The Sidra of Tzav is addressed to the KOHANIM with the instructions to them how to prepare and offer up the sacrifices on behalf of the nation and also on behalf of individuals. According to a famous interpretation by Rashi, the word Tzav, which means ‘command’, denotes encouragement to perform it with urgency and enthusiasm. The KOHANIM had to be urged to pay attention to all their daily duties in the Temple, because these duties were repetitive and fairly monotonous. There is always a danger that anything that we have to do on a daily basis, again and again, can become routine to the extent that we lose our enthusiasm. Therefore, we need extra vigilance to make sure that such Mitzvot remain fresh and exciting.
Already in the days of the Torah the priests took turns to perform their various tasks. Later in Jewish history, but still during the Biblical period, the system became very well organised. The priests were divided into 24 divisions which were called MISHMAROT. Each Mishmar served for 12 week at a time, and each of its subdivisions, called a BET AV, father’s house, served for one day of that week.
First, the Sidra mentions the sacrifice of OLAH which was offered up every morning and afternoon. The whole nation had to make contributions in the form of half a shekel from every individual over the age of 20. It was collected during the month of Adar and to this day we read a special portion in the synagogue just before the beginning of the month of Adar called Parashat Shekalim.
The Torah says that the animals which were slaughtered for the Olah sacrifice had to be burnt entirety. The evening offering remained on the altar-fire throughout the night and the morning sacrifice remained on the altar-fire throughout the day. In other words, the fire of the altar burnt day and night. That is why it was called ESH TAMID, constant fire.
Every morning the priest, who was in charge, had to put on his tunic made of linen, which had to fit on him very precisely, and perform the first duty of the day. It was considered a privilege and the priests were very keen to be given the honour. According to tradition, that first duty was to remove from the altar, with a silver pan in his hand , one scoopful of ashes, soaked in fats, and place it beside the altar. Rabbeinu Bahaye, who lived in the middle of the 13th century in Spain, writes in his commentary as follows: The priest wore his sacred robes even to remove the ashes from the altar, in order to indicate his complete dedication. Not even this menial duty could impair his priestly dignity, since it was performed in honour of the Almighty. Before he left the courtyard of the sanctuary, the priest had to remove his special priestly clothes in order to take the ashes outside the camp. The change of clothes was not mandatory but merely good advice, so that his fine clothes should not get it dirty. Rashi emphasises that the Torah wishes to teach us DERECH ERETZ, good manners, to wear nice clothes when we serve God, but remove them when our work takes us to less respectable surroundings.
The second offering, with which the Sidra deals, is called the Minchah sacrifice. Minchah means ‘a gift’. It was a meal offering and it was offered up after the daily morning Olah sacrifice. It was considered holy of holies and only the priests were allowed to eat it within the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.
In chapter 6 verse 18 we learn that a sin offering had to be slaughtered in precisely the same location in the sanctuary as the burnt offering, on the northern side of the altar. Our rabbis taught that the reason for requiring the same location for both of these offerings was in order to conceal the identity of sinners. The rabbis often emphasised the need to avoid embarrassment to anyone. Thus, in Mishnaic times, they abolished the practice which required land-owners to recite their special prayer personally when they brought their First Fruit to the Temple. Instead, the rabbis ordained that it should be read to them in order that no one should feel ashamed because he was unable to read it himself. For the same reason, it was instituted to appoint a regular Ba’al Koreh, to lein the Sidra, in the synagogue, rather than to allow the OLIM, (people who were called up) to read their own portion, even if there were able to do so. The only person allowed to do so nowadays is a bar mitzvah boy.
The story is told of Rabbi David Segal, the author of an important commentary on the Code of Jewish law, that he always used his Siddur to recite Kiddush at his table so that none of his guests should be embarrassed that they cannot do it by heart.
In the second part of the Sidra, which begins in chapter 8, we start a new section which describes the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests in the sanctuary. The consecration took seven days and on the eighth day, BAYOM HASHEMINI, which is the title of the next Sidra, sacrifices were offered to signify the beginning of the priestly service. The seven days of consecration were known in Hebrew by the title: SHIVAT YEMEI HA-MILU’IM. In this ceremony Aaron was honoured together with his sons in recognition of the new duties that were placed upon the Earth their shoulders and their descendants to the end of time.
The instruction to Moses regarding Aaron begins with the words: “KACH ET AHARON”, which mean ‘take Aaron’. Our rabbis explained that this expression conveys the idea that Moses had to take Aaron personally by his hand, draw him close to himself and give him all the support that he needed. The Midrash tells us that God said to Moses:” Aaron loves justice and hates evil, and because of this he and his sons deserve everything you have been told him to give them”. Moreover, Aaron deserved that Moses should give him this honour and support, because when Moses was appointed to become the Liberator of the Israelites at the Burning Bush, he was most hesitant about taking it on. But God reassured him that Aaron would meet him at Mount Sinai rejoice with him and become his spokesman. Moses and Aaron were an exceptional example of two brothers who loved each other and worked side-by-side all their lives for the benefit of our people.