In Loving Memory of Yehuda Ben Yaakov Hacohen 23 March 2019
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Tzav Vol.31 No.29.qxp_Layout 1 25/02/2019 14:55 Page 1 23 March 2019 16 Adar II 5779 Shabbat ends London 7.06pm Jerusalem 6.29pm Volume 31 No. 29 Tzav Artscroll p.568 | Haftarah p.1167 Hertz p.429 | Haftarah p.439 Soncino p.631 | Haftarah p.647 In loving memory of Yehuda ben Yaakov HaCohen “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” (Vayikra 6:5). 1 Tzav Vol.31 No.29.qxp_Layout 1 25/02/2019 14:55 Page 2 Sidrah Summary: Tzav 1st Aliya (Kohen) – Vayikra 6:1-11 23 Adar, a week before the setting up of the The Torah adds new details about the offerings Mishkan (on 1 Nissan), which was detailed that were discussed in last week’s sidrah. The olah previously in parashat Pekudei (see Rashi’s (elevation) offering could be left burning on the commentary). Moshe washed and dressed Aharon mizbeach (altar) throughout the night. In the in the special garments of the Kohen Gadol and morning, a Kohen would remove the ash. Wood anointed his head with oil. He then dressed needed to be added on the mizbeach every day as Aharon’s sons in their designated priestly fuel for the three fires that were constantly burning garments. (Rashi). The mincha (meal offering) was baked Point to Consider : Why did Moshe have to tell the unleavened; those parts eaten by the Kohanim congregation that “this is the matter that God had to be consumed in the courtyard of the commanded me to do”? (see Rashi to 8:5). Mishkan (Tabernacle). 5th Aliya (Chamishi) – 8:14-21 2nd Aliya (Levi) – 6:12-7:10 Moshe brought a bull as a chatat offering. Parts of A fine flour offering from a tenth of an ephah this were burned on the mizbeach ; the remainder volume of flour was to be offered by every Kohen was burned outside the camp. He then brought a on his first day of service, half in the morning ram as an olah offering. Aharon and his sons laid and half in the afternoon. The Kohen Gadol had to their hands upon both offerings ( semicha ). bring this offering every day. Like the olah , the chatat (sin) offering was slaughtered in a 6th Aliya (Shishi) – 8:22-29 designated part of the Mishkan . The procedure for A second ram, a shelamim , known as the an asham (guilt) offering is detailed. ‘inauguration ram’, was offered. Moshe smeared Question : What was unusual about a mincha some of its blood on the ears, thumbs and offering brought by a Kohen? (6:16) Answer on toes of Aharon and his sons. bottom of p. 6 . 7th Aliya (Shevi’i) – 8:30-36 3rd Aliya (Shlishi) – 7:11-38 Moshe also sprinkled inauguration oil, mixed One who survived a dangerous situation could with blood from the offerings, on Aharon and his bring a todah (thanksgiving) offering, which was a sons, as well as on their garments. Moshe category of shelamim (peace) offering (see p.3 instructed them on how to eat the relevant article). It was accompanied by baked loaves; parts of the inauguration offerings and told those parts of its meat designated for them not to leave the entrance to the ohel moed consumption had to be eaten within a specific for the whole of the inauguration period. time. One was forbidden to eat an offering in Haftarah a state of ritual impurity. An offering which became God tells the prophet Yirmiyahu to rebuke the impure was to be burned, not eaten. The blood of nation for having not listened to Him since all animals and certain fats ( chelev ) of specific the day that He brought them out of Egypt and animals was strictly forbidden to eat. The right repeatedly ignoring His prophets.The people’s thigh and the chest of a shelamim (peace) offering iniquities include desecrating the Temple and were eaten by the Kohanim. involving their children in idolatrous practices, 4th Aliya (Revi’i) – 8:1-13 making the destruction of Jerusalem inevitable, The Torah now details the seven-day inauguration when “the carcass of this people will be food for process of Aharon and his sons, starting on the bird of the heaven”. Unit ed S ynagogue Daf Hasha vua Pr oduc ed by US Living & Learning toge ther with the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue Edito r: Rabbi Chaim Gr oss Edito r- in-Chief: Rabbi Baruch Davis Editorial T eam: Ra bbi Daniel Sturgess, Rabbi Michael Laitner, S haron Radley Available also via email US website www.theus.org.uk ©United Synagogue To sponsor Daf Hashavua ple ase contact Danielle Fox on 020 8343 6261 , o r [email protected] .uk If you have any comments or questions regarding Daf Hashavua please email [email protected] .uk 2 Tzav Vol.31 No.29.qxp_Layout 1 25/02/2019 14:55 Page 3 Packing our Parachutes by Rabbi Yoni Golker, Assistant Rabbi, St John’s Wood United Synagogue The renowned New York my bitterest and darkest time as a prisoner of speaker and writer, Rabbi war, spend a moment to think of the person who Paysach Krohn, tells the had packed my parachute?” remarkable story of Captain Charles Plumb, a jet fighter To Captain Plumb this was, and could be to us, pilot for the US Navy. an eye-opener. There are so many people who He flew many successful help us in our lives whom we too forget even combat missions over to think about – people who have “packed our North Vietnam during the 1970s. On his 75th parachutes", those who have enabled us to mission, five days before ending his tour of navigate life’s treacherous terrain, through the duty, Captain Plumb’s plane was shot down subtle care they showed us. over Hanoi, then the capital of North Vietnam. The source of giving thanks is to be found in this Forced to parachute out of his plane, he landed week’s sidrah. Among the offerings our sidrah safely in enemy territory, but was captured. He itemises is the korban todah , the thanksgiving remained a prisoner of war for more than five offering: “If he offers it [the sacrifice] as a years. Despite being mercilessly tortured, he thanksgiving offering, then along with this somehow managed to survive. thanksgiving offering he shall offer unleavened loaves mixed with oil, unleavened wafers spread After his repatriation, he was honoured as an with oil, and loaves of fine flour well-kneaded American hero and lectured around the country and mixed with oil” (Vayikra 7:12). Individuals about his experiences. One night, as he was in four different circumstances were obligated sitting in a Kansas City restaurant, he noticed a to thank God through a korban todah – people man two tables away staring at him. He did not who recovered from illness, were freed from recognise him but felt that the other man imprisonment, crossed the sea, or traversed the definitely knew who he was. The man then desert. approached the captain. Though we have been without sacrifices for “You're Captain Plumb,” he said. “And you flew almost 2000 years, a trace of the thanksgiving planes, right?” offering survives to this day, in the form of the Hagomel blessing. This is recited in the “I am and I did, but ... do I know you?” synagogue, usually at the time of reading of the Torah, by one who has survived a hazardous “You were shot down and spent years in prison, event or one of the experiences for which right?” one used to bring a korban todah (see green siddur, p.124). We acknowledge our duty to “How do you know all this?” Captain Plumb appreciate and thank, not only our fellow person, asked, perplexed. but God too. “I packed your parachute, sir,” the man replied, “that was my job at base camp – packing parachutes”. Speechless, Captain Plumb stood up, shook the man’s hand warmly and expressed his gratitude. Without this man, he would not have been alive. After they parted, Captain Plumb felt distressed, wondering silently: “Did I ever, for a moment, in In memory of Yisrael Shmuel ben Yirmaya Yehoshuah 3 Tzav Vol.31 No.29.qxp_Layout 1 25/02/2019 14:55 Page 4 Jewish Contemporary Ethics Part 23: Ethical issues in Tanach 1 - The Akeidah I by Rabbi Dr. Moshe Freedman, New West End Synagogue This section of our series have to wait until the twilight years of their lives on ethics aims to explore for a child, God had promised Avraham and the events and laws in Sarah that their progeny would be built through the Torah which seem to Yitzchak (ibid. 21:12). God’s own covenant and conflict with our own default every hope for the future was wrapped up in moral assumptions. This is Yitzchak; how then could God appear to renege certainly not an exhaustive on His word? study, but will focus on questions that are commonly asked. Unlike Kierkegaard, the Talmudist and philosopher Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik (d. 1993) The story of Akeidat Yitzchak (the Binding of proposes that Avraham did not surrender his Isaac) is one of the most perplexing episodes in natural moral conscience. Rather, he had the Torah. God commanded Avraham to take his complete faith and trust in God who is moral, that son Yitzchak, travel to Mount Moriah and offer any command He gives is also moral. He could Yitzchak as a sacrifice. Just as Avraham is about not have understood how this was the case and to kill his son, an angel calls out to stop him, how things would turn out, but it is clear that explaining that God now knows that Avraham Avraham's trust in God was vindicated.