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בס״ד צַ ו TZAV

In loving memory of Avraham ben Yehoshua z"l Volume 34 | #23 Shalom and 28 March 2021 14 5781 Chag Sameach! Erev Pesach Shabbat HaGadol

Latest time for eating : 27 Mar, 10.00am GMT

Shabbat ends and Pesach 1st day begins: 27 Mar, 7.13pm GMT

Pesach 2nd day begins: 28 Mar, 8.14pm BST

Yom Tov ends: 29 Mar, 8.16pm BST

Please note: These times are for London only. INSIDE: What is the Happiest Month? by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis Please look regularly at the social media and websites of the US, The Tale of Our Tribe and your community for Tzav Yesterdays ongoing updates relating to Artscroll p568 Coronavirus as well as educational by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt"l programming and community Hertz p429 support. Soncino p631 You do not need to sign Fish at the Seder into Facebook to access the (HaGadol) by Rachel Fink US Facebook page. The US Artscroll p1220 Coronavirus Helpline is on Hertz p1005 020 8343 5696. The Living Mishkan May God bless us and the Soncino p1197 by Rabbi Jack Cohen Daf Hashavua whole world. Sidra breakdown What is the צַ ו Tzav 2nd Sidra in: Happiest ַו ִ ּי קְ רָ א Vayikra Month? by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis By Numbers:

97 verses Most people will tell month of ! 1,353 words you that the answer is It is clear that, for Rashi, we simple. It’s Adar. After should strive to perpetuate the 5,096 letters all, the (Ta’anit simcha which accompanies 29a) tells us, “Mi shenichnas Adar fulfilment and achievement. By marbim besimcha” – with the nurturing and building on the joy Headlines: commencement of the month of we have now, we can be inspired Adar, our joy increases. The reason to carry it through to the days Laws of is clear: our happiest festival, , and months that follow. The offerings falls in this month. Talmud teaches that intense joy Rashi gives a fascinating is not reserved exclusively for commentary on this teaching. one month alone. Rather, with the He explains, “Our joy in Adar is commencement of Adar, a process increased because there were days begins. Our Purim joy gathers of great miracles for the Jewish momentum and paves the way for people, Purim and Pesach.” an even happier Pesach and that is Mentioning Purim makes a lot of why Rashi mentions both festivals. sense, but why does Rashi include The reason why we omit Pesach? It has no connection to the Tachanun throughout the month of

United Synagogue Daf Hashavua Produced by US Living & Learning Sidra Summary together with the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue 1st Aliya () – Vayikra 6:1-11 Editor-in-Chief: Rabbi Baruch Davis The adds new details about the offerings that were discussed in last week’s Editorial and Production Team: sidrah. The olah (elevation) offering could be left burning on the mizbeach (altar) Rabbi Daniel Sturgess, Rabbi Michael Laitner, throughout the night. In the morning, a Kohen would remove the ash. Wood Rebbetzen Nechama Davis, needed to be added on the mizbeach every day as fuel for the three fires that were Joanna Rose constantly burning (Rashi). The (meal offering) was baked unleavened; www.theus.org.uk those parts eaten by the Kohanim had to be consumed in the courtyard of the ©United Synagogue 2020 Mishkan (). To sponsor Daf Hashavua please contact Danielle Fox on 020 8343 6261, 2nd Aliya (Levi) – 6:12-7:10 or [email protected] A fine flour offering from a tenth of an ephah volume of flour was to be offered If you have any comments or questions regarding Daf Hashavua please email by every Kohen on his first day of service, half in the morning and half in the [email protected] afternoon. The Kohen Gadol had to bring this offering every day. Like the olah, the Nissan is now clear. In this prayer two new festivals, Yom Ha’atzmaut unexpected adversity and of and supplication, we and Yom Yerushalayim, have been have nevertheless excelled in focus on our shortcomings and ask added to our calendar, both in . extraordinary, selfless acts of God to forgive us. Thanks to the Today it is therefore possible that chesed. Many people have told joyous nature of Nissan, which is the simcha of Adar can be built me that, despite the pain of being full of festive days, Tachanun is upon and intensified even further physically separated, they have omitted. The joy of the month of through the calendar. never felt so close to others, whose Nissan supersedes that of Adar! This teaches us the importance of altruism and compassion have Nissan, in turn, is followed by ensuring that we maximise the long- given them enormous strength and Iyar. Due to the Omer, it has, for term impact of the most intense and encouragement. close to two milllenia, been one of impactful experiences of our lives. Now that we, Baruch Hashem, the saddest periods of the year. We For more than a year, individuals can look forward to an easing of are privileged that, in living memory, and communities have faced regulations and a gradual return to a regular rhythm of life, let us guarantee that we will build upon our community’s remarkable reaction to the challenges of the last year and enable the breadth of our chesed activities to reach even greater heights. May the exhilaration of finally being released from the vicissitudes of Covid-19 only lead us to yet more simcha together in the future.

Many people have told me that, despite the pain of being physically separated, they have never felt so close to others, whose altruism and compassion have given them enormous strength and encouragement.

In loving memory of Harav Binyamin ben Harav Shalom z"l

chatat (sin) offering was slaughtered in a designated part offering were eaten by the Kohanim. of the Mishkan. The procedure for an asham (guilt) offering is detailed. 4th Aliya (Revi’i) – 8:1-13 The Torah now details the seven-day inauguration process 3rd Aliya (Shlishi) – 7:11-38 of Aharon and his sons, starting on 23 Adar, a week One who survived a dangerous situation could bring before the setting up of the Mishkan (on 1 Nissan), which a todah (thanksgiving) offering, which was a category was detailed previously in parashat Pekudei (see Rashi’s of shelamim (peace) offering. It was accompanied by commentary). Moshe washed and dressed Aharon in baked loaves; those parts of its meat designated for the special garments of the Kohen Gadol and anointed consumption had to be eaten within a specific time. his head with oil. He then dressed Aharon’s sons in their One was forbidden to eat an offering in a state of ritual designated priestly garments. impurity. An offering which became impure was to be burned, not eaten. The blood of all animals and certain Point to Consider: Why did Moshe have to tell the fats (chelev) of specific animals was strictly forbidden to congregation that “this is the matter that God commanded eat. The right thigh and the chest of a shelamim (peace) me to do”? (see Rashi to 8:5). In memory of Rabbi Lord Sacks zt”l, this is the second of three Pesach messages from previous years we are reproducing, to recall his teachings about this festival. BBC 'Thought for the Day', 3 April 1996. Later published in 'From Optimism to Hope' (2004), p.25. The Tale of Our Yesterdays by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt"l

This evening, my wife I suppose the question is why. Do I suppose the question and I will be sitting down we really need to recall a past so is why. Do we really with our children and ancient, and take so much trouble to telling each other one teach it to our children? need to recall a past of the oldest stories in the world: the Speaking personally, I owe my so ancient, and take so story of , Pesach, the Jewish parents a huge debt of thanks for festival of freedom. It isn’t exactly teaching me the story, the songs, much trouble to teach Thought for the Day material. No the rituals and the questions: Mah it to our children? mad cows, no battling politicians. nishtanah halaylah hazeh, why is this Topical, it isn’t. night different from all other nights? the journey we and those who came It’s about how a group of slaves, It took me a long time to realise before us have taken, and what we the ancient Israelites, left Egypt to what was happening on those Passover learned on the way. begin the long march across the evenings. I was being helped to learn In fact, sometimes we have too desert towards the promised land. who I was and the history of the people little confidence as parents. We And to make it more than just a story of whom I was a part. I was discovering underestimate how much our children we add a touch of drama, a bit of the values of the people of whom I was want to hear from us the stories that virtual reality. We eat matzah, the a part. I was discovering the values give sense and purpose to our lives, unleavened bread, as if we were there that sustained my ancestors in tough and will one day give them strength. in the desert. We eat maror, bitter times: trust, a passion for freedom and never lost the habit of telling the herbs, as if the taste of slavery were justice, a willingness to ask and learn. story to their children. Perhaps that’s still fresh in our mouths. And we drink I was joining the great conversation why we survived. four cups of wine, each signifying a between the generations which is what Values aren’t invented. They’re the stage on the road to freedom. In fact, education ought to be. And the best work of many generations. And that’s we celebrate Pesach more or less as thing was, it was fun. why we have to hand them on to our the Israelites must have done more There’s a lot to be said for children. Sometimes the tale of all than 3,000 years ago, and as Jews switching off the television once in a our yesterdays is the best thought for have done ever since. while and talking to our children about today. In memory of Chaim ben Moshe Bentzion z"l

5th Aliya (Chamishi) – 8:14-21 6th Aliya (Shishi) – 8:22-29 Moshe brought a bull as a chatat offering. Parts of this were A second ram, a shelamim, known as the ‘inauguration ram’, burned on the mizbeach; the remainder was burned outside was offered. Moshe smeared some of its blood on the ears, the camp. He then brought a ram as an olah offering. Aharon thumbs and toes of Aharon and his sons. and his sons laid their hands upon both offerings (semicha). In preparation for Pesach, in this series of articles, rabbis, rebbetzens and educators share their favourite aspects of the Seder. Fish at the Seder by Rachel Fink, Head Teacher, JFS

We have a custom in at the seder. It is clear that the our family that some Zeroa and the Beitzah have come to may find surprising – we symbolise these two cooked dishes as eat fish for our seder well as the korbanot (offerings). meal. Admittedly, this is a custom A further teaching is that these from my husband’s family which I three cooked dishes of fish, meat and accepted somewhat reluctantly when egg correspond to the types of food we got married almost 30 years that will be eaten during the days of ago. Rumour has it that the tradition Mashiach – the fish representing the developed because nobody could Leviathan, the Beitza to a ziz sadai wait to eat matzah and butter until (an unusual bird) and the Zeroa to the It is important to recall the the following day! However, over the Shor Habar (a wild ox). significant role that women played in years this has become a central and Dr Yael Levine Katz, a Talmudic the redemption from Egypt. Therefore, much-loved feature of a Fink seder. scholar, brings an additional finding a way at the seder to There are outcries, even from the perspective to these symbolic items. represent Miriam, the female leader, family carnivores, should I deviate She notes that Sherira Gaon is one honourable way to achieve from this menu and even if seder falls (906-1006), who was the head of the this. Over the years, women have on a Friday night. Apart from family Pumbedita Yeshiva in Babylonia, when played a significant role in creating tradition, I have always wondered responding to a question about items and experience whether there was, unknowingly, on the seder plate, noted a custom of in our family. This Pesach the most something more to this putting a third cooked food item on recent female addition to our family (custom). the seder plate – FISH! He explained will enjoy her first seder. Having been The Talmud discusses the that according to one explanation, born on the last day of Chol HaMoed significance of the Zeroa (shank bone) the Zeroa and Beitza represented Pesach, our granddaughter, who was and the Beitzah (egg) on the seder the leadership of Moshe and Aharon named Ashira (I will sing) in honour of plate. We learn that they symbolise respectively, whilst the fish item Miriam’s song following the splitting the Pesach and Korban symbolises Miriam’s leadership role, of the sea, is now the next generation Chagiga offerings that were brought reflecting the verse in Micha (6:4): in a long line of Jewish women who in Temple times, and there are lengthy ‘For I brought you up out of the land have taken their place in Am Yisrael discussions in the Talmud (Pesachim) of Egypt and redeemed you from the (the nation of Israel). I hope she will about the nature and number of house of slavery, and I sent before you also make a unique contribution in the cooked dishes that should be eaten , Aaron and Miriam’. future annals of our people’s story. In memory of Harav Yisrael ben Uriah z"l

7th Aliya (Shevi’i) – 8:30-36 Haftarah Moshe also sprinkled inauguration oil, mixed with blood The special haftarah for Shabbat HaGadol is from the last from the offerings, on Aharon and his sons, as well as on chapter of the Prophets. God chastises Israel for neglecting to their garments. Moshe instructed them on how to eat the keep His laws. Eliyahu (Elijah) can come at any time, heralding relevant parts of the inauguration offerings and told them not a radical improvement in the nation’s fortunes. to leave the entrance to the ohel moed for the whole of the inauguration period. The Living Mishkan by Rabbi Jack Cohen, Associate Rabbi, Hampstead Synagogue

What does it mean to for making the vestments for the Ko- create a house for God? hanim. The instructions for the inau- A Mishkan (Tabernacle)? guration of the Mishkan are followed I believe we often think by those for the Kohanim. These are of it in simplistic terms – we may not coincidental juxtapositions, rather think of a little tent with lots of they are a continuation of the precious metals, and inside same topic. Indeed, they are those inanimate fabrics God different types of vessels, but elects to rest His presence. they are vessels nonetheless. It becomes His home. This means that the Naturally, I am not the Mishkan is not simply first person to point an inanimate structure. out that this is puzzling, It is an animate eco- since God requires neither shelter system powered by the Kohanim. nor fine décor, light or food. He They are as much a part of the certainly does not require take- Mishkan as its poles and curtains. away meals in the form of the This means that God’s presence many offerings we were commanded does not dwell amongst fabric but to bring in Temple times, described in in the dynamic actions and processes the book of Vayikra. carried out by human beings. We call Our parasha this week, Tzav, gives those processes ‘Avodah’, loosely us an approach to addressing this translated as ‘work’, and much of the mystery. The parasha talks of Moshe's God’s presence book of Vayikra is an exploration of fulfilment of God’s instruction to the different actions of which Avodah anoint the vessels of the Mishkan, does not dwell is comprised. as well as Aharon the Kohen and his The Divine Presence is not fully sons (Vayikra 8:10-12). It is at this mo- amongst fabric manifest without human activity, and ment that we realise that Aharon and with Pesach upon us, we can start to the Kohanim (priests) who succeeded but in the celebrate the historical moment when him were, in a certain sense, also we traded ‘Avodah kashah’ (hard ‘vessels’ of the Mishkan. This is why dynamic actions labour, forced upon the Jewish people they too had to be anointed. by Pharaoh) for ‘Avodat Hakodesh’ In fact, we have seen hints to this and processes (holy service), and the unique oppor- throughout the last few parashiyot. carried out by tunity we have to create a dwelling The instructions for constructing the place for the Divine Presence in this Mishkan are always followed by those human beings. world through our actions. In memory of Mordechai Avraham ben Nechemia z"l