(from his website)
Following are three of Rabbi Weissman’s observations on the weekly Parsha:
Tzav - Gratitude and Feeling
Chananya Weissman
צו
תודה והרגשה
[ז:טו-טז] וּבְשַׂר זֶבַח תּוֹדַת שְׁלָמָיו בְּיוֹם קָרְבָּנוֹ יֵאָכֵל לֹא יַנִּיחַ מִמֶּנּוּ עַד בֹּקֶר: וְאִם נֶדֶר אוֹ נְדָבָה זֶבַח קָרְבָּנוֹ בְּיוֹם הַקְרִיבוֹ אֶת זִבְחוֹ יֵאָכֵל וּמִמָּחֳרָת וְהַנּוֹתָר מִמֶּנּוּ יֵאָכֵל:
Every minute detail of the avoda is replete with deep philosophical and symbolic meaning. After all, in essence it doesn't make any difference to Hashem whether the Halachic details are one way or another. The fact that He commanded for them to be this way as opposed to a different way is because the details have spiritual significance for us. Although the deeper meaning is often obscure from us, we must recognize that it exists and attempt to uncover it.
Q: In light of this, we must ask why the korban shelamim in pasuk 15 must be eaten the very day it is offered ñ unlike any other korban, in fact ñ while the korban shelamim in pasuk 16 may be eaten the following day as well.
A: When one reflects on the respective reasons behind the bringing of these korbanos, the answer is readily apparent. The first korban shelamim is a korban toda, which is brought in recognition and thanks to Hashem for a miraculous personal salvation. Over time it's easy for one to rationalize and minimize the hand of Hashem in his salvation. After all, for example, many people traverse the desert, many people cross the sea and return safely, and many people are freed from prison through various natural means.
The bringing of the korban, even though this might not occur until many weeks later, reawakens the memory of the experience long after its spiritual effects on the individual might have regrettably faded. It is supposed to be a powerful, cathartic moment that will permanently solidify in the mind of the individual that his salvation was indeed a divine event. Indeed, the short time frame provided for him to eat the korban compels him to invite others to partake of the meal, thus creating a seudas mitzva at which he will surely publicize the miracle that Hashem performed for him. Both he and those who join him will be spiritually uplifted, and he especially will be drawn closer to Hashem.
Conversely, if the Torah allowed more time to eat the meat he might wish to keep it all for himself and eat it gradually. The remembrance of his divine experience would be weak and fleeting, and a great spiritual opportunity would be wasted.
One typically makes a neder or nedava in a time of stress as part of a tefilla to Hashem to help him. In such a case it is not necessary to limit the individual to one day for eating the korban, since he has already clearly attributed his salvation to Hashem. There is no need to impose added strictures upon him to solidify the experience in his mind.
This is a beautiful insight into these korbanos, and surely true.
[I heard that one of the meforshim explains in a similar vein that the many loaves of bread that are brought with the toda are meant to compel the individual to make a large seuda with many guests.]
Tzav - Greatness and Humility
Chananya Weissman
צו
גדלות וענוה
[ו:יב-טו] וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָֹה אֶל משֶׁה לֵּאמֹר: זֶה קָרְבַּן אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו אֲשֶׁר יַקְרִיבוּ לַיהֹוָה בְּיוֹם הִמָּשַׁח אֹתוֹ עֲשִׂירִת הָאֵפָה סֹלֶת מִנְחָה תָּמִיד מַחֲצִיתָהּ בַּבֹּקֶר וּמַחֲצִיתָהּ בָּעָרֶב: עַל מַחֲבַת בַּשֶּׁמֶן תֵּעָשֶׂה מֻרְבֶּכֶת תְּבִיאֶנָּה תֻּפִינֵי מִנְחַת פִּתִּים תַּקְרִיב רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ לַיהוָֹה: וְהַכֹּהֵן הַמָּשִׁיחַ תַּחְתָּיו מִבָּנָיו יַעֲשֶׂה אֹתָהּ חָק עוֹלָם לַיהוָֹה כָּלִיל תָּקְטָר:
רש"י פסוק יג
אף ההדיוטות מקריבין עשירית האיפה ביום שהן מתחנכין לעבודה, אבל כהן גדול בכל יום, שנאמר מנחה תמיד וגו' והכהן המשיח תחתיו מבניו וגו' חק עולם וגו'
As explained earlier, all of the details of the avoda contain deep symbolic meaning and moral messages. After all, to Hashem it really doesnít make any difference what we bring for a korban and how we proceed to offer it. The specifics of why everything must be done a certain way are intended for us, to train us and guide us in our spiritual development.
Consequently, the laws of the korbanos and the details of the Beis Hamikdash are still deeply relevant; as the moral messages are just as applicable even in absence of the actual avoda (may it be speedily restored to us).
A kohen must bring a korban miluim on his inaugural day of service. A kohen gadol, however, is required to bring this korban every single day!
The korban miluim is a rite of passage, one that the average kohen undergoes once in his life as he graduates to a new level of divine service. The kohen gadol must undergo this rite of passage every day, reminding him of the fact that his position is one of subservience to Hashem, not dominance over ìlesserî people.
The message would appear to be that those in positions of greatness and leadership should not take their positions for granted. This daily korban is meant to humble him, as he must approach every day in his position with the same eagerness and awe as if it were his first!
Tzav - The Mysterious Shalsheles
Chananya Weissman
Parshas Tzav Perek 8 Pasuk 23 contains the rare shalsheles, a cantillation mark that appears only three other times in the Torah. Like the meaning of the word, a chain, the shalsheles is a repetitious, drawn-out sound. What is the meaning behind this and the rare times it appears?
The other three times the shalsheles appears are all in Sefer Bereishis. All three times are in the middle of a narrative. Here, however, the shalsheles appears seemingly in the middle of nowhere, in the most innocuous and unexpected of places. Moshe has just slaughtered two korbanos as part of the inauguration process of the mishkan, and both times a standard cantillation mark is used for the word "Vayishchat". When he slaughters a third animal, suddenly there is a shalsheles. This begs an explanation.
Let's examine the other three appearances of the shalsheles for a clue.
The first time the shalsheles appears is in Parshas Vayeira. The angels have come to rescue Lot and destroy the city of Sedom. They warn him to evacuate the city before sunrise, without regard for his personal possessions. Nevertheless, Lot tarries until the last moment, to the extent that the angels have to forcibly drag him out of his home. The narrative on its own clearly demonstrates that it was difficult for Lot to pick up and flee the city. ìVayismah'mahî indicates that he tarried, and the shalsheles appears on this word, emphasizing that Lot really tarried. This further amplifies what an excruciating struggle it was for him to leave his money behind even to save his life and his family ñ a powerful comment on the values and priorities of Lot (values which we should eschew).
The second time the shalsheles appears is in Parshas Chayei Sara. Avraham commands his faithful servant, Eliezer, to find a wife for Yitzchak. Eliezer had hoped that his own daughter would merit this match, and was now appointed the agent in fulfilling the dissolution of his own dream. When the time comes for him to pray for the success of his mission, ìVayomarî, this moment is punctuated with a shalsheles, indicating to us the tremendous internal conflict Eliezer experienced. The story would not be truly complete without this subtle remark, indicating the human struggle that Eliezer faced in fulfilling his mission.
The third time the shalsheles appears is in Parshas Vayeishev. The wife of Potifar tries continuously to seduce Yosef, without success. He refuses her advances, ì Vaye'ma'einî. The shalsheles on this word emphasizes what a herculean feat this was, quite possibly serving as the textual springboard for many of the Midrashic comments regarding this tremendous struggle.
And then we come to the fourth and final time a shalsheles appears in the Torah, during the dedication ceremony of the mishkan. Moshe has just brought two korbanos to inaugurate the mishkan. The word ìVayishchatî appears both times with typical cantillation marks. Now, as Moshe slaughters the third korban, we suddenly have a shalsheles.
Moshe served as the Kohen Gadol during the eight days of inauguration, after which Aharon and his descendants took over the position for all time. The Midrash teaches that Moshe lost this position for resisting too much when Hashem appointed him to be the leader of the Jews. That position was imposed on him, but now this one, which he greatly desired, was taken away. It is this third korban that officially inaugurated Aharon as the permanent Kohen Gadol in place of Moshe. Once again, the shalsheles emphasizes how difficult it was for Moshe to go through with this, what a terrible conflict of emotions he must have experienced as he slaughtered that korban.
As with all the other places it appears, the shalsheles adds a layer of detail and humanity to the narrative, which is fleshed out by Midrashic comments.
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