VOLUME 115 NUMBER 2
Nissan 13, 5785
April 11, 2025
Parshas Tzav
Candlelighting Time 7:17
Ahron and his sons were commanded to bring the Olah sacrifice which was totally consumed upon the altar. The Midrash explains that the language used in this verse, ‘Tzav’ is emphasizing the need for alacrity involving this mitzvah not only for the present but for all future generations. Of course, this message from our Sages necessitates an explanation. Every mitzvah is for all generations as the Torah is eternal. And why would Ahron and his sons require such reinforcement? Certainly, Ahron as the Kohen Gadol the High Priest was on an exceedingly impressive plane of sanctity. Did he need encouragement to maintain his remarkable level of service to Hashem? Even his children were also giants of the spirit and it would seem that they also did not need this inspiration.
Ksav Sofer has a beautiful and timely explanation of the intent of this Midrash. Firstly, he comments that when it comes to physical prowess at any level we do not have a guarantee that we will maintain our possession of those qualities for any length of time. Certainly, wealth is not innate and although one may have amassed a tremendous amount of prosperity one could easily lose it all overnight as we know has happened to many people. Strength also can be a temporary situation. Although a person may possess physical ability and competence, nothing can assure the person that he will always have those capabilities. A person can become ill and perhaps even be hospitalized and rapidly become weak and frail.
However, even more so one can feel supreme and above others due to his intellectual proficiency and perhaps even his accomplishments in becoming one who fears Heaven can also place himself on a pedestal above others deficient in those areas of scholarship and respect for Torah and mitzvos. But those great heights can be severely diminished if one forgets his Torah and even the deepest respect that we have for Torah and mitzvos can disappear in a moment’s notice! Even if one’s own life is uplifted and elevated certainly he cannot rest assured that his children will follow in his footsteps. Therefore, modesty is always required to keep a person in check.
However, Ahron and his children were guaranteed by Hashem to be leaders of the nation as the Kohanim that would create the connection between the people and Hashem. Perhaps they would feel a surge of excitement and supremacy that would lead them astray and even at their great heights of Torah and mitzvos they would lack the necessary deportment to successfully do the service in the Mishkan and later in the Beis Hamikdash. Therefore, Moshe warned Ahron and his sons to be wary of those feelings of greatness that could destroy their grandiose levels of accomplishment in Torah and fulfilling mitzvos and he said to them “Tzav’ emphasizing the need to be cautious about their holiness and sanctity protecting themselves from negativity that could ruin what they had achieved.
This forewarning was positioned within the context of the olah sacrifice which was totally consumed by the fire of the altar. That fire of holiness and sanctity would also singe those abusing their office of prominence and authority. We often have opportunities to enhance our families and respective communities, however, it is also incumbent upon us to utilize those potentials appropriately and productively. Pesach is that time of the year when we strive to strengthen our trait of humility and self-effacement as we burn the unleven bread, an indication of arrogance and egotism.
A BYTE FOR SHABBOS AND PESACH
The Torah commands us to eat the matzah in a rush. This intimates that we should spend much time reciting the Haggadah suggesting that the eating of the matzah be done with alacrity. CHASAM SOFER
GOOD SHABB0S AND YOM TOV
CHAG KASHER V’SAMEACH
