Shabbat Table Talk
Week of Week of 29 March to 04 April
Torah Portion: Leviticus 6:1-8:36
Haftarah: Malachi 3:4-24
Readings for Sunday
As we begin reading Parashat Tzav there is an immediate sense of “we’ve heard this before!” and we have. It was Br Jack Driscoll who first alerted me, many years ago, to the “tool” of repetition in his “Archaeology of the Word” and so the “dig” begins.
Much repetition is found in the description of the sacrificial offerings found in Parashat Vayikra, last week’s Torah portion [Lev 1:1-5:26], and now once again in Parashat Tzav. The question that repetition calls forth is: “Why is this important for the writer?” and if it is important for the writer, then another question in this “dig” is: “In what way is it important for me?”
In the first eight chapters of Leviticus five types of sacrifice are mentioned, they are separated not only into different categories, but there is a difference in the structure as well. Each sacrifice relates to a different kind of offering, each serving a particular purpose, and each sacrifice includes different elements.
The burnt-offering, olah, “acknowledges God as Lord of life and atones for sins.” Male and unblemished cattle, sheep, goats and birds are what are offered [Lev 1:1-17; 6:8-13; 8:18-12].
As regards the meal-offering (minhah) only a portion of the of grain, flour, frankincense, oil and bread is burnt, the rest is eaten by the priests. This is done in thanksgiving for good crops and like the burnt-offering is a joyful worship [Lev 2:1-16; 6:14-23].
When it comes to the peace-offering, shelamin [Lev 3:1-17; 7:11-34] which is also known as a “well-being sacrifice”, any unblemished animal – male or female cattle, sheep or goats are brought to the altar. This sacrifice is not completely burned, only the fatty portions which are considered to be the choice parts are sacrificed to God, this is because the remainder of the sacrifice is eaten by the donors and their families. Birds are not accepted – they are too small for group participation!
To atone for sin that is unintended or unplanned, a loss of holiness or a cleansing from impurity, a sin-offering or “purgation offering” (hatat) is sacrificed. Hatat can be sacrificed for a whole people or only for a priest. If the offender is an ordinary person or a group of people, a goat is offered; if the person or group is poor, a bird or fine flour is acceptable but if the offender is a priest, then a bull is required for atonement. [Lev 4:1-5:13; 6:24-30]. The blood of the goat or bird is sprinkled on an altar in the outer courtyard for the lay person, but for a priest or for a group offence, the blood is sprinkled around the altar in the holy interior.
Asham – the guilt or reparation-offering, is regarded as a “pay-back” to God for something we “should have given or done”. This is an atonement to remove guilt [Lev 5:14-26; 7:1-6]. First of all “the original wrong must be undone and the additional compensation must be offered to God” and then a ram or sheep is burnt, its blood sprinkled on the altar.
The significant difference between the two parashot is the order in which the types of sacrifice are mentioned. This is another clue to our “dig” – why? Leibowitz suggests that the change in the order of the peace-offering indicates and reflects the holiness of the offerings “beginning with the holiest (kodeshei kodashim): burnt-offerings, meal-offerings, sin-offerings, guilt-offerings followed by the lesser or “lighter” sanctity (kodashim kalim), e.g. peace-offerings” (p.65)
When we compare the opening verses of the two parashot with what Leibowitz states (p.64) we discover a supportive difference that gives us another clue to the writer’s intention. In chapter one verse two of Parashat Vayikra, we read: “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them:” and in Parashat Tzav chapter six verse two, we read: “Command Aaron and his sons, saying:” so we notice not only a difference in who is addressed, but there is also a change in approach. Whereas in addressing the “children of Israel” it is about their offering of themselves to God (R.David Hoffman p.23) they are the subject of the offering (R.Bahya p.27). In addressing Aaron and his sons it is about the role of the priest: “A perpetual fire shall be kept burning on the altar, not to go out” [6:6], keeping the fire burning attracts our attention, it is repeated three times The expression of holiness: “it is most holy” occurs five times. Why? What could this mean to me? “Indeed, the word of God is living and effective…” [Hebrews 4:12]
The emphasis on sacrifice, the important role of the priest, in keeping the fire burning and the repetition of “it is most holy” reminded me of the refrain that we hear over and over again in Leviticus (it was my year at Bat Kol!) “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy” This stress on holiness reminded the Israelites that God lived among them. It defines the awareness of, and the respect for, the divine presence that surrounds us everywhere.
In spite of God’s willingness to live among his people, God’s ways are far removed from our ways and our relationship with God and our approach towards God, needs to be honoured. I need to develop an attitude of approaching God as worthily as possible. A wonderful extract from The Catholic Bible puts holiness into perspective:
“Keep in mind that ritual uncleanness in itself was not considered harmful or even sinful. Daily life, after all, made uncleanness impossible to avoid. God is the holy one; human beings of necessity fall short of God’s holiness. The point, then, was not that one always had to be ritually clean, but that one could not approach God unless he or she was clean. Coming into the presence of God in an unclean state was truly dangerous, for God’s holiness could not abide it. While Exodus taught the people how to make holy objects, Leviticus teaches them how to be holy people.” (p.RG65)
The Haftarah encourages us by reminding us that God does not change and we will never cease to be “sons of Jacob”, we have always fallen short of God’s perfection as we fail to observe the laws laid down for us. However we are calledover and over again: “Return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts” [Mal 3:7].
We in the Christian faith have the supreme example of Jesus who offered himself as a sacrifice for many. As we reflect on Parashat Tzav we can perhaps better understand, the meaning of the death of Jesus and the celebration of Eucharist.
For Reflection and Discussion: [1] What feelings or emotions surface when you spend some time reflecting on the repetition of “sacrifice”, “keep the fire burning” or “it is most holy…”? Journal a prayer of praise, worship, petition or thanksgiving [2] The sacrifice of Shelamin ,a well-being sacrifice, which forms part of a chiastic structure, carries great merit as “it seeks neither material nor spiritual benefit” [Plaut p.784] It is an offering of thanksgiving (todah) or brought in fulfilment of a vow (neder) or just as a freewill offering (nedavah). What offering could you make this week and who will you invite?
Bibliography: Plaut (ed.), The Torah, A Modern Commentary (New York 1981); The Catholic Bible: Personal Study Edition (New York 1995); Leibowitz, New Studies in Vayikra (Israel 1996)
