Parshas Tzav
Offering To Alter The Course Of History
By Rabbi Pinchas Avruch
"Command Aaron and his sons saying, 'This is the law of the olah (1)
offering.'" (Vayikra/ Leviticus 6:2) The Medrash explains exegetically that
a component of the command is "saying", that the Children of Israel are
instructed to occupy themselves with reading these verses that dictate the
requirements of the offering. In addition to the consumption of the
offering facilitating achievement of atonement and elevation, the study of
this chapter - the words that spur the striving Jew to action - generates
identical results.
The Chofetz Chaim (2) expounds that in our era, when (because of our errant
ways) we do not have the Bais HaMikdash (Holy Temple in Jerusalem) in which
to serve G-d with our offerings, we still possess the opportunity to study
their laws and utilize that effort in their stead. Thus, it is incumbent
upon us to study the relevant Torah selections to merit the Divine
protection needed to insulate us from our enemies. Indeed, their power is
greater still.
The Talmud (Megilla 16a) expounds that as Haman prepared to fulfill the
royal decree to dress Mordechai in the King's garb and parade him about the
capital (Esther 6), the Sages of Shushan were sitting before Mordechai,
reviewing the laws of measuring the kemitza, the fistful of flour of the
mincha offering. Upon Haman's inquiry into their topic, they explained that
this offering was a vehicle for atonement in the Temple. Replied Haman:
"Your fistful of flour has come and pushed aside my ten thousand silver
talents (that I offered King Achashvairosh for the right to annihilate the
Jews)."
At that most challenging time, mere moments before Esther would approach
the King to reveal her identity and request the reversal of Haman's
decree, how could the Rabbis be studying the mundane and still-dormant
laws of the mincha flour measure? Rather, concludes the Chofetz Chaim,
lacking the Temple, the study itself gains atonement, to such an extent
that Haman was not only rendered harmless, but was forced to concede
Mordechai's upper hand.
Our physical world, by its construct, challenges our ability to find and
maintain our connection with G-d. The Kabbalists explain that the Hebrew
for "world" - "olam" - derives from "he'elam", meaning "hidden"; our
physical world hides the spiritual realities from our consciousness. Our
life's challenge and charge is to cut through the fog of physicality to
forge our spiritual connections, to appreciate that G-d's spiritual realm
is reality and it is we who live in the imaginary. Little has changed
since Mordechai and his fellow Sages had to see through G-d's concealment
to appreciate that the sequence of chance events they were experiencing
was actually the exquisite unfolding of the Divine plan. And we, like
they, have the power - through our prayer, through our repentance and with
our "offerings" - to redirect the course of history.
Have a Good Shabbos!
(1) literally: elevation; the olah is an offering that is completely
consumed on the altar to atone for an unfulfilled positive command or
unfulfilled sinful thoughts, or brought by one wishing to elevate his
spiritual level
(2) Rabbi Yisrael Meir HaKohen Kagan of Radin; 1838-1933; author of basic
works in Jewish law, philosophy and ethics and renowned for his saintly
qualities
Text Copyright © 2005 by Rabbi Pinchas Avruch
and Torah.org.
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