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This week's Torah Portion: 

25 TZAV - GIVE AN ORDER - LEVITICUS 6:1-8:36

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Highlights from my Torah commentary: Lev 6:1-8:36 "Tzav"


צַו אֶֽת־אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת־בָּנָיו לֵאמֹר זֹאת תֹּורַת הָעֹלָה הִוא הָעֹלָה עַל מֹוקְדָה עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ כָּל־הַלַּיְלָה עַד־הַבֹּקֶר וְאֵשׁ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ תּוּקַד בֹּֽו

tzav eht-aharon v-eht-banayv leymor zot toraht ha'olah hi ha'olah al mokdah al-ha'mizbeach kol-ha'lay'lah ad-ha'boker v-eysh ha'mizbeach tukad bo

"Give this order to Aharon and his sons: 'This is the law for the burnt offering [Hebrew: 'olah]: it is what goes up [Hebrew: 'olah] on its firewood upon the altar all night long, until morning; in this way the fire of the altar will be kept burning."


This week’s parashah is called Tzav, which simply means to “command,” or “give an order.” This Hebrew word is related to the familiar word “mitzvah,” which means “commandment.” In fact, one of our previous parash’ot (Tetzaveh) also used the same root word. In the Hebrew mindset, when HaShem “commanded” something to be done, it was always for the good of the individual who would perform it! Here we find no exception. Moshe was commanded to instruct his brother Aharon, the first Cohen HaGadol (High Priest), on the ordinances concerning the “olah,” which is the burnt offering.
— Parashat Tzav