Parshat Tzav: The Weekly Parsha Story Illustrated by AI

Hello children. In the previous episode, we learned about different types of sacrifices. In our Torah portion, God continues to command Moshe regarding additional and important details about the service in the Mishkan, the tabernacle. Moshe noticed that Hashem commands him to explain the sacrificial service to Auron's sons, but does not mention Auron himself. Moshe understood that God was angry with Aaron for having caused the Jewish people to sin with the golden calf. Even though Aaron didn't want to make the calf for them, God was angry and therefore didn't mention him. So Moshe prayed for Aon asking Hashem to forgive him. Suddenly he heard the voice of God calling him to enter the Mishkan. Moshe entered. Then God said to him the first verse of the portion, "Command Aaron and his sons." Then Moshe understood that God had forgiven Aaron. God then taught Moshe that sacrifices are not offered at night. And if someone comes in the evening to offer a sacrifice, the Cohen should say to him, "I'm sorry. Come back in the morning to offer your sacrifice." But let me tell you, the fire was on the altar all night and all day. Really? But it's forbidden to offer sacrifices at night. The priests would offer what was left by day, and the fire would burn all the meat throughout the night. There must not be a single moment when there is no sacrifice on the altar. It says in the midrash that once the Gentiles came and said to the Jewish people, "You're wasting your money for nothing. Why are you doing this? Every animal costs a fortune and you're constantly offering sacrifices." The Jewish people answered them. No sin in the world is worth more than the fulfillment of a single mitzvah. The commandments are more important to us than money. This is how the Jewish people view the importance of the commandments. God continued to instruct Moshe and told him that the ritual of Terumat Hadeshen must be performed. What is Terumat Hadeshan? Every night a priest would put on his special priestly garments and lift the ashes from the altar using a special scoop called a makta. It was made of silver. He had to lift the ashes with honor and place them beside the altar. After that, he would change into different clothes and take the ashes to a pit that was near the altar where he would place them. The miracle that occurred there was that the ground would swallow the ashes and make them disappear as if they had never existed. Then Hashem explained to Moshe about the meal offering, which was made from fine flour. When a person brought a meal offering, which was essentially made of fine flour, the priest would take an amount that fit between three fingers and burn it on the altar along with frankincense, which was a type of fragrance. What remained belonged to the priests. The priests would place the offering in a vessel and set it beside the altar. And most interestingly, it was forbidden to bake it. Leaven bread. It's like the matzah on Passover. It's important to know that those who brought a grain offering were poor people who couldn't afford to buy an animal. The high priest is important and he wears distinguished and honorable garments. God commanded the high priest to bring a meal offering every day because the role of the priest could lead him to arrogance and God does not like the arrogant. Therefore, the priest would offer a meal offering which is usually brought by the poor so that he would not become prideful. Another offering that God taught Moshe about is the peace offering which a person would volunteer to bring out of love for God. Another offering is the thanksgiving offering. This offering would be brought by four types of people. The first, someone who had been in prison and was released. The second, a person who had sailed at sea. The third, someone who had been ill and recovered. and the fourth, someone who had traveled through the desert. All of these people bring a thanksgiving offering because they were in danger and God performed a miracle for them. By the way, anyone who brought a thanksgiving offering had to bring 40 loaves of bread. Yes, 40. What do you do with so many loaves of bread? They were required to finish all the bread and the meat by morning. And by the way, whoever brought the offering would go up to Jerusalem and invite their relatives, orphans, widows, and other people. How important it is to remember to thank Hashem who does so many acts of kindness for us even when we don't deserve it. Today, when we no longer have the holy temple, how do we thank Hashem for the miracles and kindness? Our sages instituted the blessing of Hagomel. This blessing is recited by four types of people. The wording of the blessing is blessed is he who manifests kindness to those who are liable and who has granted me kindness. Hashem also warns that it is absolutely forbidden to eat. These are the fatty parts that are offered on the altar or blood. This was a very severe prohibition. The khv forbidden fat belong to the altar and the blood represented the soul. It atoned for our soul. Hashem commands which parts of the offerings are given to the priests? the breast and the thigh of the peace offerings, parts of the meal offerings, and more. This was the gift that Hashem gave to the priests for their sacred service in the Mishkan. All these details teach us how important it is to perform the service of Hashem precisely as it should be done without skipping the smallest detail. Everything had to be done at the right time, in the right place, and in the right way. Aaron and his sons learned all these laws thoroughly. They knew they were performing a very sacred task. They were the intermediaries between the Jewish people and God. Every time someone brought a sacrifice, they would help him come closer to Hashem. Now begins the service of the seven days of inauguration. The priests had specific tasks they had to repeat each day until the eighth day. Why specifically the eighth day and what happened on that day? We'll tell you all about it in the next episode. [Music]