs to be studied more deeply, until here.
וכדי לבאר כל זה, נראה לי לבאר תחלה ביאר ש"ס פ"ק דברכות (ה:), תניא אבא בנימין אומר, על ב' דברים הייתי מצטער כל ימי, על תפלתי שתהא לפני מטתי, ועל מטתי שתהא נתונה בין צפון לדרום. מאי לפני מטתי, א[י]לימא לפני מטתי ממש, והא צריך שלא יהי' חוצץ וכו'. וי"ל קושית הט"ז (או"ח ס"ג סק"ה) מאי מצטער, הוה לי' ליתן בין צפון לדרום. ומה שבארתי עיין במקום אחר. ועוד מה ענין ב' דברים אלו יחד, שיצטער דוקא על שניהם יחד. ועוד דמשני, אלא אימא וכו'. הא לא קאמר סמוך אלא לפני ומשני אלא אימא, וע"כ הסגנון כמאמר אל תיקרי וכו' והסוגיא שם וכו', והכי נמי כך. ועוד דהוה ליה למימר בין דרום לצפון מימין לשמאל, ולא בין צפון לדרום.
And to understand all this, it appears to me that at first one needs to look at the first chapter of Brachot (Brachot 5b): "A baraita: 'Aba Binyiamin says: on two things I was careful/I worried every day of my life, that my prayer should be before my bed, and that my bed should be between north and south'. What does 'before my bed mean? Let us say in front of my bed - in this case one needs that the bed should not separate etc." And the question asked by the Ta"z (maybe at Orach Chayim 90:5) What is "I worried? That he had set his bed between north and south. And what I explained, see in a different place. Also, what is the issue of joining these two things, and that he should worry about these two things, specifically? ... And also, he should have used the expression between south to north, [or] right to left, and not north to south.
(כו) ובזה יובן מצוה צו את אהרן וגו', ואש המזבח תוקד בו. ר"ל בו באהרן, שאש המזבח היא רחימו ושלהבת י"ה של השכינה שנק' מזבח כנודע, תוקד בו בכהן, שיכהן להש"י בדחילו ורחימו שהוא שיעור ב' פתחים הנ"ל בין צפון לדרום, וכאמור.
(כז) וכמו שהוא בפרט אדם אחד שיקשט את עצמו, כך ראוי שיהי' שפתי כהן ישמרו דעת להשיב רבים מעון, וכמו שביארתי כי גמר חסיד כי פסו אמונים מבני אדם (תהלים יב, ב), דמשמש מרישא לסיפא ומסיפא לרישא.
(כח) ובזה יובן, אף על פי שהאש יורדת משמים, ר"ל משלומי אמוני ישראל שנק' שמים, כמו שכתבתי האזינו השמים וכו' (דברים לב, א). מ"מ מצוה להביא מן ההדיוט, שהם המוני עם, שיתעוררו הם גם כן להתחבר עם שלומי אמוני ישראל. מה שאין כן כשהם אינן מתחברין עמהם, ומכל שכן שהם מלעיגים עליהם, שגורמין רעה ח"ו.
(כט) ובזה יובן אש תמיד תוקד על המזבח, תחלה הזהיר להכהנים שהם שלומי אמוני ישראל, ועכשיו הזהיר להמוני עם שהם הדיוטים, שיביאו אש מהדיוט, כדי שיגרמו אשר אש תמיד תוקד על המזבח, שהם שלומי אמוני ישראל. וז"ש לא תכבה, שלא יגרמו לכבות אש שלהביות עבודת ה' מן שלומי אמוני ישראל, כמ"ש גמר חסיד כשפסו אמונים מבני אדם, וק"ל.
And with all this one can understand the command: 'command Aharon and his sons etc, the fire of the altar perpetually on (Leviticus 6:2-6) It means that in Aharon, there is where the fire is to be perpetual, since the altar is a symbol of compassion and the flames of Ya"h, of the Shechinah, which is called altar, as it is known, is to be perpetually on, inside the kohen, [meaning] one who will serve the Holy Blessed Name as a kohen, that is, one who will arouse those two entryways, which are north and south.
And this is specifically a person who will prepare oneself, so that to be [the verse] will be suitable: "the lips of the kohen will guard awareness" (Malachi 2:7) and as I explained regarding the verse "that the faithful have vanished, that the loyal are no more" (Ps. 12:2) which can be read forwards and backwards.
And through this one understands that even though the fire comes down from heaven, meaning, from "those who seek the welfare of the faithful in Israel" (II Samuel 20:19), which are called heavens, as I wrote regarding "listen heavens etc" (Deuteronomy 32:1). In any instance, it is a mitzvah to bring common fire, which are the multitude of the people, that they too arouse themselves and connect with the one who seek the welfare of the faithful in Israel. When they connect only in their own groups, and when they poke fun at each other, evil follows, God forbid.
And through this one can understand "a perpetual fire shall be kept burning on the altar" (Leviticus 6:6). At the beginning is was warning for the kohanim that they are the seekers of the welfare of the faithful in Israel, and now, there is a warning for the common folk that they are actually the 'common', which bring a regular fire, so that they will cause "a perpetual fire to be kept burning", which are the seekers of welfare of the faithful in Israel. And this that is written "it shall not go out" (Leviticus 6:5) is that they should cause the burning out of the flames of the service to God that the seekers of the welfare for the faithful in Israel, as it is written "that the faithful have vanished, that the loyal are no more" (Ps. 12:2). And this is easy to understand.