Tzav, Leviticus 6:1 8:36

This parasha continues the themes of Leviticus and outlines details of the sacrifices to be made on the altar. In addition there are some specific instructions to the priests about how they are to keep the fire burning on the altar in regard to the burnt offering or olah offering.

The olah offering stays on the flame all night until the morning. In the morning the priest is to remove the ashes to a pure place outside the encampment. All of this detailed work to be done in the full and special clothing of the priesthood.

This comes to teach us several things. Even the residue of the offerings and particularly the ashes of the olah offering are as sacred and special as the offering itself. Just because the fire consumed the offering all night long doesn’t mean that in the morning, the local cleaning crew can simply sweep up after hours, tossing the ashes aside as refuse. But even the ashes of the burnt offering are to be treated with reverence and ritual. The priest must don his full attire and carefully with attention and solemnity, remove the ashes, and maintain the fire burning on the altar. He is to remove the ashes not just to a trash heap, filled with impurities, but instead to a place that is pure. He then must don the clean clothes of the priesthood again, ready to offer sacrifices for a new day.

Imagine the flame and smoke that ascended to heaven day and night from such sacrifices. Imagine how the entire temple mount must have glowed, to be seen for miles around as it sat atop one of the highest hills in Jerusalem. And imagine too, how even the desert wilderness must have glowed with the all night offerings on the altar. Imagine the column of smoke that must have risen up in the sky, as well as the smell of roasted grains, breads and meat.

These details while perhaps to the modern reader seem trivial considering we are thousands of years removed from offering sacrifices on the altar. For many of us any thought of return to this kind of worship is an anathema. And yet, for our ancestors, it was precisely these heavenly smells, columns of smoke, and all-night offerings that helped carry their atonement and prayers to God. The Kohanim, the priests by keeping the flame on the altar burning, symbolically and religiously conveyed to the people, the ongoing and ever present nature of our God. They helped to convey the message by maintaining the fire of faith if you will, that our offerings, be they offerings of thanksgiving, or sin offerings, or freewill offerings, go beyond time and yes, even space into a heavenly, or Godly dimension. The ongoing altar flame—allows us to bridge the physical dimensions and to allow the divine love and sometimes forgiveness to reach into our very souls reaching the Divine dimensions. Stoking the fire of faith, that was the priestly job. And it is a lesson for each of us in an era when we no longer have priests to intercede on our behalf.

Today as prayer is our offering and each Jew has his or her own direct line to the Divine dimension. Leviticus helps us to learn that our own flame of faith must be stoked daily to help us bridge the physical world and the Divine dimensions. Our prayers are our offering for thanksgiving and atonement today. But too many of us don’t keep our own fire burning.

This Shabbat we observe Shabbat Hagadol—the Great Sabbath. This special Shabbat, the one immediately preceeding the start of Pesach is usually filled with special instruction for observing the Passover holiday. Traditionally the rabbi of the community would teach the rules of Pesach on this day and remind everyone about the intricacies of the special dietary rules for Passover.

Since Passover is one of the most widely observed holidays among the Jewish People—let us utilize this special season as a way to renew and rekindle our flame of faith. Attend or host a seder, refrain from eating bread and leavened product, come to Temple and yes, pray!

Then we can together keep the flame of faith alive!

Posted by Lee at March 29, 2004 01:57 PM