Parashas Tzav

This week’s parashah discusses the Laws of the Korbanos. It Begins with Hashem telling Moshe צַו אֶת אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת בָּנָיו לֵאמֹר זֹאת תּוֹרַת הָעֹלָה הִוא הָעֹלָה..., Command Aharon and his sons saying: This is the teaching of the Olah-offering, this is the Olah-offering…

Rashi explains that the term tzav, command, implies that they were being encouraged or urged, immediately and for generations to come.

What was so important about this particular command that made it imperative for them to be so impelled? Furthermore, why the redundancy; why not just say This is the teaching of the Olah and go straight into conveying the laws?

Rashi explains that since the meat of the Olah-offering was completely burned – unlike other korbanos where the kohen generally gets a portion to eat – the kohanim needed to be cautioned to treat the Olah with alacrity.

Perhaps there is another lesson as well. One being taught to the Kohanim and to all generations.

The kohen was involved with many sacrifices each day. After awhile, any korban might come to be viewed as “just another offering.”

The Torah here is telling us: This is the teaching of the Olah-offering. This is THE Olah-offering – definitively. This one is IT. Don't lose sight just because you deal with many offering. Each one must be treated like it is the one and only offering. Perhaps this is the offering that will tip the scales for the entire world (see Rambam, Hil. Teshuvah 3:4).

This is a lesson not just for Kohanim, but l’doros, for all generations: No matter how much we have done, how many mitzvos, how many blatt gemara we have learned, how many acts of chessed we have done, this is THE olah, this next mitzvah must be treated as if it is the only one.

May we yet merit to bring the Olah-offerings and the Pesach-offering in the Beis haMikdash this year.

Gut Shabbos.