Shalom Friends;
Our Parshat Tzav vort is being sponsored by Mutti and Michele Frankel of Ramat Beit Shemesh dedicated Lillui Nismas Michelle’s grandmother, Sandy Kramer’s mother Rachel (Rose) Bat Aharon Kahn and for the safety of the Chayalim and the liberation of all hostages as well as for the good health and security of kol Am Yisrael. 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 subscribe, and hopefully 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
Subscribe to the Israel and the Sin of Expulsion blog, to ask questions or to sponsor a Parsha Vort at: olehchadash@yahoo.com
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Our Parshat Tzav is Moshe’s command from Hashem to Aaron HaKohen and his sons to take up and clothe themselves in their Vestments, their garments of service in the Mishkan, and to begin their daily Avodah (service and offerings in the Mishkan).
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: This is the law of the elevation [Olah] offering: It is the elevation offering [that stays] on the flame on the Mokdah [Altar, in this context], all night until the morning, and the fire of the Mizbeiyach should be kept aflame on it.” (Sefer Vayikra, Perek 6, posukim 1-2)
The Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash (page 568) explains our Parshat’s title: Tzav in this way:
Tzav — Command. Up to now, commandments regarding the offerings were introduced with “Amartah” = say (Sefer Varikra Perek 1, posuk 2) or “Dabeir” = speak. The Sages explain that the more emphatic term, “Tzav” = command, implies that the Kohanim are being urged to be especially zealous in performing this service, and that this exhortation must be repeated constantly to future generations (citing Sifra: Kiddushin 29a).
The Sapirstein Edition. “The Torah with Rashi’s Commentary” adds with a further note (Sefer Vayikra, page 60) :
“Tzav et Aaron” — Command Aaron. “Command” can only be meant to express urging on; for the immediate moment and future generations.
Note on Rashi; (The Sapirstein Edition. “The Torah with Rashi’s Commentary” citing Kiddushin 29a) Whenever the Torah uses Tzav rather than Dabeir or Emor, it indicates three points: (a) urging on; (b) that the matter commanded must be done immediately; and that (c) it must also be performed in future generations. (ibid, see Korban Aaron)
Rabbi Shmuel Goldin comments in his sefer, “Unlocking the Torah Text,” Sefer Vayikra (page 39) :
…In our Parsha, we can easily see how its opening scene satisfies the… 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 importance of the moment.
That is to say that Hashem demands consistency between enthusiasm and constancy of service as well as constant diligence in following of the sequence of service, as Divinely outlined — exactly to the letter.
It’s interesting that Parshat Tzav is paired with Parshat Shemini, with Pesach and Chol HaMoed nestled in between the two Parshiyot. Further, the military document ordering the activation of reservists was coined “Tzav Shemonah.”
In the same way that the Kohanim are urged to be zealous, to be constantly diligent in their service; military commanders — indeed military high command echelons, as well as governmental leaders, must be diligent in the development of battle tactics and strategies as well as in developing a true and valid understanding of their adversary’s true intentions.
Over time, this zeal, diligence and constancy of devotion to duty seems to have dissipated among the IDF’s high command echelons and among many governmental leaders, who themselves were the very commanders whose zealousness, diligence, strategies and understandings of adversarial intentions are highly suspect.
However, we may be seeing positive changes with appointments of a new defense minister, foreign minister and military chief of staff who seem to be signaling a more zealous, diligent command structure and strategy based on valid understandings of their adversary’s intentions and concern for Israel’s sovereignty and security. May these words come to fruition B’Esrat Hashem.
Not withstanding the current horrendous “ceasefire” and drips and drabs of hostages in exchange for thousands of bloody-handed terrorists, may it be that our Chayalim, regardless of the machinations of malfeasance and non-feasance by their high command to date, emerge totally victorious — eradicating from the face of the earth Hamas, their terrorist buddies and the so-called “innocent civilians” of Gaza who joined with Hamas in their murderous deeds, that the Chayalim return home whole — physically, mentally and spiritually and that the Chayalim Liberate and bring home all remaining hostages. May we see a Final and Decisive victory by our Chayalim, mandated by a government secure in it’s foremost service of and emunah in HaKadosh Borchu, B’Ezrat Hashem! And may we see the restoration of true unity within Am Yisrael.
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently re-settled in Gush Katif, once the IDF, by the Yad Hashem, destructs and eradicates the wild beasts of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, all other terror entities, and if necessary Iran, and that our brethren 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 the oft-destroyed Yeshiva buildings in Homesh be rebuilt, as well as the buildings of Yishuv Elchanan, all at total government expense. May our Chayalim return from battle unharmed — physically, mentally and spiritually and may all of the remaining hostages brutally taken by the wild beasts of Hamas be liberated and brought home to their families. Baruch Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard is now in his fifth year at home in Eretz Yisrael and continues in a new chapter in his life. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her spirit and 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 ten 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. May we see, in 5785, the REAL Jews from the Ukraine and Russia as well as the US and Canada, the real Jews via matrilineal descent, make Aliyah enmass — via thorough review by Misrad HaPanim. And may we soon and finally see the total end to the Communist Chinese Wuhan Lab corona virus pandemic and all like viruses and variants. 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!!!
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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.
Moshe is available for editing of English language documents, articles, manuscripts and more. Please be in contact with him at olehchadash@yahoo.com for your English language needs.
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