Parshas Tsav begins with
Hashem telling Moshe to command the cohanim saying, “this is the Torah of the
burnt offering”, (Leviticus 6:1-2). What follows is an elucidation of the
sacrifices spanning two of the 27 chapters in the book of VaYikra. In the case
of the burnt offering there is a danger that a person may feel in his rapture
of sanctity that mundane activities can be neglected. Therefore the celebrant
is reminded here he must clean up the ashes that are the result of his
sacrifice. Concerning the mincha and the sin offering the fact that they are to
be given as food to the cohanim and that the cohanim may only eat them on the
Temple grounds is emphasized. Additional
details are given concerning the butchering of the guilt offering. In regards
to the peace offering we are instructed that it must be eaten when it is
brought or the next day. However anything remaining to the third day must be
burnt.
In fact the subject of the
first parsha, comprising five chapters of the book of Leviticus, was the
sacrifices. This raises the question why not include the additional material
concerning the sacrifices with the original presentation? The answer seems to
revolve around the word “Torah”. The pure meaning of the word Torah (תורה) is instruction (להורות).
However its broader use includes commentary, additions, and emphasis.
For example Rashi explains
that all uses of the word Torah come to amplify (לרבות).
The Sforno explains that it is a hint that part of the subject must be studied.
The Gemara exclaims that one should be passionate about the Torah as it says,
“a firebrand of the rabbis that is boiling is boiling because of the Torah”,
(Ta’anis 4a). The Kli Yakar notes that
the phrase, “this is the Torah”, is used five times in this parsha and comments
that this corresponds to the five books of the Torah. He continues that this is
a hint that if one who is engrossed with them it is like he has brought the
five types of sacrifices, burnt offering, grain offering, sin offering, guilt
offering, and peace offering. The Baal HaTurim notes that the last letters of
the last two words of the parsha’s first verse and the first two words of the
second verse "משה לאמר צו את"
spell the word Torah (תורה) and comments that we
are commanded to occupy ourselves with Torah.
To a certain extent the
appendix concerning the sacrifices resembles Moshe rabenu’s elucidation of the
law in the book of Devarim. There is repetition, added emphasis, and some new
material. The effect though is to cull together details of topics that are scattered
throughout the Chumash. Maimonides takes this approach further in his
monumental work the “Mishna Torah”, where the entire law is organized and
explained by topic.
One of the characteristics of
Moshe, our teacher, was that he was never an articulate man, rather he was
heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue (see Shmos 4:10). From a literary standpoint
the Torah of Moshe is extremely lucid, never the less there is an aspect of
clumsiness of form in it. As a result a person is required to study it carefully
to arrive at its fundamental message. However the study required because of the
occasional haphazard style of the Chumash basically comes to teach us that even
the most organized and polished works of religion, likewise require deep study.
Ultimately one cannot give the
Master of the World a physical gift because He has dominion over everything and
everything already belongs to Him. What G-d desires is man’s heart.
Specifically that a man should understand and know Hashem, recognize His
benevolence, equity, and charity, and try to emulate them as best he can.
לע"נ, האמה ,מלכה בת חיים ז"ל
נלב"ע ט"ז ניסן תשנ"ח
Acknowledgements to websites:
תורת אמת, וויקיטקסט, http://dictionary.reference.com/,
http://hebrewbooks.org/,
וגם בדואר אלקטרוני
ניתן באתר http://dyschreiber.blogspot.co.il
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