Tzav - Moshiach and Peace

You're listening to the weekly partial podcast with Ari Goldwag recorded with Hashem's never-ending assistance in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel, 5786, 2026. This week's parsha is parshas Tzav, and I'd like to share with you a thought that's from our parsha that has to do with the carbonos, the korban specifically of the carbon shlamim. And the carbon shlamim was a special korban that was sometimes brought for different reasons. One of the reasons, as we'll see, has to do with carbon todah, a thanksgiving offering that's brought when a person is in danger and they survived that danger through the help of Hashem. And in recognition of that that the carbon shlamim is brought, the carbon shlamim, the word shlamim means complete, shalem means complete, it can also come, it's also the root of the word shalom, which means peace. And classically, the carbon shlamim, we know, is consumed on the altar with the fire, as it were, by Hashem, and also by the person themselves bringing the korban. It was something that, as opposed to the korban olah, the korban olah was completely consumed on the mizbeach, on the altar. No part of it was given to the person who brought it, but here on the shlamim, the carbon shlamim, so it was something that was both eaten by the person himself and, as it were, by the mizbeach. Now, in speaking about the sh- carbon shlamim, we're going to see a few ideas, but the main idea that we're going to see is the concept of shalom, is the concept of peace. There's a long medrish and I want to share with you. I don't know how much of it we'll get through, but I'll we'll try. But I'm going to actually skip to the end of it because at the end of it it speaks specifically and directly to the korban shlamim. And I also want to read to you another piece that has to do with carbon todah, the thanksgiving offering, and then we'll dive into the whole concept of shalom, peace. And what better time to talk about the idea of shalom, but to to have a depth of understanding, what does it mean peace? What is peace really all about? What is the concept of peace? So, the medrish says, "By carbonos minayin? Where do we see that there's a concept of peace in regards to not just the the medrish is actually speaking about the fact that often we find that the concept of peace comes at the end, right? Concept of peace is something that follows a an extensive tahalich, an extensive process. The end of our davening, sim shalom is the last of the blessings. Sim shalom tovah uvracha. The end of the birkas kohanim, the priestly blessing, so the it says, "Yasem l'cha shalom." Hashem should give you peace. And so the medrish says that in a similar way, the last of the carbonos is also the concept of the carbon shlamim. How do we see that? In giving us a a pasuk that extensively speaks about all the different types of carbonos, so it mentions the olah, the fully burnt offering, the mincha, the flower offering, l'chatas, the sin offering, l'asham, l'miluim, l'zevach shlamim, and at the end it speaks about the carbon shlamim, the peace offering, we could say. B'ein eleh b'carbonos yachid, that's talking about by personal sacrifices. B'carbonos tzibur minayin? Where do we see that when it comes to public sacrifices, this is true as well? Talmud Lomar, "Eleh ta'asu l'Hashem b'moadeichem u'minaseichem u'mishlameichem." Right, we also say it in in the piyut, which is based on psukim, on Yom Tov, as we're going to say on Pesach, in Kol Hakeilim, l'miluim, that we say v'l- v'l- v'l- v's- v'l- v's- v'todah, v'l- v'olah, v'l- mincha, v'l- l'chatas, v'l- asham, v'l- v'l- shlamim. Actually, it says miluim at the end, interestingly. But shlamim is in the end. Shlamim is in the end. B'ein eleh b'olam hazeh, the medrish finishes off, and I want to read this cuz it's it's important. It's seems to be true in this world. B'olam haba minayin? How do we know that this also applies in the future world, which means in the spiritual realms, or in the times of Mashiach, or in the times of olam haba? U'minayin notei l'cha k'nahar shalom? The pasuk says in Yeshayahu, perek sameach vov, pasuk yud bet, Isaiah chapter 66, verse 12, that there's going to be a river of peace. Hashem will turn to the world in a river of peace. Rabbanan amri, "Gadol shalom." The sages say, "Peace is great." Ein habesach ela b'shalom. What is What is the Messianic age about? When Mashiach comes, when the Messiah arrives, when that time comes, how does it start? What What is the we could say window or the gate that enters that we enter through to get to the world of Mashiach? It's peace. Sh'ne'emar, "Mah navu al heharim raglei mevasser mashmia shalom." Beautiful pasuk also in Yeshayahu, in Isaiah chapter 52, verse 7. Pasuk says, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the the footsteps or the feet of of the informer who's making heard peace." We'll know when we start to hear peace, we'll know that we're on the precipice of the Messianic age. When we start to hear tidings of peace, Okay, so the the concept of peace, what is the concept of peace? So, the first thing I want to share with you is another medrish that talks about the carbon todah. Also in regards to the Messianic age, and it tells us like this, you know, are we going to still bring we be we've been talking about carbonos, parshas Vayikra, Tzav, we're going to keep talking about carbonos, the sacrifices. Are we going to have sacrifices when Mashiach comes, when the Messiah arrives? Are you going to have a Beit Hamikdash? What else do you do in a Beit Hamikdash, in the Temple? We bring sacrifices. But says the medrish, really, if we think about it, so we're promised that when Mashiach comes, the yetzer hara will be shachted. The in- inborn evil inclination within the human being will no longer exist. We'll all just naturally be drawn towards Hashem, drawn towards doing what's right, drawn towards doing good. So, if that's the case, what what kind of carbonos will we bring because most of the carbonos, most of the sacrifices have to do with sins. So, if a person has no yetzer hara, obviously, we're not going to do any sins. Sin just means to be off track. We're not going to be off track anymore. Rabbi Pinchas ben Rabbi Levi, Rabbi Nachman bar Nachman d'Galia, l'asid lavo, these rabbis said as follows, "In the future, kol hakarbanos b'teilim, all of the sacrifices will be unnecessary. V'korban todah einam batel, but one sacrifice will still be necessary, and that is the carbon todah, the thanksgiving offering. The concept of sin will disappear, but may there still be a danger that a person can come through and survive and and need to give thanks for? Yes, there will still. Kol hatfilos b'teilos, says the medrish, "All of the prayers will be batel." Think about it, most of our prayers have to do with parnassah. We're not going to have trouble with our livelihood anymore. >> [snorts] >> Slicha, we're asking Hashem to forgive us for sins that we've done, bring us back to you, Hashem, give us back Jerusalem, let's have the carbonos. We're not going to be saying these tfilos anymore because we'll have it all. We won't have any sin. We will We will have no problems with our livelihood. We will have Jerusalem back. The Beit Hamikdash will be built. May it be soon. So, what's going to be left? What's going to be left? What's our tfilah going to look like? We're still going to pray, but what will it look like? It will just look like thank you. It will just look like thanks. Had David exclaim, "Kol sasson v'kol simcha, kol chassan v'kol kalah." Pasuk says in Yirmeyahu, beautiful pasuk, which, of course, we sing at a wedding, that there's going to be an incredible joy when the Mashiach arrives, when the Messiah arrives, and it will be akin to the joy of a bride and groom, that awesome day of joy when when two people, two halves of a soul, find each other, which is very much to do with shalom, as we'll see. >> [snorts] >> And these two halves of the souls, they find each other, the the two halves, the the heavenly realms and the physical realm, Hashem and his bride, the Jewish people, will find each other, and there will be a sounds of joy, sounds of bride and groom. Kol oirim hoydu es Hashem Tzeva'os, pasuk says, a sound of everyone saying thank you to Hashem, thank you to the Lord of Hosts. Zeh hodah. Right, so we see the pasuk says that when Mashiach comes, we'll still be praying. Interesting, it just sounds like a uh a uh a song. A uh a song that's being sung spontaneously, but it's a prayer. Interesting, thank you is a prayer. When I say thank you, Hashem, it's part of our davening. Modeh anachnu lach. Thank you, Hashem. U'vi'u v'todah Beit Hashem, pasuk says, "They will bring a carbon todah to the house of God." It's a carbon todah, it's a reference to the sacrifice. We'll have prayers of thanks. We'll have sacrifices of thanks. V'chein David Hamelech, King David says in Tehillim nun vov, pasuk yud gimel, "Alaila Hashem b'chol libi, ashaleim todah selah." >> My God, my My My vows are still on my mind. These are still things that I know I'm obligated to do. Sorry, just have a something going on with technically over here with my recording. The The It's Interestingly, the says that King David who represents Messiah, he represents the completion. He has nothing of his own. Think about that. He has nothing of his own. He's just like the moon. He has no light of his own. He's just reflecting light, right? That's what means I don't have anything of my own. I I admit it's all you. doesn't say one thanks. It says thanks, plural. because we have two things that are going to exist when we get to the Messianic age. One is the One is the sacrifice of the carbon sacrifice Thanks. Thanksgiving offering and the other is the sacrifice of our prayer so to speak. Our prayer of thanks. So, it's very interesting. A carbon Thanksgiving offering, what is it? It's a carbon which the word It's a peace offering. Well, when when I say thank you, I'm offering peace. I'm offering my peace. When I say to my wife, "Thank you for this delicious dinner." I'm offering peace. I'm recognizing I can't I can't eat this food without you. Certainly not this delicious food. So, now let's get to peace. Let's talk about peace. Let's talk about What is the concept of peace? What does it really mean peace? Just to give us a bullet point from from what we've said so far. Peace The classic is the carbon which It's the sacrifice of thanks. It's showing our recognition and that's what we have in the end of time. Even when we have when we have no more even when there's no more inclination to do wrong, there still is a necessity to recognize that it's not me, it's him. This is you. Thank you for saving my life. Thank you for giving me my life. Thank you. Thank Thank you for helping me find the the wife the the other half of my soul. Okay, so that's the first point is thank you. Thank you. That's what peace looks like. Thank you. But, there's more. Let's see this together. Shalom. All the blessings are included in it. The author of Peace is great. Peace is an awesome thing. Why? All the blessings are included in it. All right, like we said, when it comes to the priestly blessings, it's true. It ends off with peace. But, also this will give strength to his nation. will bless his nation with peace. That's the That's the completion of everything. Right? We can have amazing strength. But, do we have to use that strength? Do we have to use all of our our military prowess? Is that necessary? What's a greater thing? It's a greater thing if we don't have to use it, right? That's real peace. talk to you. So, hold on a second. Let me just There's a lot of stuff here. There's so much stuff here and I'm not going to be able to get to it all. So, what I'd like to do is actually skip a skip a whole whole section. And I'd like to read to you from what it says a little later on. Classically, where do we find the concept of peace? Classically, shalom bayit, right? Peace in the home. Peace in the home. We want peace between man and wife. We want peace between man and wife. And I And I venture to say based on what the measure says later, which I'm not sure if we'll get to, but I want peace inside of myself. Right? I am a human being and as the measure here says the human being is made up of a spiritual aspect and a physical aspect. We are a heavenly being, a soul, and a shama. And we are also a physical being with desires that have to do with physicality. Desire to feel prosperous and have a livelihood, a desire to have a wife and to have kids, a desire to feel financially stable, desire to have connections to others, good relationships with We've got all kinds of I would say requirements or desires of our lower self, but there's this confusion. What about my spirituality? What about my soul? What about coming close to What about being a spiritual being? So, we have like a kind of um internal conflict. Not a kind of. We have two parts of ourselves that we want to bring into peace. All right, so we're going to talk about man and his wife first. We're also going to try to understand how it relates to each and every one of us inside of ourselves. And what it means to have peace inside of ourselves. says says great is the cause of the peace. says I'm sorry. says says Great is the cause of the peace. We find that if a person is nervous about his wife. She's been seen with another man. He's nervous about her. He's nervous that she she's being unfaithful. So, the Torah provides for a test, a spiritual test. She She swallows a certain powerful solution which has in it a piece of parchment that name is written upon and the name gets erased by the water and she drinks that water. And it determines whether or not she was faithful or whether she was unfaithful. So, the says constant we see we're supposed to revere and respect name. We're not to erase it. But, in this context we are allowed to erase it. And our sages teach us that allows his name to be erased in order to bring peace between man and and his wife in order that she should be found hopefully to be to have been faithful to her husband. In order to have this test and in order for him to be able to bring her back into his home. For them to return to having trying to work on their relationship again. allows his name to be erased. So, this is the power of peace. He wants peace between man and wife. Now We're going to see a story with mayor and this story is so powerful and so deep and so important and it really gives us a a depth of understanding personally what it means to to have peace. How you get to peace between ourselves and our relationships with others and between our very selves within ourselves. How do we find peace? have a son. related shabbat one shabbat night one Friday night He was sitting and he was saying a Russia. He was teaching people. He was teaching the the masses. I'm Tina. I'm sorry. There was a particular woman there who was one of his students. He She came often to hear him speak, it seems. And she was listening carefully. She was standing there. She was listening to the Russia. But, his Russia kept going and kept going. He wasn't mindful of the time. I'm She waited until he finished his speech. So, she went home. She found that it was so late. So, Friday night it was so late that the the candles had gone out. There was no more light in the house. Her husband was Her husband was upset. "Where were you?" She said, "I was sitting. I was I was listening. I was in the I was listening to the of mayor." came the same She He got upset at her. He said very He said negative things. He yelled at her. He got so upset. He said to her, "I don't want you to come back into my house till you spit in his face, to mayor's face." Okay? You see the Lisa. So, she She was out of her house for a week, for two weeks, for three weeks. And So, What happened was her neighbors realized it. They realized it that her angry at her. And what happens is like this. They came to the drasha. They came again to Rabbi Meir. When Rabbi Meir saw this woman, he had a a divine inspiration. He realized with Ruach Hakodesh he was able to understand what had happened. He knew that she had been banished by her husband as a result of her late that night. He said to the women who had come to hear his drasha, are there any women here who know how to cure an eye sore? And Rabbi Meir was quite wise because in those times one of the ways that people would would cure eye sores was that they would actually take saliva and they would put it in the eye and then it would somehow heal the eye. So I'm not sure if he actually had an eye sore or seems that it was a a ruse. So her friend said to her they had an idea for her. This is what you should do. You should go you can spit in his eye in order to heal him. And and you'll be allowed to go back to your husband because he made this he made this requirement for for her to be able to come back. So so they all said to her they all said to her Meir this woman knows how to do that. She knows how to cure these types of eye sores. So she sat in front of him and and she was trembling. She said I'm not I don't really know how to do this. I'm not I'm not a doctor. I'm not somebody who who has developed the ability to to use saliva to cure an eye sore. He said to her I want you to spit in my eye seven times. And I'll get better. Rabbi says to you to do something your spiritual teacher your spiritual leader you do what he says. After the fact she did it. Seven times. He says to this woman Rabbi Meir with such incredible humility he says to her say to your husband that you told me to spit once I spit seven times. So she she went back. I don't know tell me that so the students turned to Rabbi Meir and they said to him Rabbi They said Rabbi how do you allow yourself to be to be spit at? And she's going to go back and tell her husband that she she spit in your eye spit in your face. How do you allow yourself to be embarrassed like that? It's it's not covered at all it's not the honor of Torah. You should have told one of us to do it. It sounds like it sounds like they were saying they didn't know what was going on they didn't know the story. >> [sighs] >> They they thought that if if he needed it to be cured it shouldn't be done by a woman who doesn't have that talent or ability it should be done by one of them. You should have asked one of us. You should have asked one of us. Rabbi Meir said do you not think that I want to be like my master? I want to be like Hashem. I want to emulate God. God says I want my name to be erased. I want my name to be erased in order that a man and a woman should have peace in their home. I want to have I want I want this man and woman to have peace in their home. If I can through my bizayon said Rabbi Meir through my embarrassment if I can have a man and a woman that their relationship should be should be mended. That their relationship could be cured. And I think I I don't know you know it's this first of all amazing story that he's willing to do it but I think also Rabbi Meir realized that his own extending his drasha caused a rift. And Friday night is a special time for a man and his wife. >> [snorts] >> And I think that Rabbi Meir maybe maybe realized that he needed to fix this thing. He had made a mistake. So I say you see so many things from this story you see the humility of a Rabbi Meir that he could admit his mistake. And he could he could receive the humiliation of some man some random person he didn't even know. The humiliation of of allowing yourself to have his face spat on. And he was also able to create it in a way where the woman could could do it and it wouldn't seem it wouldn't seem so terrible for her. And that he could make it into something that even her the the the one of the versions says the husband was a rasha. I'm not sure it's not so clear the other versions don't seem to say that. But he was able to to cleverly such such wisdom. But it started with the fact that he could give up his own honor. And he could say Hashem gives up his honor. Hashem allows his name to be erased and Hashem is not on his honor as it were. Hashem wants us to respect his name but sometimes it's appropriate for the name to be erased for peace. And I think that this is such a powerful deeper thing. It's one thing to be my dad. It's one thing to say thank you to somebody. It's one thing to say thank you for this delicious dinner. It's another thing to say to my wife I was wrong. I apologize. I I was getting stuck in my own ego. Giving up my ego. Rabbi Meir teaches us give up your ego. Give up your own honor. Hashem gives up his own honor. For there to be peace. For there to be connection between a man and his wife and and this man doesn't sound like a really great person telling his wife to spit in the face of the Rabbi. And saying I'm not going to let you into my house until you do so. Not a great not a great guy. But Rabbi Meir says I don't care don't I don't care you know the Hashem allows his name to be erased. These people are not the greatest people. She's going off and and and being seen with another man. Alone with another man. But Hashem allows his name to be erased for that. Cuz he wants there to be peace. And so I think it's an incredible lesson an incredible lesson inside of ourselves. There's a an aspect of ourselves which is dark and angry. And egotistical it's called our ego it's called and when Mashiach comes yeah that will be gone but in the meantime it's not. So what do we what do we do? And Rabbi Meir is giving us the hint and Hashem himself gives us the hint. Let myself let myself be erased let my honor be erased. Let my name be erased. Let me admit when I've done something wrong. Let me admit you know maybe I did something wrong in this. Oh but the other person did it this and this and this maybe but where did where was my mistake? Where was my mistake? It's a hard thing to do my friends it's a hard thing to do but this is where shalom comes from. And gadol shalom this is the foundation this is where peace is. This is where peace is. This is where this is where you want to say thank you that's beautiful that's for after Mashiach comes so to speak. Yeah we can all do that it's an easy thing to do even today. Say thank you for dinner. But before it's like can I give it up? Can I give up being right? Can I give up being right? What's more important to me to be right or to be peaceful? I want peace. I want peace inside of myself. I want peace in my relationship with others. I want peace in my relationship with Hashem. So I want to bless you and ask you to bless me. Hashem should help us that we should indeed be able to find that peace. Be able to admit that we're wrong when we're wrong. Be able to admit our mistakes. Hashem should help us to be able to say thank you. To be able to admit that hey I can't do this by myself. Hashem should help us to find the love that's found in peace. Thank you so much for listening. Have a wonderful Shabbos. This podcast was made possible [music] through the gracious donations of listeners like you. For more podcasts like this please visit www.arigoldwag.com [music] or search on iTunes Ari Goldwag.