Shalom from Beta Vichai and thank you for joining me in the study of Parashat Tsav. In Parashat Tsav, the Torah describes and basically delineates all the types of korbanot. Some of them were already mentioned in Parashat Vaikra. But in Parashat Tsav, you can have the same korbanot, but the sequence. And the list is a little different. And what we will do today, or at least we will try to do today, is to try to understand the sequence, the meaning of it, and the reason some of the sacrifices that were mentioned in Vaikra first become second or third. So let's see. The Torah begins with Vaidaber Hashem and Moshe Mur, and Hashem spoke to Moses saying, commend Aharon and his children, saying to them, Zot Torah Ta'alah, this is the laws of the elevation offering. This is the offering, the sacrifice, that what that goes on the Mizbeh on the altar, the entire night until the morning, the esha mizbeach to kadbo and the fire in the altar will consume that korban. Says the following. Last week's parasha, which was parashat vaikra, tiara delineates, describes that the different types of sacrifices. And in Vaikra, last week's parasha, many of the laws of the Korbanot were basically put forth for us to know. And everyone needs to know the details of the alachot of the laws, the Quranim, the priests, as well as us. But nowze. But now the laws that we will find in the next two chapters of Parashatsav, which is the beginning of Parashat Sav until approximately the middle of Parashatzav. Mashlimote Tatiurze, they basically complete this entire description, but ach, however, henugbi karla koanim, however, there is a difference between parashat tzav and parashatvaika. In parashatvaika, it was free-for-all, meaning these are the types of sacrifices: elevation offering, peace offering, guilt offering, sin offering, and all the details that we all need to know, the priests and us. However, parashat tsav focused in also, or not also, only really on the Kohanim. And therefore, that explains the opening statement of our parasha. Tsav command Aharon Vebanav. Really, Aharon and his children, not all of Am Israel. Now we focus in on the servants in the Mishkan, in the tabernacle, which are Aharon and his children. And also, according to that, or in accordance with this idea, the order of the sacrifices was changed. They are not organized by the reason, which means an obligatory sacrifice, or a sacrifice that comes as something that I just volunteered to give it. But rather, the order of the sacrifices, same sacrifices, but the order is different. Why? Because now it's based on the level of sanctity, of holiness of each sacrifice. First, the holy of the holiest, and then it goes down. Lefihak, Nimnuthilah, therefore, this is the reason. Why in Parashat Sav, the first sacrifice that we discuss is Ola, is the elevation offering. After that, you have the Mincha. And after that you have the Khatat and the Hasham, which means first you have the Kuchya Kodashim, what is the most holy, and then it goes down, the Shlamim Acharim, and obviously the last one is Shlamim, which is a peace offering, which is basically it's almost like a barbecue, a family barbecue, and it's also a Qurban. So Rapshim Shan Rafal here says to us, and in a way it frames for us this entire pasha, because when you read this pasha, you say to yourself, just one moment, I I already read about it last week. Answer is yes, you read about the same sacrifices, but pay attention to the order of the sacrifices now, and pay attention to whom that commanded was to, which is Aharon and his children. So we would expect now that really the focus of this parasha is on Aharon and his children, the Kohanim, and the tribe of Levi and the Kohanim, unlike what we read in Parashat Vaikra. The Orachaim looked at Parashat Sav and the order of the sacrifices and the entire content in a very different light than Rapshim Shon Rafael. And he says and if I look at it more mystically, the remote skola parasha, this entire parasha of tsab will basically direct us to what? It's come to tell us about the last exile that we are now in, says the Orachim, to comfort us from all our afflictions and tribulations. Because everyone has enough. 2,000 years of exile, we want to be redeemed. We were in Egypt for 400 years, the Babel to Babylon 70 years. So together it's 470 years. So today we are already a thousand and six hundred and seventy two years since we were exiled. I want to be redeemed, says the Urachaim. But also going through afflictions and tribulations with the other nations. And obviously, the other nations are not treating us nicely. So the Orachaim is reading this narrative obviously in a very mystical way, with tremendous desire for Mashiach to come. And he says that really, when you look at his parasha from that angle, you need to read that Hashem called Moshe to tell him to call Aharon and his children and the tribe of Kohanim, the people who learn Torah and try to teach Torah, and to tell them to tell them about Mashiach, which is the laws of the Olah, of the elevation offering. Amarzot kola aliyo che einkamu'aulah. Meaning when the Orachim read, the elevation offering, whereas we know the elevation offering goes straight to God, there are no pieces that belong to the owners that brought that Qurban or the Teqwanim. So he looks at the word Allah not only as an elevation offering, but something that basically ascends and ascends to the ultimate level. And what does it mean? That sacrifice of Olah, which is Am Israel. So now let's digress for a second. When we read the sacrifices, we obviously think you bring an animal, you bring it to the Koan, you designate it based on the reason that you bring it, and you move on. Rapshim Shubrafa, that we read before, obviously looked at that as just the different order between Vaikra and Tsav, and therefore he says, you know what? This Pansha focused on the Koanim. The Orachain takes this Pansha to a totally different realm, a very spiritual, very mystical realm. And he says the korbanod, the sacrifices that are mentioned in our Pansha reflect and shows the end of Galut, the end of exile. And it starts first with Ullah. The best sacrifice, the most unique and precious sacrifice is Ulah because it basically reflects Am Israel. Because there is a verse in Shira Shirim, the Song of Songs, Mizot Ullah Minhamidbao. Who is that that ascends from the desert? And that's obviously Am Israel. Al-Mukdalamizbe, that Ula is on the altar on the fire, and betim shah nachim. That talks about us. One, Sha'anu Bnei Torah, that A, that we receive the Torah, that no other nation received the Torah. So it says the Torah is being signified by the esh, by the fire, and the tribulations, the afflictions that we went through in Galut is the misbeh because it gives us kaparah, atonement. And he says when we have the Torah and we have what we went through history, we are Allah. We are almost like an elevation offering. And until when we will go through afflictions, kola laila. The entire night that symbolizes exile. Until a bokyo. Until the morning. I'm not going to go into calculations here. I'm not a prophet, but the Orachaim, who was also a mysticism, he looks at the narrative of Allah, of the sacrifice, of the elevation offering, and he says the solution or the hint for when the galut is over is the six thousandth from creation after 500 years into the six thousandth year from creation. Which, by the way, we are already towards the end of it. Now this is what the Orachheim says. Now we can accept it if you are more of a mysticism. If you are not a mysticism, that looks a little bit far-fetched. But I think that the Orachim's commentary reveals a tremendous desire to be redeemed. A tremendous desire to have mashiach. And to read it into the narrative. Now don't forget we are reading Parashat'sav, this is Shabbata Gadol, the Shabbat before Pesach. According to one opinion in Gmarain Rosh Hashanah, Abiasar says, we were redeemed in Nisan in the month of Nisan, and we're going to be redeemed in the month of Nisan, especially before Pesach. Maybe that night of Galut will come to an end and we will see the mourning, we will see the hope, we will see the redemption. This is the idea of the Oakhaim looking at a sacrifice, elevation offering, which according to Rabshim Shalaf belongs to the Kohanim, and Orachim takes it and makes it so relevant to him, to the people he led, and to our generation as well. Based on the war that we went through. When you look at the Orachim and you see what keeps us moving. What keeps us moving is obviously our commitment and faith to rah, but at the same time our brave soldiers who go through so much in order to bring this night to an end and to see the morning. So I think what the Urachaim does, and again, we can agree or disagree in terms of an analysis of a pasuq and to really think what a pasuk, what a verse can tell us. But the Uhaim definitely sends us a tremendous message to what we need to hope for. Rashi also has in a way in his commentary something that belongs to us as well. Which he says, Tsavet Aaron, commend a haron. Why it says tsav, ain't tsav elalishon zeuz. It's something that comes to create some kind of a haste, like quickly do it. Miyad veledorot. It's now and it's for generations to come. Meaning when we look at the sacrifices, it's not something that just belongs to something in the past. The sacrifices for themselves, it's meaningless. The sacrifices, it comes to basically help us to relate, to come closer to Hashem. And that's the point of the Kobanot. So when it comes to get close to Hashem, getting closer to Hashem, you need to have that commandment that basically tells you now, which means back then, but also Ladorot for generations to come. Not to allow lack of hope or pessimism to stop us from our ascend, to elevate ourselves, but rather tsav, miyad vila d'offel the commandment, to feel our ability to ascend to higher levels. Raf Salovejik on Humash says the following. The Torah often uses variant of the word tsav in discussing service in the Mishkan. For example, the Atate Tzave. We will see it later on. But here it says tsav. Rashi on this verse provides the following background. The word tsav is meant to express urgency, zeruz, for both the immediate moment and for the future generations. The Torah must especially express urgency in a situation where there is a loss of money. That's what Rashi says. Many mitzvot can involve monetary loss. Why is the word tsav used specifically in the context of the sacrifice? So that's what Raf Salovechik says. Says I understand the Torah sometimes says tsav, sometimes tzaveh, but here it seems to be that bimyuchad, as we say in Hebrew, which means specifically here, the Torah says tzav, and because there is some kind of a monetary loss because you bring Kobanot, and Kobanot are expensive, but but why here? What is the meaning of it? Why is the word tzav used specifically in the context of the sacrifices? The loss of money is intrinsic to certain mitzvot, such as the mitzvah of giving charity. Thus diverse states command the children of Israel that they shall give to the Levites from their hereditary possessions cities in which to dwell, meaning to give them cities in the provinces of their cities. That's called Arey Alevihim, the cities of the Levites, that many of them also were used to what? To be Are Miklat, refuge cities. The word tsav is used when a loss of assets is intrinsic to the mitzvah. Offering a sacrifice similarly involves such a loss of assets. Rashi uses the term ziruz, the term ziruz, which is basically urgency or urgency, in describing how this mitzvah is to be fulfilled. There is an urgency associated with mitzvot that involves monetary loss. What is the meaning of the word ledorot for the future generations in this context? The mitzvot of Mezuza, tfilin, shabbat are clearly ledorot, which means for generations to come. Thousands of years have gone by and these mitzvot are observed as they had been when they were originally given. Shabbat, tfilin, as we said before. But in what way are the mitzvot of the Mishkan practiced today? And this is a really important question because I think this question in a way escorts us in this entire book. Like I read about the sacrifices, I read about where to sprinkle the blood on the top, on the on the bottom, in the middle. What does that have anything to do with me? I'm not a Kohen. I don't have a Mishkan. Even for the Kohanim among us, even for the priests among us, I'm sure that you ask yourself, okay, I mean, I wish that I will be able to do it, but I can't do it right now. So what is the relevancy? How is that relevant to me? Says Rav Salovechik. There has been no Korban Tamid for almost 2,000 years. In what stance does the mitzvah of offering Kurbanot continue? So then he brings the Gemara in Megillah. The Talmud in Megillah, the Babylonian Talmud in Tractat Megillah 31b, recounts a conversation between God and Avraham in the context of the Brit Ben Habetarim, the covenant between the pieces. Avraham asked how he was to know that God would not forsake Israel if they sinned. So God answered Avraham in the merit of the temple sacrifices. Okay. Avraham insisted that this merit is fine when these sacrifices are really in existence. But what was to happen after the destruction of the temple? How can you guarantee to me, says Avraham to Hashem, that you will not abandon the Jewish people? God replied that if the children of Israel learned the laws surrounding the sacrifices, he would consider their study as a virtual sacrificial offering. When we cannot offer sacrifices, we recite the halakhot pertaining to them as a substitute. There is a mikdash in our days as well, not physically, but through halakhic study. This is the Mesorah, the tradition of Torah She Beal Peh, the oral Torah. Today we read Parashat Shkalim, at that time Parashat Sav was with Parashat Shkalim, as if the Beta Mikdash was still standing. We read Parashat Shkalim at the beginning of Khodeshada talking about collecting Shkalim, collecting money for the Beta Mikdash, and we don't have it. We read Parashat Para. About the red cow, we don't have a bet Mikdash. We read Parashat Chodesh, that also leads us to what to the Pesach and Kurban Pesach, the Pascalam. We don't have a Bet Migdash. But we read it, we learn it, we study it. Parashat Para reminds us to be ritually pure so that we may bring the Korban Pesach. Although we no longer offer a Kurban Pesach, we read Parashat Para as if the Beta Migdash still exists. Raf Salovajik, I think, creates for us something to really think about. We need to internalize what he says and to think about it and to try to see how we can implement it in our daily lives. We have so many mitzvot that in a way are not relevant. Everything that belongs to the Bet Migdash is not relevant to us. So what do we do with it? We just put it aside and wait for mashiach? Or we learn about it, we study, we show anticipation, we learn it so we are ready. And that's what Rafa says. You need to imagine like it's there. And how do you imagine it? By learning it, by immersing yourself in those laws in a way you recreate something. This is the idea of zhirah, of remembering. This is the same thing that we will do in just a few days when we celebrate Pesach. We tell the story of Yetziyat Mitzraim, and we need to show ourselves and we need to see ourselves like we ourselves went out from Egypt. How do you do that? By learning it, by talking to your children about it, by studying it, by imagining it, by acting it. You basically recreate the exodus, you recreate Yetziat Mitzraim. And that's what Rashi says. I would like even to suggest that perhaps I'll put Raf Salovechik with Rapshim Shom Lefail Hirosh. Even though this pasha is more focused on the Kohanim, it's not only for them. It's Miyad Veledorot. We all now become Kohanim. We all now become priests, we all become teachers. We all have the obligation to transmit and to transfer the tradition we received to our children, to our grandchildren, to generations to come. It's to recreate what we don't have. And that's the idea of tsav, of command. This is not just something that comes from the generosity of our hearts. We have a commandment, we have an obligation to tell the story, to continue the story, to create the other link in this chain of generations. The Rabbi Milubavich has a different insight to it. And he says, just as they are active completing the process that began with its slaughtering, and preventive, not letting the deadline for its burning pass, aspect of burning up the fats on the altar, there are both active and preventive aspects in the process of refining our pursuit of pleasure. We have, and I'll give a little bit of a background here, we have the idea of active and preventive, which means we need to want to be active in the process of the slaughtering, the sprinkling of the blood, putting the sacrifice on the altar and everything else. And then we also need to prevent the sacrifice from violating what we call notar, leftover. Nothing should be left over after a certain time. Some korbanot it's one night and morning, some corbanot, it's two nights. Okay, different, different laws. But then he says the active aspect is performed by day and the preventive aspect by night. Metaphorically, day signifies those aspects of our lives that are open expressions of spiritual light, i.e. divine consciousness, studying Hashem's Torah and fulfilling his commandments. Night, in contrast, signifies all other mundane aspects of our lives, whose divine dimension is obscured by the darkness of materiality. Thus, the twofold obligation to place the fats on the altar of fire both during the day and night indicates that we must transmute our self-oriented pleasure into God's centered pleasure, both when involved in spiritual pursuits as well as when engaged in our own mundane affairs. This is obviously a very Hasidish aspect and midrash of the verse, which means the Rabbi Milubavich looks at the elevation offering and says to himself, in this sacrifice we have active and preventive. And in a way, there is a demand, there is a requirement that our entire being will be on the sacrifice and on the on the misbehak on the altar. What does that mean? What do we need to do? So the Rabbi Mirubavic looked at the terminology of the verse and says, There is night and there is day. The day is when a person is active, when you try to accomplish spiritual accomplishments. The night, he called it the mundane day-to-day things that we do, which are in a way filled with darkness that hide the spirituality that is hidden in this material world, in this physical world. He says both of them need to be on the mizzbeh. There is no disconnect between them. They must come and be intertwined together on the mizzbeh all night, all day. There is no separation between your spiritual pursuits and your physical pursuits. They both must be centered on the mizbeach on the altar. So now let's go back really to the first verse that we started with. Hashem spoke to Moses saying, command Aharon and his children. Stop here. What can we learn from it? That according to some of the commentators that we saw, really the focus of this parshah is Aharon and his children. It's really about the Qanim. That's what Rabshim Shurafail here suggested. And therefore, we are going to talk about Olah, which is the highest level of sanctity, unlike what we spoke in Parashadvaika. However, we can also see that despite the fact that it seems to be that we are minimizing, that we are focusing in only on the Koanim, Rashi says what? It's for now and for generations to come. Even though there is no Bet Migdash. Even though we don't have a temple, even though we don't have a tabernacle, the sacrifices has something to say to us. Zoturataola. This is the law, this is the laws of the Allah of the elevation offering. Says the Orachaim. Allah, it's not only about the sacrifice. It's about Amisrael. It's about the nation of Israel that ascends from the desert. That we are always, always try to elevate ourselves. And we will get out of this galut. This night, kolhalila, this entire night of exile, of suffering, of tribulations, will come to an end. And there is going to be a morning, a morning that signifies hope and redemption and salvation. And then, says the Rabbi Milubavich, Kolalaila Bokya, on those times when we will have revelation of salvation and redemption, you will be able to center your entire being on this Mizbeh and to come close to Hashem. So what we try to do is to really show that the main question that every commentator asks is how can I make this pasha, those sacrifices, when I don't have a temple, when I don't have a Mishkan, relevant to me? How can I find lessons there? How can I basically tell that story to the generations to come that it will make sense to them? That it will be something that they can connect to their lives and obviously to Hashem and to the Torah. So we all hope that the night is over and the morning has come. Morning of hope, of optimism, a morning of salvation and redemption. A morning that we can be our true selves and to be able to really fulfill our elevation. Thank you.