Making our days count
On the second night of Passover, we are commanded to begin counting the days that will ultimately conclude with the holiday of Shavuot that marks the day we received the Torah on Mt. Sinai over 3300 years ago. “You are to count seven complete weeks…until the day after the seventh week, when there will be […]
Nothing is insignificant
The first thing done in the Holy Temple each day is the Priest removing the ashes from the previous day’s offerings and placing them near the Altar. They are then deposited at a pure place outside of the camp. (Leviticus 6:3-4) R’ Mendel of Riminov taught that we see from here that even the most […]
What is dear to God?
A simple wagon driver kissing the fringes of his talit is dearer to the Ruler of the Universe than the praises of the angel Michael. — Baal Shem Tov
Negativity
“The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it. Do not extinguish it.” (Leviticus 6:5) The final phrase “lo tichbeh” is normally translated as ‘do not extinguish it’. The Maggid of Mezeritch, however, had a creative spin on how to read this phrase. He took it as an imperative to extinguish the “no” […]
Being real
The laws of the meal offerings required that they be salted, but there could be no leavened dough or honey (Leviticus 2:11-13). Temple offerings were supposed to both impact us spiritually and reflect our own spiritual growth. Leaven causes dough to rise, to puff it up. Honey, as well, artificially enhances taste. In both cases, […]
Real sacrifice
“When a soul wishes to bring a meal-offering before Hashem…” (Leviticus 2:1) Rashi points out that the term “soul” (nefesh) was not used in connection with any other voluntary offering but the meal-offering. This is because the meal-offering is the offering of a poor person – and to Hashem, even though it is a modest […]
Unintentional sins
Leviticus chapter 4 discusses the Korban Chatat – sacrifice for sin. We learn there that this sacrifice was only brought for unintentional transgressions. (For example, someone who wrote, but didn’t realize it is forbidden to write on the Sabbath). Rabbi Yitzchak Arama explained that intentional sin involves both our body and our mind/soul. Only the […]
A scent of change
“…a burnt-offering, a fire-offering, a satisfying aroma to Hashem.” (Lev.1:9) R’ Yaakov Tzvi Mecklenberg explained that a person shouldn’t think that s/he achieves forgiveness with their sacrificial offering. Rather, it is to be an aroma, a scent of the changed life that will now commence. You encounter the smell of something before you encounter the […]
Water vs. Mirror
“As a face reflects its face in water, so does one’s heart to another.” (Proverbs 27:19) Why in water? Why not in a mirror? Because to see one’s own face in the water, one has to bend down (a sign of humility). With a mirror, one can remain upright and erect, representing arrogance. (Rabbi Simcha […]
Demanding an accounting
“These are the accounts of the Tabernacle – The tabernacle of Testimony, there were conducted by Moses’ order…” (Exodus 38:21) According to the Midrash, suspicious cynics were circulating rumors that Moses was pocketing some of the funds collected for the building of the Tabernacle, so he ordered a careful accounting of all the funds. (Exodus […]