This week’s Torah portion includes the laws of: the Burnt Offering, Meal Offering, High Priest’s Offering, Sin Offerings, Guilt Offerings and Peace Offerings. It concludes with the portions of the Peace Offerings which are allotted to the Priests and the installation ceremony of the Priest for serving in the Sanctuary.
* * *
Dvar Torah
based on Love Your Neighbor by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin
The Torah states:
“This is the offering of Aharon and of his sons, which they shall offer to God on the day when he is anointed…” (Leviticus 6:13).
Why does the Torah specify the words “on the day when he is anointed” rather than “on the day of anointment”?
The Talmud (Yerushalmi Yoma 1:1) comments on this verse that we learn that only one High Priest is anointed at a time, not two. (An additional High Priest was anointed to lead the army into battle.) The Talmud cites Rabbi Yochanan who explains that this is to prevent animosity.
The essence of the High Priest is the attribute of peace. Aharon, the first High Priest, was renowned as a lover and pursuer of peace. The High Priest must unite the entire nation. If there would be animosity in this high position, it would be a distortion and mockery of the concept of the High Priest. Therefore, nothing may be done to create such animosity. And likewise we, too, should strive to prevent animosity!
* * *
Dvar Torah
based on Love Your Neighbor by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin
The Torah states:
“And the Lord spoke to Moshe saying: Speak to Aharon and his sons, saying: ‘This is the Law of the Transgression Offering, in the place where the Burnt Offering is slaughtered shall the Transgression Offering be slaughtered before the Lord; it is most holy’ ” (Leviticus 6:17-18).
Why does the Torah emphasize that the Transgression Offering must be made in the exact same place as the Burnt Offering?
The Talmud (Yerushalmi Yevomot 8:3) explains that they were offered in the same place in the Sanctuary to save from embarrassment those people bringing a sin offering; anyone witnessing the event could assume that the offering was brought as a Burnt Offering (which is not a sin offering) and not necessarily as an atonement for one’s transgression.
Our lesson: We must be very careful not to cause someone embarrassment or discomfort because of past misdeeds.
Comments are closed.