Tzav 5774 - English

By Rabbi Daniel Kripper
Beth Israel, Aruba

This parashah continues with the main subject of the past chapters: the ritual sacrifices at the Temple, focused on the korban olah or offering of atonement, which was supposed to burn throughout the night upon the fire of the altar.

Musar literature or Jewish ethical texts have underlined some moral lessons emanating from the provisions concerning the cohanim, and from their leading role in the temple worship.

For example, the rule according to which the cohen should use his linen vestments in order to perform his daily tasks regarding the sacrifices.  He was also supposed to use these garments when cleaning the altar and removing the ashes, but he had to change his dress before carrying the ashes outside the camp, to a clean place.

One could wonder why such socially undervalued labors, such as cleaning the altar and removing the ashes, were demanded from people with such high profiles.  Why couldn’t they delegate those tasks to third parties?  In the end, they were priests and guardians of the Temple and services.

According to the ethics’ authors, perhaps the purpose of this was to instill a sense of humility and modesty in the cohanim.  Along with the purifying of the ashes, it was also expected from them to get rid of the haughtiness in their hearts.  Even within the hierarchy of their roles, they were not supposed to consider themselves above the rest of humanity.

The higher the post, the more sensitive to feelings of arrogance and haughtiness; hence, the importance of reminding them of their absolute insignificance.

The Talmud (Bereshit 34b) offers us another example of this principle.  According to the ritual provisions of our sages concerning the Amidah, or great prayer, we have to bow respectfully four times, two at the beginning and two at the end of its recitation.  This is the rule for common people.

Bar Kapara, one of our sages, rules that the cohen gadol, the high priest, had to bow at the beginning and at the end of each blessing.  Rashi explains that the bowing before the Creator as a sign of humility should be expressed more frequently by people of higher standing.

This combination and synthesis between grandeur and humility, ideal that dignifies life, is valid at all times and applies to everyone.  Each one of us possesses a potential of enormous value, which we are called to develop.  Nevertheless, our rabbis warn us, time and time again, against being swept off by a sense of our own importance, regardless of how great and awesome our achievements are.

A Hassidic rabbi, Rabbi Bunim of P’shiskha, expressed this teaching as follows:

“Everyone should have two pockets, each containing a slip of paper.  One should be written: ‘I am but dust and ashes,’ and on the other: ‘The world was created for me.’  From time to time we must reach into one pocket, or the other.”

Rabbi Daniel Kripper

Beth Israel, Aruba