STAM
TORAH
PARSHAS
TZAV
SHABBOS
HAGADOL 5778
“JEWS
FOR JUDAISM”[1]
Rabbi Elimelech
Biderman relates:
A person wakes
up in the morning and makes himself a cup of coffee. He pours the bitter coffee
into a mug, adds some sweet sugar, pours in the boiling water, and then adds
some cold milk.
He lifts the cup
of contrasts – bitter, sweet, hot, and cold, and utters the beracha, “Shehakol
nihyeh b’dvaro – that all came into being based on His word.” The underlying
message he is saying is “Hashem, I have no idea what today has in store for me.
Perhaps it will be bitter, perhaps sweet, perhaps hot, and perhaps cold, and
perhaps a little bit of each. But the one thing I know for certain is that
everything that happens to me is based upon Your word.
That is how a
Jew begins his morning. Life is a sea of contrasts, but we are always in the
Hands of Hashem.
In Parshas
Vayikra, the Torah introduces the concept of korbanos, and explains many of the
laws associated with each individual korban from the vantage point of “the owner”
offering the Korban. Parshas Tzav reviews the korabnos from the vantage point
of the Kohain who is offering the animal (or bird, or flour/oil) on behalf of
the owner upon the Mizbeiach.
There are two
categories of korbanos: kodshei kodshim (lit. holy of holies) and kodshim
kalim (lit. lighter holiness). Kodshei kodshim can only be eaten by
kohanim in the Temple courtyard, for the remainder of the day and the following
evening after they are offered. Kodshim kalim on the other hand, were be
eaten by the owner and his family throughout Yerushalayim, for an added day.
The notable
exception is the Korbon Todah – the thanksgiving offering.[2] The Torah
states “And the flesh of his
feast thanksgiving-peace offering must be eaten on the day of its offering; he
shall not leave any of it until morning.”[3]Even
though the Korban Todah is in the category of kodshim kalim, it was only
allowed to be eaten for one day and one night.
The Netziv in Ha’amek Davar explains that
the Korban Todah was brought as an expression of gratitude and thanksgiving to
Hashem for His protection during a perilous juncture in one’s life. Because
there was such a large amount of meat that had to be consumed in such a small
amount of time, in addition to the forty loaves of bread that the Kohanim had
to eat, the owner offering the korban would be compelled to invite many friends
and guests, as well as many Kohanim, to partake in his meal. He would surely
explain to them the reason for the time-limited invitation and recount to them
his heartfelt gratitude to Hashem, thus publicizing the chesed that Hashem did
for him.
The Netziv is conveying that any time one
merits special favor and blessing from Hashem it is a mitzvah to publicly thank
Hashem for what transpired, and to invite many people to join the celebration.
This is part of the idea of making a Kiddush. As the invitees eat and enjoy, they
invariably discuss the reason for the Kiddush, and thereby join in the ba’al
simcha’s gratitude to Hashem.
Rav Shimshon Pincus zt’l[4]
notes that if a man goes to the supermarket to buy bread and other food, he
must pay for it. But if the same man is invited to the storeowner’s home for a
meal and is served the same food, he doesn’t pay a penny.
The same idea applies to the
recitation of berachos. Anything one wants/needs belongs to Hashem and must be
‘paid for’. However, if he develops a loving relationship with G-d, then he can
eat from the Heavenly table, and when one eats at the storeowner’s table he
doesn’t receive a bill.
A Bracha is not a “payment”
for one’s food. Rather, it is a means of developing a relationship with Hashem,
which circumvents the need to “pay.”
Rav Pincus explains[5]
that one of our greatest challenges is that we are always harried and busy. We
simply have no time to stop and focus on what we are doing, and that includes
reciting berachos. We swallow the beracha with the food because we aren’t
careful to recite the words properly, never mind focusing on their meaning.
Without thinking about what
we are doing, what ours goals are, and what the meaning of it all is, we are
like animals who live based on instinct.
One should take a moment to
contemplate that he is eating to give himself strength. Then he should ponder
what he ultimately needs strength for. If he reminds himself that he isn’t
merely eating to quell his hunger pains, but so that he can be productive and
live a life of meaning in serving Hashem, then he will recite the beracha with
greater focus and appreciation.
One who trains himself to
live life that way, will be able to connect with Hashem throughout his day.
Prior to Makkas Barad (the
plague of hail), Moshe warned Pharaoh of what was to come. However, he also
added that there was a way that the Egyptians could save themselves and their
livestock. “Whoever among the servants of
Pharaoh feared the word of Hashem chased his servants and his livestock to the
houses. And whoever did not take the word of Hashem to heart – he left his
servants and livestock in the field.”[6]
What does it mean to fear
Hashem?
The Torah contrasts those who
feared G-d and hearkened to the message of Moshe, with those who “did not take
the Word of G-d to heart” and did not hearken to his message. The essence
of yiras Hashem is to pay attention, and to be ‘tuned in’. One
who has yiras Hashem lives with the feeling that He is always in the presence
of G-d and therefore must act the part to the best of his ability. It’s not a
feeling of paranoia, but a feeling of regal responsibility.
Consider the following:
“How many times a day do you
glance at your wristwatch? Let’s say you look at the time twice an hour, maybe
three times. Let’s assume that you get up at seven and go to bed at twelve
midnight. So, on average, you look at your watch some 50 times a day - 50 times
a day, seven days a week. Let’s say your watch is two years old. So you’ve
looked at your watch approximately 35,000 times.
“Now, without looking, write
down what’s written on the face of your watch? The chances are that you left
something out or got something wrong.
“You can look at the same
thing, day in, day out, but if you don’t pay attention, you’ll never really see
it.”[7]
That’s the idea of yiras
Hashem. One can know there’s a G-d, believe the Torah’s true, and perform all
the mitzvos, yet never achieve awareness of G-d.
One of our generations’
greatest religious defects is apathy and indifference. Not “putting your heart
into it” is a lack of yiras Hashem, and yiras Hashem is the foundation for
bringing Hashem into our lives.
Rav Pinkus teaches us that
reciting berachos more patiently and with more fervor is a great starting
point.
The essence of Pesach
is to develop that feeling of connection with Hashem. We begin by recounting
the incredible things Hashem did for us at the time of the exodus and express
our unbridled gratitude for it. Hopefully, not only the taste of the matzah,
but also its timeless message, will linger in our souls long after the holiday
has ended.
“Thanksgiving
offering must be eaten on the day of its offering”
“Whoever feared the word of Hashem”
Rabbi Dani Staum,
LMSW
Rabbi, Kehillat New
Hempstead
Rebbe/Guidance
Counselor – Heichal HaTorah
Principal – Ohr
Naftoli- New Windsor
[1] Based on the
lecture given at Kehillat New Hempstead, Shabbos Kodesh parshas Tzav 5778.
[2] The Korban
Todah was offered by one who experienced salvation from particularly perilous
situations – crossing a desert, crossing an ocean, being released from prison,
or being cured from a dangerous illness.
[3] Vayikra
7:15
[5] Haggadah Shel
Pesach – Barech
[7]
Ohr Somayach, Torah Weekly, Parshas Vaera
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