My Weekly Drash (a mini D'var Torah) - Tzav (2)
Posted by Daniel M. Kimmel on April 1, 2009 | Tags:
God has some interesting instructions for Moses to convey to the Israelites in Parshah Tzav: "The offering to the Lord from a sacrifice of well-being must be presented by him who offers his sacrifice of well-being to the Lord." (Lev. 7:29) This is interesting because, as far as the average Israelites are concerned, the sacrificial process is done by someone else. Non-priests had no real role other than providing the offerings, and were barred from the altar area or participating. Yet here, in making a thanksgiving offering, it is the person who actually benefited who must personally "present" his sacrifice to the priest. You can't send your secretary out to drop off your ox while picking up your dry-cleaning. It's the same idea when our children are told they have to (or had to) write their own thank you notes for bar/bat mitzvah gifts. The expression of gratitude must be a personal one, or it doesn't really mean anything.
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Daniel M. KimmelJoined: October 2, 2007 Daniel M. Kimmel is a Boston area film critic, lecturer and author. He does these weekly mini-lessons for the Mishkan Tefila Brotherhood's newsletter. You are free to use them for similar purposes. Divrei Torah (117) |
