Torah Teaser – Parshat Tzav Questions & Answers – March 25 2116-5776

Convince Them Not To Bring Korbanos Parshas Tzav begins with the command to bring the Korban Tamid. “Tzav Es Aharon V’Es Banav Leimor”, command Aharon and his children to tell everyone (Tzav 6:1). The parshas of Tamid is meant for Ahraon and his children to preform, why does it s say Leimor, that they should tell everyone? Furthermore the Lashon of Tzav is used because there is a Chesoron Kis, it costs money. Is two little lambs a day a lot of money for an entire nation?
The Yagdil Torah brings from Rav Simcha Bunim of Peshischa that the gemara on Menachos (110a) says that whoever learns Torah does not need to bring Korbanos. This means that when a person came to Aharon telling he wanted to bring a korban AHaron would say better go learn Torah and you won’t need to bring a korban. This is the “Leimor”, go tell the people that Torah is better.
This explains why they needed an extra push. By telling the people to learn instead of bringing korbanos the Kohanim were forfeiting their own livelihood from the meat and hid they got from the korbanos. To convince someone not to do something that you benefit from financially takes much strength and courage.
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How Do You Dress For Davening? The Torah tells us that before taking the ashes outside the Machaneh, the Kohen would change his clothing (Tzav 6:4). Rashi says that he would take off the clothing he wore for the avodah in the Bais HaMikdash, in order not to sully them. “This is not a chiyuv,” says Rashi, “it is a Din of Derech Eretz. The clothing that a servant wears while cooking should not be used when serving the king.”
Rav Moshe Feinstein says that we learn from here that even Halachos Derech Eretz are real Halachos. An example is by davening where we need to wear respectable clothing. Rav Moshe says that if you do not change your clothing to something respectable when possible, it is as if “chas v’shalom” you don’t know that you are standing before the King.
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A Very Public Thank You Unlike the other Korbanos that are brought mainly for Hashem, A Korban Shlamim is brought when a person wants to have a feast but also wants to include Hashem. The meat is divided between Hashem, the Kohanim, and the owner, and all this meat will be eaten over two days. The Korban Todah is a kind of Korban Shlamim, but it differs in that it must be consumed the day it is brought and before the next morning. Also, there are 40 breads that need to be consumed during this short period. Rav Shimshon Pincus explains the reason for these differences. “The Korban Todah is not just any feast, it is a feast of gratitude to Hashem for a salvation you received. It is not enough to be thankful in private, you must very publicly thank Hashem. It is an opportunity to extend the greatness of Hashem to others and it should not be missed. The strict time limit for finishing the meat and the great abundance of bread means that the host will need to invite many people to his party in order to finish it.” So when it comes time to make a party and say Thank You to Hashem, you may be the host, but Hashem makes the menu, and you need to make sure to finish it all up.
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Money Is Very Precious When commanding Bnei Yisrael to bring the Korban Tamid every day, the Pasuk says, “Tzav Es Aharon;” (Tzav 6:2) Command Aharon.” Rashi says that the word Tzav is used to rally the people in a situation where there is Chesaron Kis, it will cost them money. Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapira asks, “Since the Korban Tamid was paid for by all of Klal Yisrael it was a negligible sum for each. For a paltry sum do you really need to rally the people? Rav Moshe Shmuel answers that Hashem imbued a person’s nature with a resistance to parting with his money, and this is the way it should be. Chazal tell us that tzadikim valued their money more than their own body, like we see by Yaakov who risked his life to cross the river at night to save his small utensils. Why is this? Every cent a person acquires in this world takes time, and time is most precious of all, especially for a tzadik. Someone who does not value money and throws it away, spending foolishly, shows a great disregard for his time. Rav Elchonon Wasserman and the Ponevezher Rav in their younger years learned together in Radin, the Yeshiva of the Chofetz Chaim. One time they needed to look up a sefer quoted by the Chofetz Chaim in one of his works. Since the Yeshiva did not have the sefer they went to the Chofetz Chaim’s house to ask if they can see the sefer. The Chofetz Chaim said he did not have it. When he needed to quote it, he borrowed it from someone else and then returned it. Then, the Chofetz Chaim turned to his seforim shelf and let out a “krechtz”. “Probably Rebbi is krechtzing because he does not own the sefer,” said the Ponevezher Rav. “No,” said the Chofetz Chaim. “I am krechtzing looking at the seforim and thinking maybe I have one that I don’t need and it cost me money. Money is time and that would be a waste of precious time!”
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The Great Hidden Flames “He HaOlah Al Mokda; The Olah went up on the great flames of the Mizbei’ach.” The letter “Mem” of the word Mokda is written small. Why is that? The Kotzker Rebbe explains that although you should serve Hashem with great Hislahavus, with a fiery spirit, nevertheless, you should remain small and all your passion and frenzy should be hidden from the public, just like the small “Mem” of the word Mokda.

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