Shalom Friends;
This week, our Parshat HaShevua — Tzav is being sponsored by Mutti and Michelle Frankel of Ramat Beit Shemesh “dedicated to my wonderful wife Michele, and to our dear parents, children and grandchildren. May they all have much health and simcha!” To Mishpochat Frankel, many thanks for your sponsorship, and your continued kindnesses.
You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua.
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to sponsor a Parshat HaShevua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.
Best Regards,
Moshe Burt
olehchadash@yahoo.com
skype: mark.burt3
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The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash renders translation of the opening posukim of our Parshat:
“Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: Command [Tzav] Aaron and his sons, saying….” (Sefer Vayikra, Perek 6, posukim 1-2)
Rabbi Shmuel Goldin asks, in his sefer “Unlocking the Torah Text,” Sefer Vayikra, page 37:
Why does the Torah substitute the commandment “Tzav” (command) for the more common directive “Dabeir” (speak)… specifically occur at the beginning of Parshat Tzav as Hashem outlines the role of the priests in the sacrificial rite?
Rashi comments on “Command Aaron.” :
“Command” can only be meant to express urging on, for the immediate moment and for future generations. (Rendered to English in The Sapirstein Edition: The Torah: With Rashi Commentary, page 60)
There is a note on the above Rashi which cites Kiddushin 29a:
Whenever Torah uses “Tzav” rather than “Dabeir” or “Emor,” it indicates three points: (a) urging on; (b) that the command must be done immediately; and that (c) it must also be performed in future generations. (ibid, see Korban Aaron)
Ergo, this author entitled this Parshat HaShavua: The Tzav Imperative, as per the Dictionary.com definition:
adjective — absolutely necessary or required; unavoidable: It is imperative that we leave.
of the nature of or expressing a command; commanding.
Grammar. noting or pertaining to the mood of the verb used in commands, requests, etc., as in Listen! Go!
Rabbi Goldin continues (“Unlocking the Torah Text,” Sefer Vayikra, pages 37 – 41):
These rules, however, remain open to interpretation.
Must all three rabbinically proposed criteria (urgency, immediacy and continuity [performance now and in future generations] be present for the word “Tzav” to be used in the text, or does the term appear even if only one condition is present?
Rabbi Yehuda Nachsoni delineates a distinction between the use of the verb “l’tzavot,” “to command,” within the context of a narrative tale in the biblical text and the use of the verb as an introduction to a Divine Commandment.
For the verb to appear in a narrative, only one rabbinic condition need be present (i.e., Va’Yetzav Pharaoh l’chol amo, “And Pharaoh [urgently] commanded his entire nation.”) (Rabbi Goldin citing Sefer Shemos, Perek 1, posuk 22) When, however, the verb introduces Divine Directives, such as at the beginning of Parshat Tzav, all three criteria listed by the rabbis — urgency, immediacy and constancy [performance now and in future generations] — are present. (Rabbi Goldin citing Rabbi Yehuda Nachsonim Hagot B’parshiot HaTorah, page 416)
The Ramban, for example, postulates…. [that] the term “Tzav” is used, at times, in cases of financial loss, even when the other conditions are absent. On these occasions, through the language of commandment, the Torah encourages the unhesitating performance of a particular action in spite of the associated costs. (Rabbi Goldin citing Ramban on Sefer Vayikra, Perek 6, posuk 2)
At the opposite side of the spectrum, Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrachi maintains… the term “Tzav” will only be used, according to Rabbi Shimon, when the situation reflects urgency, immediacy, continuity [performance now and in future generations] and financial loss.
Turning to our Parsha, we can easily see how its dramatic opening scene satisfies the first three rabbinic conditions for the use of the word “Tzav.” As Hashem instructs Moshe to prepare his brother, Aaron, for the priesthood, He underscores the significance of the moment:
“Tzav…” Do not hesitate, Moshe. Not a moment is to be lost. The time has come to take the next step in your nation’s development through the launching of the priesthood. For all time, Aaron and his descendents will serve as the representatives of the people in My sanctified worship. Their singular participation will bring the hopes and strivings of the nation before Me and their teachings will convey to the people My dreams [as it were] for them. Move quickly and urgently, Moshe, to inaugurate a priestly role that will span the generations.
Questions [have been] raised… was Moshe, as some scholars suggest (Rabbi Goldin citing Talmud Bavli Zevachim 102a), originally designated to be the Kohen Gadol only to lose that honor due to his continued reluctance at the Burning Bush? If so, does Moshe regret that loss now, as Aaron prepares in earnest to assume his eternal role? Even if Moshe was never designated for the priesthood, as others maintain (Rabbi Goldin again citing Talmud Bavli Zevachim 102a), does he nonetheless, envy his brother when the Kehunah becomes a reality?
…Conflicting Midrashic traditions hint at possible divergent emotions that may have coursed through Moshe’s heart.
With good reason, therefore, Hashem urges Moshe: “Tzav et Aaron v’et banav,” “Command Aaron and his sons…” Moshe the time has come to demonstrate true leadership by relinquishing a portion of your power. Command your brother. Do not hesitate. As I have taught you before, in conjunction with your brother’s role, greatness lies in taking a step back and allowing others to shine…
Rabbi Goldin concludes (ibid, page 41):
How telling that both the Parsha that predicts Aaron’s ascension to the priesthood — Tetzaveh — and the Parsha that marks the last steps toward that goal — Tzav — are characterized by the verb “l’tzavot” [Referring to Sefer Shemos, Perek 27, posuk 20 in Parshat Tetzaveh]. On both occasions, Hashem commands Moshe to act with alacrity [cheerful readiness, promptness, or willingness] as he meets the difficult challenge of achieving greatness through personal retreat.
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them, that the thrice expelled families of Amona be restored to their rebuilt homes and and the oft-destroyed Yeshiva buildings in Homesh be rebuilt, all at total government expense; due to alt-leftist-agendized, supreme court legalized Yassamnik gunpoint. Baruch Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard is now free of his parole and restrictions and that he is now in his second year at home in Eretz Yisrael. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her memory continue to lift Jonathan to at least 120 years. May the MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem — as with the return in April, 2019, via Russia, of the remains of Zachariah Baumel, as should the remains of the two chayalim from the Gaza War of five and a half years ago. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and prevent Chas V’Challila the handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. And may we soon and finally see the total end to the Communist Chinese corona virus pandemic and all like viruses. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nei Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem Al’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bimhayrah b’yamainu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
Good Shabbos!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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