Tzav Answers

Tzav 5726

Alef.

1.  In the cases of a sea voyage and a desert caravan, the activities inevitably come to an end. Therefore it is clear when the time to give thanks will take place. Unfortunately the same cannot be said about a sickness which could chronically continue throughout a lifetime, even as it ebbs and flows. And imprisonment can similarly continue indefinitely. Consequently the time for giving thanks is when these latter two situations are totally resolved.

2.  Although the language in Tehillim seems to indicate an obligation to give thanks, e.g., 

(תהלים פרק קז :לא) יוֹדוּ לַיקֹוָק חַסְדּוֹ וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו לִבְנֵי אָדָם:

Halacha is not instituted based on NaCh. Therefore the word has to be interpreted as “it would be appropriate that they give thanks” as opposed to their being obligated to do so.

3.  In addition to the need to give thanks for what has happened in particular to the individual, the verse continues, “וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו לִבְנֵי אָדָם”, which suggests what I refer to as  “גלגול הודאה”, i.e., once one give thanks for a particular thing, he is expected to continue and generalize about all of the things that HaShem has Done on behalf of human beings.

4.  In his commentary on VaYikra 7:12, RaShI wishes to explain why the sacrifice in question is called “קרבן תודה”. For this reason he begins with a reference to giving thanks, and then talks about the thanksgiving being expressed via a sacrifice. Furthermore, perhaps if an individual appreciates something that has happened to him, he will consider it a נס, whether or not it is viewed as a suspension of the laws of nature or some other supernatural phenomenon.

Beit.

When the Korban Asham, the other sacrifice in this chapter, is discussed, the person bringing the sacrifice is not mentioned at all; the only one(s) that are explicitly mentioned are the Kohanim, despite the fact that someone had to have transgressed to have had the obligation to brings such a sacrifice:

ויקרא פרק ז

(א) וְזֹאת תּוֹרַת הָאָשָׁם קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים הוּא:

(ב) בִּמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁחֲטוּ אֶת הָעֹלָה יִשְׁחֲטוּ אֶת הָאָשָׁם וְאֶת דָּמוֹ יִזְרֹק עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ סָבִיב:

(ג) וְאֵת כָּל חֶלְבּוֹ יַקְרִיב מִמֶּנּוּ אֵת הָאַלְיָה וְאֶת הַחֵלֶב הַמְכַסֶּה אֶת הַקֶּרֶב:

(ד) וְאֵת שְׁתֵּי הַכְּלָיֹת וְאֶת הַחֵלֶב אֲשֶׁר עֲלֵיהֶן אֲשֶׁר עַל הַכְּסָלִים וְאֶת הַיֹּתֶרֶת עַל הַכָּבֵד עַל הַכְּלָיֹת יְסִירֶנָּה:

(ה) וְהִקְטִיר אֹתָם הַכֹּהֵן הַמִּזְבֵּחָה אִשֶּׁה לַיקֹוָק אָשָׁם הוּא:

(ו) כָּל זָכָר בַּכֹּהֲנִים יֹאכְלֶנּוּ בְּמָקוֹם קָדוֹשׁ יֵאָכֵל קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים הוּא:

(ז) כַּחַטָּאת כָּאָשָׁם תּוֹרָה אַחַת לָהֶם הַכֹּהֵן אֲשֶׁר יְכַפֶּר בּוֹ לוֹ יִהְיֶה:

(ח) וְהַכֹּהֵן הַמַּקְרִיב אֶת עֹלַת אִישׁ עוֹר הָעֹלָה אֲשֶׁר הִקְרִיב לַכֹּהֵן לוֹ יִהְיֶה:

(ט) וְכָל מִנְחָה אֲשֶׁר תֵּאָפֶה בַּתַּנּוּר וְכָל נַעֲשָׂה בַמַּרְחֶשֶׁת וְעַל מַחֲבַת לַכֹּהֵן הַמַּקְרִיב אֹתָהּ לוֹ תִהְיֶה:

(י) וְכָל מִנְחָה בְלוּלָה בַשֶּׁמֶן וַחֲרֵבָה לְכָל בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן תִּהְיֶה אִישׁ כְּאָחִיו: פ

Therefore not only does the Korban Shelamim emphasize how the one bringing the sacrifice personally presents it to God, by contrast, in the case of the guilt offering, the person bringing the sacrifice, at least in VaYikra 7,¹ is not mentioned at all.

Gimel.

1.  1^st תודה—for the sake of thanksgiving.

2^nd תודה—a modifier for the sacrifice, i.e., a thanksgiving sacrifice

2. 

תהלים פרק נ

(יד) זְבַח לֵאלֹקים תּוֹדָה וְשַׁלֵּם לְעֶלְיוֹן נְדָרֶיךָ:

Ibn Ezra understands the word תודה as referring to a קרבן תודה in contrast to an עולה sacrifice:

אבן עזרא תהלים פרק נ פסוק יד

(יד) זבח - טעם להזכיר כל זה כי הקרבנות שצויתי שתקרבו לפני לא יועילו לי רק לכם וטעם תודה כי העולה כולה קריבה גם החטאת והאשם לכהן והטעם כי להקריב תודה עם שמירת התורה שאין קרבים ממנהלגבוה רק האמורים טוב מהעולה בלא תודה:

Other commentaries, i.e., RaShI, RaDaK and Metzudat David, understand the word תודה as indicating confession, i.e., להתוודות, which would refer to sacrifices such as חטאת and אשם, e.g.:

 מצודת דוד תהלים פרק נ פסוק יד

(יד) זבח וגו' - הזבח המקובל לאלקים הוא מה שמתודה על פשעיו בעת הבאתו כי אז יעורר לבו לחשוב שבעבור פשעיו היה הוא ראוי למות והביא נפש תחת נפש:

____________________

תהלים פרק נ

(כג) זֹבֵחַ תּוֹדָה יְכַבְּדָנְנִי וְשָׂם דֶּרֶךְ אַרְאֶנּוּ בְּיֵשַׁע אֱלֹקים:

In this instance, MaLBIM (Ibn Ezra is silent regarding this verse) understands תודה as referring to the thanksgiving sacrifice:

 מלבי"ם תהלים פרק נ פסוק כג

(כג) זובח תודה, מי שירצה לזבוח תודה, אני אומר אליו טוב יותר שיכבדנני וישים דרך אחר, ולא ילך בדרך עם גנבים ונואפים ואז אראנו בישע אלקים, לא ע"י הקרבנות בצירוף הדרכים הרעים:

The commentators RaShI, RaDaK and Metzudot, as they did re v. 14, interpret תודה as referring to the act of confession which accompanies sacrifices other than the thanksgiving sacrifice.

The two basic interpretations represented by these commentators set up an interesting contrast between the thanksgiving offering and those which are brought to expiate sins. Since there is no such thing as a perfect person, a la:

קהלת פרק ז

(כ) כִּי אָדָם אֵין צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה טּוֹב וְלֹא יֶחֱטָא:

per force everyone has something to confess and atone for; on the other hand, everyone is a recipient in one way or another of God’s Goodness which should in turn engender expressions of thanksgiving. If one would have to be chosen ahead of the other, which would be considered the more desired “move” on the part of God—man trying to improve himself and moving away from evil and towards goodness, or man’s acknowledging his ultimate dependency upon God via expressions of thanksgiving?

3.  1^st על—for the purpose of

2^nd על—along with

Daled.

1.  According to RaShI, like the MaLBIM, the sense of the verse is that whatever is not consumed on the first day, i.e., what is left over after the first day, will be consumed on the second day. So there is no need for a “ו” before the word “נותר”.

2. 

דניאל פרק ח

(יג) וָאֶשְׁמְעָה אֶחָד קָדוֹשׁ מְדַבֵּר, וַיֹּאמֶר אֶחָד קָדוֹשׁ לַפַּלְמוֹנִי הַמְדַבֵּר, עַד מָתַי הֶחָזוֹן הַתָּמִיד וְהַפֶּשַׁע שֹׁמֵם תֵּת וְקֹדֶשׁ וְצָבָא מִרְמָס:

Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said unto that certain one who spoke: 'How long shall be the vision concerning the continual burnt-offering, and the transgression that causes terror/dismay, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?'

One could say on behalf of RaMBaN that the “ו” is necessary before קדש in the verse if we assume that the word תת is connected to what comes before rather than what comes after. This would seem to be the understanding of both Ibn Ezra:

אבן עזרא דניאל פרק ח

ותת - הוא תנתן, וקדש מכון מקדשו, וצבא ותפל ארצה מן הצבא והנה מרמס ותרמסם:

as well as MaLBIM:

מלבי"ם דניאל פרק ח

 ואח"כ הפשע שומם תת, ואח"כ יתנהו הפשע שיהיה שומם, ושקודש (דהיינו הבהמ"ק) יהי' מרמס, כמ"ש שיושלך מכון מקדשו וצבא והתמיד תנתן (ביד האויבים) ע"י הפשע, עד מתי יתארך זה:

3. 

תהלים פרק עו

(ז) מִגַּעֲרָתְךָ אֱלֹקי יַעֲקֹב נִרְדָּם וְרֶכֶב וָסוּס:

At Thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, they are cast into a dead sleep, the riders also and the horses.

While RaShI and Ibn Ezra are of the opinion that the “ו” in front of רכב is superfluous, RaDaK does not think so:

רד"ק תהלים פרק עו פסוק ז

(ז) מגערתך אלקי יעקב נרדם, המלך שהוא גוג ומגוג נשיא ראש משך ותובל. ולפי שזכר אבירי לב אמר נרדם סתם על המלך שהוא ראש האבירים, וכן והרכב והסוס נרדמו:

4. 

בראשית פרק א

(א) בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹקים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ:

(ב) וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם:

Ibn Ezra could contend that since Beraishit 1:1 is not part of a narrative but rather a summary of the total Creation process, when the narrative actually begins in v.2, it should not begin with a conjunction.

5.  One could interpret the verse that continual eating beginning on the day of the sacrifice being offered is permitted. But as soon as there is a significant interval, rendering what is being eaten as “left overs” then perhaps you would not be permitted to consume it. But the end of the verse tells us the contrary.

6.  MaLBIM feels that the final word order “והנותר ממנו יאכל” is to come to teach the Chidush cited by the Sifra, i.e., even if nothing was eaten the first day, thereby rendering the whole Korban “נותר” and you might think that it could not be eaten on the second day, we learn the opposite.

Heh.

ו,י לֹ֤א תֵֽאָפֶה֙ חָמֵ֔ץ חֶלְקָ֛ם נָתַ֥תִּי אֹתָ֖הּ מֵֽאִשָּׁ֑י קֹ֤דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁים֙ הִ֔וא כַּֽחַטָּ֖את וְכָֽאָשָֽׁם׃

It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion of My Offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as the sin-offering, and as the guilt-offering.

1.  According to the simple meaning of the text, the word “חלקם” is connected to what follows, i.e., “נתתי אותה מאשי”, the interpretation in the Mishna and Gemora seems to attach “חלקם” to the preceding portion of the verse: “לא תאפה חמץ חלקם”.

2.  Abrabanel, because he understands “מאשי” as equivalent to “משולחני”, he defines “חלקם” not as is what is left over, i.e., שיריים, but rather the Korban Mincha in general.

3.  Tora Temima defines “שיריים” as the portion that is given to the Kohanim, rather than that which is left over in some manner.

4.  Abarbanel wants to explain why the Korban Mincha is specifically comprised of Matzot rather than leavened bread. He explains since this is the form that the Lechem HaPanim that are placed on the Shulchan in the Heichal, then the same form should be distributed to the Kohanim when they partake in a Mincha offering.

¹ In Chapter 5, where the Asham is first discussed, the person bringing the sacrifice is much more extensively referenced:

ויקרא פרק ה

(א) וְנֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא וְשָׁמְעָה קוֹל אָלָה וְהוּא עֵד אוֹ רָאָה אוֹ יָדָע אִם לוֹא יַגִּיד וְנָשָׂא עֲוֹנוֹ:

(ב) אוֹ נֶפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר תִּגַּע בְּכָל דָּבָר טָמֵא אוֹ בְנִבְלַת חַיָּה טְמֵאָה אוֹ בְּנִבְלַת בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה אוֹ בְּנִבְלַת שֶׁרֶץ טָמֵא וְנֶעְלַם מִמֶּנּוּ וְהוּא טָמֵא וְאָשֵׁם:

(ג) אוֹ כִי יִגַּע בְּטֻמְאַת אָדָם לְכֹל טֻמְאָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר יִטְמָא בָּהּ וְנֶעְלַם מִמֶּנּוּ וְהוּא יָדַע וְאָשֵׁם:

(ד) אוֹ נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תִשָּׁבַע לְבַטֵּא בִשְׂפָתַיִם לְהָרַע אוֹ לְהֵיטִיב לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יְבַטֵּא הָאָדָם בִּשְׁבֻעָה וְנֶעְלַם מִמֶּנּוּ וְהוּא יָדַע וְאָשֵׁם לְאַחַת מֵאֵלֶּה:

(ה) וְהָיָה כִי יֶאְשַׁם לְאַחַת מֵאֵלֶּה וְהִתְוַדָּה אֲשֶׁר חָטָא עָלֶיהָ:

(ו) וְהֵבִיא אֶת אֲשָׁמוֹ לַיקֹוָק עַל חַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר חָטָא נְקֵבָה מִן הַצֹּאן כִּשְׂבָּה אוֹ שְׂעִירַת עִזִּים לְחַטָּאת וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו הַכֹּהֵן מֵחַטָּאתוֹ:

(ז) וְאִם לֹא תַגִּיעַ יָדוֹ דֵּי שֶׂה וְהֵבִיא אֶת אֲשָׁמוֹ אֲשֶׁר חָטָא שְׁתֵּי תֹרִים אוֹ שְׁנֵי בְנֵי יוֹנָה לַיקֹוָק אֶחָד לְחַטָּאת וְאֶחָד לְעֹלָה:

(ח) וְהֵבִיא אֹתָם אֶל הַכֹּהֵן וְהִקְרִיב אֶת אֲשֶׁר לַחַטָּאת רִאשׁוֹנָה וּמָלַק אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ מִמּוּל עָרְפּוֹ וְלֹא יַבְדִּיל:

(ט) וְהִזָּה מִדַּם הַחַטָּאת עַל קִיר הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְהַנִּשְׁאָר בַּדָּם יִמָּצֵה אֶל יְסוֹד הַמִּזְבֵּחַ חַטָּאת הוּא:

(י) וְאֶת הַשֵּׁנִי יַעֲשֶׂה עֹלָה כַּמִּשְׁפָּט וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו הַכֹּהֵן מֵחַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר חָטָא וְנִסְלַח לוֹ: ס

(יא) וְאִם לֹא תַשִּׂיג יָדוֹ לִשְׁתֵּי תֹרִים אוֹ לִשְׁנֵי בְנֵי יוֹנָה וְהֵבִיא אֶת קָרְבָּנוֹ אֲשֶׁר חָטָא עֲשִׂירִת הָאֵפָה סֹלֶת לְחַטָּאת לֹא יָשִׂים עָלֶיהָ שֶׁמֶן וְלֹא יִתֵּן עָלֶיהָ לְבֹנָה כִּי חַטָּאת הִוא:

(יב) וֶהֱבִיאָהּ אֶל הַכֹּהֵן וְקָמַץ הַכֹּהֵן מִמֶּנָּה מְלוֹא קֻמְצוֹ אֶת אַזְכָּרָתָהּ וְהִקְטִיר הַמִּזְבֵּחָה עַל אִשֵּׁי יְקֹוָק חַטָּאת הִוא:

(יג) וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו הַכֹּהֵן עַל חַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר חָטָא מֵאַחַת מֵאֵלֶּה וְנִסְלַח לוֹ וְהָיְתָה לַכֹּהֵן כַּמִּנְחָה: ס

(יד) וַיְדַבֵּר יְקֹוָק אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר:

(טו) נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תִמְעֹל מַעַל וְחָטְאָה בִּשְׁגָגָה מִקָּדְשֵׁי יְקֹוָק וְהֵבִיא אֶת אֲשָׁמוֹ לַיקֹוָק אַיִל תָּמִים מִן הַצֹּאן בְּעֶרְכְּךָ כֶּסֶף שְׁקָלִים בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ לְאָשָׁם:

(טז) וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר חָטָא מִן הַקֹּדֶשׁ יְשַׁלֵּם וְאֶת חֲמִישִׁתוֹ יוֹסֵף עָלָיו וְנָתַן אֹתוֹ לַכֹּהֵן וְהַכֹּהֵן יְכַפֵּר עָלָיו בְּאֵיל הָאָשָׁם וְנִסְלַח לוֹ: פ

(יז) וְאִם נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא וְעָשְׂתָה אַחַת מִכָּל מִצְוֹת יְקֹוָק אֲשֶׁר לֹא תֵעָשֶׂינָה וְלֹא יָדַע וְאָשֵׁם וְנָשָׂא עֲוֹנוֹ:

(יח) וְהֵבִיא אַיִל תָּמִים מִן הַצֹּאן בְּעֶרְכְּךָ לְאָשָׁם אֶל הַכֹּהֵן וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו הַכֹּהֵן עַל שִׁגְגָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר שָׁגָג וְהוּא לֹא יָדַע וְנִסְלַח לוֹ:

(יט) אָשָׁם הוּא אָשֹׁם אָשַׁם לַיקֹוָק: פ

(כ) וַיְדַבֵּר יְקֹוָק אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר:

(כא) נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא וּמָעֲלָה מַעַל בַּיקֹוָק וְכִחֵשׁ בַּעֲמִיתוֹ בְּפִקָּדוֹן אוֹ בִתְשׂוּמֶת יָד אוֹ בְגָזֵל אוֹ עָשַׁק אֶת עֲמִיתוֹ:

(כב) אוֹ מָצָא אֲבֵדָה וְכִחֶשׁ בָּהּ וְנִשְׁבַּע עַל שָׁקֶר עַל אַחַת מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה הָאָדָם לַחֲטֹא בָהֵנָּה:

(כג) וְהָיָה כִּי יֶחֱטָא וְאָשֵׁם וְהֵשִׁיב אֶת הַגְּזֵלָה אֲשֶׁר גָּזָל אוֹ אֶת הָעֹשֶׁק אֲשֶׁר עָשָׁק אוֹ אֶת הַפִּקָּדוֹן אֲשֶׁר הָפְקַד אִתּוֹ אוֹ אֶת הָאֲבֵדָה אֲשֶׁר מָצָא:

(כד) אוֹ מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר יִשָּׁבַע עָלָיו לַשֶּׁקֶר וְשִׁלַּם אֹתוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וַחֲמִשִׁתָיו יֹסֵף עָלָיו לַאֲשֶׁר הוּא לוֹ יִתְּנֶנּוּ בְּיוֹם אַשְׁמָתוֹ:

(כה) וְאֶת אֲשָׁמוֹ יָבִיא לַיקֹוָק אַיִל תָּמִים מִן הַצֹּאן בְּעֶרְכְּךָ לְאָשָׁם אֶל הַכֹּהֵן:

(כו) וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו הַכֹּהֵן לִפְנֵי יְקֹוָק וְנִסְלַח לוֹ עַל אַחַת מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה לְאַשְׁמָה בָהּ: פ