Parsha Tzav - Torah insights

B”SD

Parsha Tzav (2nd parsha of Leviticus -named so in English as it deals with the service of the Levites)

Some beautiful words  of Torah on the Parsha from the sites of Ohr Somayach and from Short vort.com

Please click on links to goto original articles

http://ohr.edu/5120

Insights

The Constant Fire

"A constant fire shall burn upon the altar; it shall never go out."(6:6)

Throughout their journeys in the wilderness the Jewish People carried with them the Mishkan. The word Mishkan comes from the word in Hebrew which means "to dwell." Through the Mishkan, G-d caused the Divine Presence, the Shechina, to dwell amongst the Jewish People.

There was an altar in the courtyard of the Mishkan. On it burned three different fires. On the eastern side of the altar was the ma’aracha gadola, the "large arrangement". On this largest fire, the korbanot sacrifices were offered. On the southwestern corner there was another fire that was used solely to ignite the pyre of the golden altar inside the Mishkan on which the incense was burned.

And there was a third fire which had no fixed place but could be made anywhere on the outside altar. This fire had one purpose and one purpose only — to fulfill the words of the Torah in this week’s portion: "A constant fire shall burn upon the altar; it shall never go out." Come rain or shine, weekdays and Shabbat, this fire never went out. It burned all the forty years that the Jewish People were traveling in the desert. In fact, it burned without interruption for a total of over one hundred years: forty years in the desert, fourteen years in the Mishkan at Gilgal, and fifty-seven years in the Mishkan at Nov and at Givon. Two pieces of wood had to be added to the fire twice a day. One in the morning at the time of the morning offering, and one in the afternoon at the time of the afternoon offering.

One might ask, why were three fires necessary? Wouldn’t one have sufficed?

These three fires can be understood as three aspects of our relationship with G-d:

The large fire represents our external service; the performance of the mitzvot, the obligations of prayer at its fixed times throughout the day and throughout the year. Because it was the largest fire, it was the most visible, just as our external duties as Jews are the most visible, be they the giving of charity or the care of the orphan and the widow. These are things that are as visible as a large fire.

However there was another fire whose function outside was for no other purpose than to kindle an internal fire. That fire teaches us that we must take our exterior service and use it to kindle the interior fire. That internal fire represents the duties of the heart: our belief and trust in G-d and our constant striving to be better people. That’s something you can’t see from the outside, but like the incense that is burned on the golden altar, it emerges from within a person with a scent that is unmistakable.

The third fire can me moved anywhere, but it must never go out. This represents the undying fidelity of the Jewish People to G-d throughout our long and difficult Diaspora. Even though we have had to move from one corner of the world to another, our devotion to G-d has never been extinguished by an unkind world. Whether in the light of morning, or the impending darkness of approaching night, throughout our long history, the Jewish People have always placed the kindling on the altar of our devotion to G-d.

My poetic license on this theme:

PSALM 92 v 2

I proclaim your loving kindness at dawn (when all is clear) and your faithfulness at night (night is a time of darkness when we do not see the love clearly but we know deep down that Hashem is with us as we accept the pain and yoke of heaven,  we do not understand but we try with all our might to have steadfast faith and courage as David spoke about, looking and praying for the light, may it come speedily for those who need it, never let your fire go out!
 

I heard from Rabbi Mordechai Yecheskiel  that The Sanz Rebbe Grand Rabbi Chaim Halberstam who suffered through world war II and the camps, he lost his friends and family but himself was miraculously saved by  G-d's grace and went onto build a new life,and in Israel went on to build a hospital, and an orphanage, his goal after getting out alive to alleviate suffering in the world, during the dark days bless him, he used to pray to our Father in heaven crying for the suffering to stop - in tears he would say your children are in pain the only sin I see is they are losing faith Aba, he cared so and through the darkest moments, and vowed if he came out alive he would fix the world as best he could and rid it of as much pain as he would be able to! - He went onto become a beacon of light and hope to all who would suffer after him! Rav Yosef Shlomo Khanaman the Ponevys rebbe was another such beacon of light!  May their hard work and the many others like them continue to bear even more fruits, their reward is very great we see it in the institutions they built! The light also came from others there were numerous righteous gentiles who came to the aid of the Jewish nation, at a time when to do so was extermely dangerous. May their merits be recognised and rewarded.

 

http://ohr.edu/2118

Insights

The Everlasting Ember

"The fire on the Altar shall be kept burning on it, it shall not be extinguished; and the kohen shall kindle wood upon it every morning; he shall prepare the olah offering upon it and shall cause the fats of the shelamim offering to go up in smoke upon it. A permanent fire shall remain aflame on the Altar; it shall not be extinguished" (6:5,6)

In every Jewish heart there glows an ember. In every Jewish soul there is a spark of holiness that can never be extinguished.

Those of us whose lives are dedicated to reaching out to our brothers and sisters who seem so far away from the faith of our forefathers must pattern ourselves after the kohen in the Holy Temple.

The kohen brought two offerings every day: The olah offering and the shelamim offering. The olah offering represents the mitzvot between us and G-d. The olah was the only offering in which none of its meat was consumed by man. It all "went up" on the Altar. Olah means to "arise." The olah symbolizes mans striving to connect to G-d which is the purpose of mitzvot like prayer, tefillin, brit mila and Shabbat.

The shelamim, as its name suggests, represent the creation of shalom, peace, between man and his neighbor. These are represented by mitzvot such as charity, kindness and correct speech.

In the dark world of materialism in which we live we should know that our daily job is to kindle the wood on the altar of the Jewish soul, to inspire and awaken the heart to connect to both to G-d and man in deeper and more meaningful ways.

For "an everlasting fire shall remain aflame on the Altar; it shall not be extinguished." All we need to do is fan the embers, however small they may seem.

• Based Torat Moshe in Mayana shel Torah

Parashas Tzav – Waving at Hashem

http://www.shortvort.com/tsav-parasha/11701-parashas-tzav-waving-at-hashem

Torah Portion

Written by Daniel Sandground

In this week's Parasha we continue with the theme of korbans/offerings with the Torah addressing the Kohanim and teaching them the additional laws that relate to the Mishkan service. We see in the first two chapters of Tzav that the previously mentioned offerings of the olah (the elevation-offering), minchah (meal-offering), shelamim (peace-offering), chatas (sin-offering) and the asham (guilt-offering) are now expanded on with regards to how they are prepared, offered and also included are other related laws. Chizkuni explains that parashas Vayikra incorporated commandments about offerings which pertain to the nation as a whole, whereas Tzav, mainly discusses those mitzvahs which are relevant to the realm of the Kohanim. This is evident from the first sentence of the Parasha... “Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: Command Aharon and his sons (the Kohanim)...” [6:1-2]. For those who are sharp amongst you (or who have read up on the Midrashim), you would have noticed last week in sedra Vayikra, that Aharon was omitted from the entire parasha, with only his sons mentioned. We are told that the omission of his name expressed Hashem's continued resentment of him for having participated in the making of the Golden Calf. Moshe, being the concerned loving brother, however, had words with Hashem over this by using logic regarding the type of wood to be used on the mizbayach/altar... We are told that all types of wood are suitable for kindling a fire on the mizbayach except for the wood of grape vines and olive branches, these are not burned on the altar as they are accorded honorary status because of the fruits which they yield... the grape vine may not be used as fire wood since it supplies the wine for the nesachim/libations and the olive wood may not be used as the olives yield the oils for the menorah and the minchah offerings. Moshe argued by this logic, that if the grape vine and olive tree are honoured merely because of their produce then surely Aharon should be treated in an honourable manner and be addressed directly, in spite of the anger towards him, if only for the sake of the honourable sons he has produced. This argument was accepted by Hashem and this is why we see that Moshe is told to... “Command Aharon and his sons” [6:2] in this first sentence of the Parasha. In Parashas Vayikra we saw that all commandments regarding offerings were introduced with either the word אמרת/say [1:2] or דבר/speak [4:2], our sedra however uses the word צו/command as the first word, so it is important to ask why all of a sudden such an emphatic term is now used? Rashi explains that this term expresses an urging, for it to be done at once and that they are being urged to be especially zealous in performing this service. Other mefarshim comment that by using this term it implies that the laws also apply for future generations and that they must be repeated constantly to these future generations. Perhaps the most cited approach, however, comes from Rabbi Shimon who explains that this type of expression is relevant to commandments that involve a monetary loss. When there is a loss to your pocket, such as the עולה/olah (elevation-offering) of this passage, we see that there is the risk that people lose enthusiasm, and therefore the Torah needs to 'command' us in order that we understand the importance of it. So where is this monetary loss Rabbi Shimon talks of?... As with all good Jewish questions, there are various answers on offer by our mefarshim... The widest held opinion on this monetary loss is that it is the Kohanim who are having a monetary loss acted on them as they must give up their regular means of livelihood. This financial sacrifice is particularly acute in our case of an עולה/olah, from which the Kohanim receive nothing, since all the meat is burned on the mizbayach. With other offerings, the Kohanim would receive a part of it but only the hide goes to them with this particular offering and this is seen as hardly sufficient to make up for their loss of income. According to the Ramban, the 'monetary loss' refers not to the service of the offering but to the financial burden of an offering that is mentioned in the latter stages of Parasha Tzav. On the first day of his service in the Beis HaMikdash, every Kohen must bring a meal-offering and the Kohen Gadol must bring a similar offering every single day, this is a monetary loss which needs the Torah's use of the word צו to undertake. The Or HaChaim brings us the wild-card answer... he suggests that the offering that entails this monetary strain is that of the תמיד/tamid (which was the daily continual-offering), and that the financial sacrifice was not limited to the Kohanim, but involved the entire nation. The morningתמיד/tamid was the key offering of the day, because no other korbans may be brought prior to it. The Or HaChaim goes on to explain that consequently, during the siege of Jerusalem, every day the Jewish people paid enormous sums to their attackers for the lambs that were needed for the תמיד/tamid (As described in Bava Kamma 82b). We therefore see that when it is going to cost us, the Torah needs to urge us... using the word צו in this case. This shows how the Torah has incredible insight into human nature, realising how difficult we find it to do mitzvahs when it is going to cost us dearly. According to Rabbi Kaplan, the easiest mitzvahs to perform is that of the שלוח הקן/shiloo'uch ha'cain, which is the mitzvah of sending the mother bird from the nest (Devarim 22:6), simply due to it costing no money... all you need to do is find a nest and scare away the mother bird (the details of this rather peculiar mitzvah can be found in Parashas Ki Seitzei and are beyond the scope of this discussion). People find Tzedakah one of the hardest mitzvahs to perform and this is partly why we are set a specific percentage as the minimum amount to be given away... once again the Torah is commanding us due to the human nature of loving money. A Jew is told that he should invest at least a tenth of his money in Tzedakah, and we are taught that handing out charity is not to be regarded as a 'loss', rather it is the best investment a person can make for himself, the only kind which is unquestionably beneficial for himself. Rashi brings down a beautiful story to fortify this point... “It happened once in a year of drought that the emperor Monobaz unlocked the vaults containing his treasures and distributed them with an open hand among the needy. His family unanimously arose in opposition against his magnanimous actions... 'Your forefathers' they protested, 'expended much effort and toil to accumulate this fortune and to increase the family fortune. How can you now squander it on the poor?'. He replied, 'My fathers gathered treasure on earth, I am storing a treasure in Heaven. My fathers stored it in an insecure place, I store it securely. My fathers stored it without profit, I am investing it beneficially. My fathers accumulated treasures of money, I am accumulating treasures of souls. My fathers put aside for others, I am putting aside for myself. My fathers stored in this world, I am storing in the World-To-Come'. From this response they could see that investing money in mitzvahs is an eternal investment.” In the latter parts of the sedra we are introduced to the idea of how certain parts of the offering were to be 'waved, as a wave service before Hashem' [7:30]. Now when I first came across this I immediately thought, 'how very strange' and quickly looked into the reason for it. What basically happens is that before the parts are placed on the Altar or presented to the Kohanim, they are waved in four directions, and then lifted up and lowered, very similar to what we do with a Lulav on Succos. In fact within the names for this ritual,תנופה תרומה/te'noo'fa te'roo'ma, we see indications of exactly what this service was, תנופה/te'noo'fa implying waving and תרומה/te'roo'ma meaning a raised-up gift. So why was all this weird waving and raising taking place?... These motions signify that G-d controls existence everywhere, in all four directions, above and below. According to Rabbi Hirsch, the reason this service takes place is to teach us that a major component of satisfaction with one's lot in life is one's recognition that he is G-d's servant and that his perception of this world must be based on the outlook of the Torah. Rabbi Bachya points out that the chosen organs to 'wave', the breast and thigh, are designated because they represent accomplishment and motion. The breast houses the heart, which is the seat of desire; and the thigh represents the ability to move. Therefore when we wave these specific organs, we acknowledge that these functions are in G-d's control. So with the basic idea being the implication that Hashem is in control of everything, (shortend)... What we can take from it is that Hashem is fully in control of everything which is exactly what we will be reading about during the Seder, how each plague represents his dominance over everything from the dust of the earth, to the heavens above and to us personally. This Shabbat is Shabbat HaGadol, and it is named this because before the Jewish people left Egypt, they were commanded to take a lamb on the tenth of Nissan in preparation to slaughter it for the korban Pesach. Although the Egyptians worshipped the lamb, they looked on helplessly and did not attack the Jews. The Jews showed ultimate faith in Hashem through this act, which must have seemed like suicide amongst their lamb-loving Egyptian neighbours. This miracle is commemorated on the Shabbat before Pesach, since the tenth of Nissan that year was before Shabbat. With that I wish everyone a Shabbat Shalom this Shabbat HaGadol and a Chag Somayach. There won't be a Dvar Torah next week as we read a special reading from Ki Sisa as it is Pesach Shabbat Chol Hamoed, but time-permitting I will try and send out a few words on Pesach. לשנה הבאה בירושלים! Next Year in Jerusalem! Daniel Sandground, (student at Ohr Somayach Yeshiva, Jerusalem)

5 korbanos = 5 chumashim

 http://www.shortvort.com/tsav-parasha/11785-5-korbanos--5-chumashim

Written by d fine

Gimme five! The Kli Yakar (7:11) reveals that it says ‘this is the Torah’ five times in reference to the various korbanos, hinting at the five books of the Torah. For anyone who learns through the five books of the Torah is as if they have offered up all five korbanos. How so? For, as the Kli Yakar explains, each of the five korbanos correspond to one Chumash. The olah (the first korban) is paired with Chumash Bereishis (the first Chumash), for Hevel, Noach, Avraham, and Yaakov all offered olah korbanos in Bereishis. Furthermore, Shemos is paired with the mincha offering, for the mincha offering comprises of matzah - Shemos has in it the mitzvah of matzah and the korban pesach. Similarly, Vayikra corresponds to the chatas offering, for the root of all sins is the chet ha’egel, and throughout Vayikra there are references to the atonement for this sin - and the chatas comes to atone for sins. Moreover, the greatest atonement for the chet ha’egel is the Mishkan, and Vayikra deals with topics related to the Mishkan, as the Ramban in his hakdama to Vayikra highlights. Additionally, Bamidbar is paired with the asham offering, for the topic of ‘asham’ crops up in Bamidbar (5:6). Finally, Devarim matches the shlamim, for this korban pops up in both the sedras of Ki Savo (27:7) and Re’eh (12:27). Moreover, the shlamim is always the last of the korbanos, and Devarim is the final Chumash.

 

The great lengths the Torah goes to in order to save a person from embarrassment
http://www.shortvort.com/tsav-parasha/11135-the-great-lengths-the-torah-goes-to-in-order-tosave-a-person-from-embarrassment

"Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying: This is the law of the sin-offering: in the place where the burnt-offering is killed shall the sin-offering be killed before Hashem." The Gemora says that the reason the two offerings were brought and slaughtered in the same place was in order to save those who sinned from embarrassment. When people saw the animals being brought by a person they would not know if it was for a sin offering or a burnt offering. From here we see that we should not cause others to become embarrassed when they have done something wrong. Similarly the Chofetz chaim in his sefer on the laws of Loshon Hora says that a person listening to Loshon Hora when in a group setting should be careful not to rebuke his fellow, rather he should wait until later when they are alone to rebuke Him as to not cause Him embarrassment over his sin!

In case you want to look up the source it is Leviticus (Tzav) Ch6 V 18 

Enjoy the Seder,

לשנה הבאה בירושלים!

 

TO MY DEAR FRIENDS

SHABBAT SHALOM U MEVORACH

GOOD SHABBOS

Michael

PS I found an interesting insight on Ohr Somayach website:
ohr.edu/3071

The Flame

This is the law of the elevation offering… on the flame, on the Altar…” (6:2)
In this verse, the Torah writes the word “Altar” – mokda with a small mem.
The Altar symbolizes man’s service of G-d. Just as the flame always seeks to rise, likewise the hope of all prayer is to ascend to the highest places. However, fire also symbolizes pride and arrogance, the character traits that desire to rise and aggrandize themselves over others.
The essence of prayer is humility. When we understand how small we are, we have a chance of relating to how great G-d is, since true prayer and love of Torah is hidden in the heart, unrevealed to world, not trumpeted to all with extravagant gestures and posing.
Just like that the little mem, the elevation of the Altar of the heart is in proportion to its humility.

• Source: The Kotzker Rebbe in Iturei Torah

Vayikra ch 2 v 11 ...no honey thank you!

B”SD

 

The message of Salt and Honey!

Vayikro ch 2 v 11

All meal offerings that you bring to Hashem are not to be made Leavened, because all sourdough and all honey you should not burn from them a fire offering to Hashem.

The Lesson: When we live our lives we need to be genuine:

I heard a beautiful vort on Sunday given over by Rabbi Badiel who is a judge on the South African Bais Din. A fascinating insight on all offerings we bring salt, but on this particular meal offering we learn in Vayikra Ch2 v 11 it states all meal offerings should not be leavened (on my last post we read humility is the antithesis of leaven), the verse finishes with a statement no honey or sourdough allowed either! The wonderful answer reason is  salt brings out the taste of the food it is eaten with, it brings out the true essence and the true taste, the true persona,  honey on the other hand is a sweetner, it is external and independent of the food's taste and the essence of the food that is to be eaten with it. Sometimes when we are starting out on our spiritual journey we still need some outside sweetness to keep us going, but ultimately true service is when our motives are pure and unselfish for the sake of heaven, no personal agendas -us motivated with a desire to come close and serve our creator the cause of all causes, this will enhance our relationship with G-d almighty being true to ourselves to him and to those around us, our prayers and actions should reflect our essence our truest self and our speech and actions and ultimately our thoughts should reflect heartfelt honesty, this is what G-d desires!

Another insight I learnt from Rabbi Ehrman my son’s rabbi, is that a person who knows a lot of Torah but does not live a life of kindness and good deeds (G-d forbid) is compared to a decaying carcass, we are not allowed to touch it, it is impure and full of germs it contaminates those who touch it, in the same way a learned person not possessing basic decency has many people looking up to him due to his superior knowledge and the danger is ultimately they may come to follow his ways, like bad germs to their detriment.  So when choosing a Rabbi bearing in mind it is always good to give the benefit of any doubt, and question when we find actions unacceptable, –as the saying goes come close to a Rabbi who is a Salt of the earth kind of person i.e. and not containing leaven (Arrogance) or honey (false sweetner).

May we all be successful in our Growth enjoying our seder and coming closer with truth and heartfelt desire!

Chag Kasher ve Sameach!!!
NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM SING IT IF WE REALLY WANT IT THEN  IT SHALL BE !!!

Michael

Vayikra

B”SD

 

Parshas Vayikra Ch 1 v 1

"Vayikra - And He called to Moshe and Hashem spoke to him from the Ohel Mo'ed (the Tent of Meeting)

Rashi teaches us Vayikra means to be called, but in a loving way, as opposed to the words used when speaking to the prophet Bilaam, that was more impersonal a way of happening on him for a reason, but not a calling with love. This sedra deals with purity, the laws of the Kohanim (Priests) and the offerings, to give of ourselves, something material in doing so we achieve closeness to Hashem.  

Do we hear when G-d calls us, we learn only Moshe heard the calling he had a finely tuned spiritual receptor!

http://ohr.edu/5112

Why Can’t I Hear G-d Talking To Me?

“And He called...”(1:1)

The London Symphony Orchestra takes its place on the podium of the Royal Albert Hall. The large double basses mournfully tune up. The piccolos prance from one octave to another. The dull dooming thud of a muted timpani is heard. Two swift taps of the baton on the lectern. The cacophony ceases, replaced by a mighty chord played by eighty instruments. The chord grows longer and longer and louder and louder. The entire audience is enthralled in rapt attention. The entire audience, that is, except a rather eccentric gentleman leaning over the balcony. He seems somewhat distracted. He keeps looking this way and that. His concentration is anywhere except on the music. It’s not surprising, however, for covering his ears are a large pair of canary yellow plastic sound-excluders. The sort that you see ground crews use when they refuel airplanes.

After a couple of minutes the next-door neighbor to this fellow cannot contain himself any longer. He leans over the balcony and starts gesturing to the fellow, pointing at the sound-excluders and miming “Your ears are blocked! You can’t hear anything because your ears are blocked!” The other fellow scrunches up his brow, cocks his head to one side as if to say, “What are you saying?” So once again the other points to the sound excluders and mimes even more loudly than before, “You can’t hear anything because your ears are blocked!”

The other fellow finally realizes that someone is trying to communicate with him and so he takes off his canary yellow sound-excluders and says blithely to the other, “I’m sorry. I can’t hear you. You see, my ears are blocked.”

Look at the world. It’s not a pretty picture. I don’t want to spoil your Shabbat, but I’m sure it comes as no surprise to you that world-wide poverty is on the increase, that our natural resources are dwindling at an alarming rate and that selfishness, greed and intolerance are as popular as ever.

Where is G-d? Is this a G-dly world?

No. This is not the world that G-d wants. It’s the world that man wants. G-d has created man as the being that chooses. This is man’s unique privilege — and his responsibility. There can be no choice without the potential to choose incorrectly. A world where choice has no consequences is, effectively, a world without choice. The world looks like it does because man chooses it to be this way, and most of the time man’s choices are dominated by his own selfishness.

The spiritual Masters teach that when G-d spoke to Moshe He spoke in voice that was overpoweringly loud, a voice that was vast enough to pulverize mighty trees. Nevertheless, the only one person who heard the voice was our Teacher, Moshe. And when Moshe heard that voice it sounded to him like a loving and gentle summons: “Moshe, Moshe...”

G-d’s voice is the loudest thing in this world. If we can’t hear it that’s because our ears are plugged with the wax of our own selfishness and egos, the detritus of ignoring the Designer and His design for this world.

• Sources: Rashi; Sifra

We are taught this Parsha is a good place to start teaching our kids Chumash Vayikra where the purity of a child meets the laws of purity and achieving closeness in service to Hashem.

http://ohr.edu/2117

Root And Branch

"And he called" (1:1)

If you look at a tree and see healthy branches, you can be sure that its roots are strong.

When a young child takes his first steps in learning Torah, you would think that he starts by learning "In the beginning of G-ds creating the heavens and the earth" and from there he slowly works his way to the end of the Five Books.

However, many Torah education experts start not with the Book of Bereshet but with the volume that we start reading in synagogue this week, the third of the Torahs volumes, Vayikra.

What is the reason to start with Vayikra?

Firstly, its easy to misunderstand the opening chapters of the Torah. They contain many deep mystical ideas which are understood only by the wisest and holiest people in each generation.

However, there is another reason. The Book of Vayikra is principally concerned with sacrifices. By teaching our children the book of Vayikra first, we are inculcating the knowledge that Torah can only thrive in someone who is prepared to sacrifice his time, his ego, and his pursuit of worldly pleasure to achieve its crown.

In a similar vein, Rabbi Meir Shapiro of Lublin (the founder of the Daf Yomi cycle of Torah study that recently completed its 11^th seven-year cycle on March 1^st) explains the saying of our Sages "Be watchful of the children of the poor, for from them the Torah will come forth."A Torah education does not come cheaply. For someone who has trouble making ends meet, the self-sacrifice required to give ones children a good Torah education is considerable. The Torah of these children comes through difficulty, from self-denial. Because the Torah of the "children of the poor" is earned through hardship and self-sacrifice, it has a staying power which lasts for generations.

If the branches look strong, the roots must be stronger.

• Based on the Avnei Ezel in Mayana shel Torah

The small Aleph in VAYIKRa

Many commentators discuss why the first word to call has a small Aleph, many claiming it is indicative of Moshe’s humility, he did not want to show off how lovingly Hashem had approached him, so he wrote the Aleph small.

http://ohr.edu/3429

The Big A

“And He called…” (1:1)

Scene One. The bridge of the USS Lincoln, one stormy night off the coast of Newfoundland; a dim green blip suddenly appears on the radar screen.

USS Lincoln (to Canadian Naval authorities): Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.

Canadians: Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

USS Lincoln: This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.

Canadians: No. I say again, you divert YOUR course.

USS Lincoln: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES’ ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH, THAT’S ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.

Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call…

A little humility goes a long way.

If you look at a Torah Scroll you will see that the first word of the Book of Vayikra (Leviticus) is written in an unusual fashion. The last letter of Vayikra — the aleph — is written much smaller than the rest of the word.

Why is the aleph small?

When G-d told Moshe to write the word Vayikra “And He called”, Moshe didn’t want to write that last aleph.It seemed to Moshe that it gave him too much importance.How could he write that G-d called to him?Who was he, after all? A mere man. Moshe would have preferred to write Vayikar — “And He happened (upon him).”In other words G-d just “came across” Moshe, He didn’t “go out of His way” to appear to him.

In spite of Moshe’s protestations, G-d told him to write Vayikra — “And He called”.Moshe put the aleph at the end of the word as G-d had commanded him — but he wrote it small.

What’s in a small aleph?

The aleph is the letter that represents the will, the ego. It is the first letter of the word for “I” — ‘Ani’. When a person sees himself as the Big A, the Big Aleph, Number One, he is usurping the crown of He who is One.

When a person sees himself as no more than a small aleph, then he makes room for the Divine Presence to dwell in him. His head is not swollen with the cotton candy of self-regard.

Moshe was the humblest of all men. Moshe made himself so little that he was barely in this world at all. He didn’t even want to be a small aleph. He, as no man before or since, saw that there is only one aleph in all of Creation, only one Number One — G-d.

Moshe made his own aleph — his ego — so small, that he merited that the Torah was given through him.

When Moshe had finished writing the Torah, some ink was left in his pen. As he passed the pen across his forehead the drops of ink became beams of light shining from his visage.

That extra ink that was left in Moshe’s pen was the ink that should have gone to write the Big Aleph; instead it became a corona of shining light to adorn the humblest of men.

• Sources: Ba’al Haturim, Midrash Tanchuma Ki Tisa 37, MiTa’amim in Iturei Torah

As stated above Rashi states Vayikra is to call lovingly reflecting the warm relationship Hashem had with Moshe, with Bilaam the encounter with Hashem is not loving a need arose and G-d appeared, – i.e. he happened on him, Rashi Ztl. points out to us that the cold encounter word is the same type of encounter as when Amalek happened upon Israel, but it was not in love and purity, Rashi points out the “Kr” without an Aleph is the same root as for Keri – Keri is a type of impurity!

The Value of an offering according to affordability:

Animals or birds or flour according to what a person could afford, Hashem teaches us that both the bird offerings (offered by poorer man) and the animal offerings (by those who could afford more) are a sweet and savour to him, highlighting the importance is the purity and desire of the giver’s heart – in this case value and size does not matter, you give according to your means.

Despite what you can afford Hashem looks to the hearts intent of an offering:

http://ohr.edu/1519

A LITTLE IS A LOT

"A satisfying aroma to Hashem." (1:9)

The Rema in his gloss to the Shulchan Aruch says that when a person drinks on Purim, he doesn't need to enter a binge that will leave him with fuzzy edges for days afterwards. Quite the reverse: "It is the same whether one does much or whether one does a little, provided the intention of his heart is for our Father who is in Heaven."

There is an interesting parallel to this idea in this week's Parsha: When a person brings an elevation offering, he may bring either cattle, sheep, birds or fine flour. After each of these categories, the Torah uses the phrase "a satisfying aroma to Hashem." Obviously, cattle are more expensive than sheep, which are more expensive than fowl, which are more expensive than flour. If the Torah wanted to tell us that G-d views all these offerings equally, wouldn't it have been enough to say that fine flour is "a satisfying aroma," and we would make the logical inference that fowl, sheep and cattle are certainly "a satisfying aroma?"

The answer is that, had the Torah left this lesson to a fortiori logic, we might have mistakenly assumed that fine flour is "satisfying" and fowl all the more so; sheep are yet more acceptable, and cattle, most of all.

Thus, the Torah writes after each category "a satisfying aroma" to teach that whether our offerings are large or small, G-d looks at them absolutely equally provided our intentions are for the sake of Heaven.

"It is the same whether one does much or whether one does a little, provided the intention of his heart is for our Father who is in Heaven"

Heard from Rabbi Mordechai Perlman

Thoughts and Insights into the Offerings

We learnt in a prior post that Kidney’s and Livers are removed, the Kuzari Yehuda Ha Levi wrote these organs detoxify the body, I read and interesting insight into the blood and fats that were also removed from the Korban:

http://ohr.edu/3060

“…and throw the blood on the Altar…” (1:5)

Of the great battles of history, the struggle to get out of bed in the morning ranks with El Alamein and Gettysburg.

Many early-morning Napoleons have met their Waterloo when faced with the supreme effort of raising themselves from the torpor of slumber into the harsh light of day.

In 1858, the Russian writer Ivan Goncharov published the novel Oblomov . The eponymous central character famously fails to leave his bed for the first 150 pages of the novel, and Oblomov has become a Russian archetype of sloth and inertia.

On the other hand, we need no wake up call on the first day of our vacation. We spring out of bed with all the alacrity and enthusiasm of an athlete. Similarly, our self-sacrifice in being the first in the lunch queue or the opening morning of the spring sales is legion.

Once there was a certain scribe who went off to learn Torah in the Beit HaMidrash. While he was gone, someone came to buy a pair of tefillin from him. His children said that their father wasn’t home, and so the would-be buyer went and bought from someone else. When the scribe returned and found out what had happened he was furious that no one had come to fetch him from the Beit HaMidrash.

A few days later, the scribe was again learning in the Beit HaMidrash when a tax inspector came knocking at the door of his home. Remembering their father’s previous wrath, the children hastened to summon him to the house. His reaction when confronted with this unwelcome visitor needs no description.

“…and throw the blood on the Altar…” (1:5)

In Judaism, we have “do mitzvot” and “don’t-do mitzvot”, and G-d has given us the character traits to accomplish both.

Every korban (offering) required that both the blood and the fat be placed on the altar. Blood represents alacrity, and thus it atones for running to do a “don’t-do”mitzvah — for example when we rush to say a juicy piece of gossip rather than tarry and avoid it.

Fat symbolizes lethargy, and it atones for indolence and non-performance of “do mitzvot” — when we wear the snooze button down on our alarm clock instead of getting out of bed to go to shul.

“Do mitzvot” require alacrity to begin and finish them. “Don’t-do mitzvot” need all the sluggardliness of a bed bug to keep us far from trouble.

Salt – The Lower water’s complaint was appeased by offer to use salt on the Alter!

A few year’s ago it was Seudah Shlishis and during this holy zman after singing beautiful Zmirot Rabbi Aurbach rose and spoke a vort in the name of the late Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky ztl.

Rashi brings down that on the second day of creation, there is no mention of it being Good, we learn out it is because on this day there was a splitting of the waters, an argument occurred that is the lower waters complained that the upper waters in the sky and heavens were close to the heavenly throne, and that it was unfair they would be so far removed from the Heavens and reside in a lowly place, and Hashem appeased them by telling them not to fear, that when the Mishkan and Temple will be built, and the sacrifices will be brought the service would be done with the salt of the lower waters.  This is quite a well-known Rashi, but what is it coming to teach us?!… This is where Rabbi Yaakov of blessed memory opens up our eyes…

The Salt of the lower water’s, was obtained by digging pits near the edge of the ocean, as the tides approached the water filled into the pits, when the tides receded the water in the pits evaporated leaving the salt residue.  The Salt was actually found in the lowest part of the lowest waters, Rav Yaakov ztl is telling us the vort is teaching us that we should not judge other people who appear lowly, because humble lowly people are suitable receptacles, vessels that have the potential to hold and contain or house the holy Shechina, yes Rabbi Yaakov is telling us be very careful not to judge a lowly person as that soul may be unbelievably high up in a spiritual sense!   We see this concept in the Torah where it teaches us to be gentle with widows and orphans, and strangers these are vulnerable people, in their fears they communicate and come close to Hashem – for if they cry out against you I will surely listen to them!  I was thinking Kal ve Chomer what if these souls bless you for your kindness to them, Hashem will heed their calls and what Blessing may come your way - just a thought.

"Rabbi Yochanan said, 'Wherever you find mention of the greatness of the Holy One, Blessed Be He, there you will also find mention of his humility. This phenomenon is written in the Torah, repeated in the Prophets, and stated a third time in the Sacred Writings.'

"It is written in the Torah, 'For Hashem, your G-d, is the G-d of heavenly forces, the Master of masters, the great, mighty and awesome G-d, Who shows no favouritism and accepts no bribe' (Devarim 10:17). "And afterwards it is written, 'He performs justice for the orphan and the widow, and loves the stranger, to give him food and clothing. (Devarim 10:18)…."

Prophets Isaiah 57 v15

“So says the High and Exalted One, who lives for ever and whose name is Holy: I live in a high and holy place, but also with the contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

Writings Psalm 68:4-5

Sing to G-d, sing praises to his name; Lift up a song for Him who rides in the deserts, Whose name is the L-rd, and exult before him; Father of the fatherless and a judge of widows is G-d in his holy habitation.

More on humility and the offerings:

Our sedra teaches us the deep fried offering was not to include Leaven (similar theme to the Chometz we rid of ourselves of as we approach Passover, Chometz represent something inflated and haughty that is why we clean out our houses of Chometz, We are not even seen with it, we disown any semblence of bread and substitute it for the flat uninflated Matzah – the poor man’s bread. 

It is a great Mitzvah to invite those who cannot afford a good passover meal to join our Seder night. This is an opening remark in the Haggadah of Pesach. If there are any poor men let them come in and eat!)

http://ohr.edu/1612

"When a man from among you brings an offering to G-d"

I remember, as a child, walking home one night from the underground station. It was a long twenty-minute walk. The misty night and the yellowish-orange street lamps made those chill London streets a bit like something out of an old Ealing movie.

Over my shoulder, I could see my reflection shorten as I got nearer to each street lamp, and then begin to lengthen in front of me as I moved away from it. At some point in the middle, the competing light from both lamps would extinguish my shadow altogether for a second or two. The sound of my shoes clicking on the concrete echoed through the empty streets. I was quite alone.

I thought to myself the only person who can see me is me. I began to imagine myself in a film. I was the cast, the crew, the writer and the director all rolled into one.

I suppose that most of us at some point have had a similar daydream, the feeling that our existence is perceived by no one but ourselves.

The nature of a child is that he sees himself as the center of existence. The minimum definition of adulthood is that I no longer see myself as the center of all things. I know that G-d is the center. (According to this definition, not too many of us escape puberty.)

At the center of our lives there is a battle, a battle between the ego on the one hand, that sees itself as the essential existence around which all else revolves, and the neshama, the soul, that knows that it is a piece of G-dliness, of holiness from on High.

This is the essential battle of our lives: to wean ourselves away from ourselves and return ourselves to the One, to the true Center of all.

"When a man from among you brings an offering to G-d"

The only true offering that we can bring to G-d is us ourselves, our egos. That is the offering that is truly "from among you".

 

May we get rid of the Ego the Chometz, and use this holy time to come closer and renew with vigour our service and love of Hakodesh Baruch Hu,  Have a peaceful and blessed Shabbos!

Michael