Divrei Mav

This week’s Parsha is called Parshas Shemini. The two oldest sons of Ahron, Nadav and Avihu decided to bring a Korban to Hashem in the Kodesh HaKadoshim (Holy of Holies) where only the Kohain Gadol (High Priest) can go once a year (on Yom Kippur). Hashem was very angry at them for bringing a fire that wasn’t requested. When they brought this “alien” Korban Hashem took the fire they used and consumed them in the fire. As the passuk says, “a fire came forth …. and consumed them.” Hashem punished Nadav and Avihu in such a severe manner because they were on an exalted level and great people are judged for every minute detail of every action. After their tragic death, the passuk informs us that Ahron was “silent”. Hashem blessed Ahron for not k’vetching (complaining). Ahron was rewarded by having the next segment of this week’s Parsha addressed to him. This segment is the commandment for Ahron to not drink intoxicating wine. Rabbi Bunam (of P’shis’cha) elucidates on that segment in

This week’s Parsha is called, Parshas Tzav. We continue to learn about the Korbanos (offerings) and more of their details. This week we learn specifically, where the Korbanos were brought in the Mishkan (tabernacle). By the Korban Chatas we learn only that it was brought near where the Korban Oleh was brought. The Korban Chatas was brought by a person (Jewish) that did an avairah (sin) so, this was the sin offering. HaRav Mordechai Katz Zt”l writes in his sefer, a beautiful explanation for why the Korban Chatas was near the Korban Oleh. He says that Hashem is coming to teach us the tremendous lesson of not embarrassing others. By placing the Korban Chatas the Korban brought by those who sinned, with other korbanos it was very difficult for others to distinguish between those bringing a Korban oleh and Chatas. This way it would not be so embarrassing for the person bringing a Korban to atone for a sin. There is a well -known story about Rabbi Akiva Eiger zt”l how he demonstrated the

This week’s Parsha is called, Parshas Vayikra. Hashem commanded Moshe (Moses) to tell the B’nai Yisroel (Jewish people) to bring Korbanos (offerings) to Hashem. The Korbanos mainly consisted of animals (kosher) and a variety of spices. There are many different types of Korbanos such as the Koraban Olah, Chattas, Shlumim, Aushum, and more. Now one might ask, “why did Hashem want the B’nai Yisroel to bring Korbanos?” The mitzvah of bringing Korbanos is really a “choak” – the “CH” is pronounced like the end of the word “Baruch” (choak is a law in the Torah that we can’t comprehend) but the Michatav M’eliyahu gives a beautiful explanation. HaRav Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler z”tl (aka, The Michtav M’eliyahu) explains the reason why Hashem wanted us to bring Korabanos was because when we had just left Mitzrayim (Egypt) we were so accustomed to serving idols with animals, spices, and the like that Hashem wanted us to be able to accept the idea of serving a G-d in a somewhat familiar manner. The