Parashat Tzav – 5783
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Sites
Parashat Tzav, the second in the book of Leviticus, continues to detail the laws of the sacrifices they made in the Mishkan, the Tabernacle – the temporary temple that accompanied the Israelites in the desert, and then in the Temple in Jerusalem. Unlike the previous parasha, this one details the laws of eating the sacrifices, and relating to this, we find three types of sacrifices: the sacrifice of “olah” is not eaten at all by a man, but is entirely sacrificed on the altar; each of the sacrifices of “chatat”, “asham” and “mincha” – part is sacrificed on the altar and part of it is eaten by the kohanim, the priests serving in the Temple; whereas the sacrifice of “shelamim” is unusual in that part of it is sacrificed on the altar, part of it is eaten by the priests, and part of it is eaten by the bringer of the sacrifice.
What is the meaning of the name “shelamim”? Rashi, the great commentator of the Torah, offered two interpretations based on the words of the Midrash Tannaim for the book of Leviticus, known as Torat HaKohanim. According to the first interpretation, the “shelamim” sacrifice has a specific ability to bring peace to the world, and the sacrifice is called “shelamim” from the word for peace (shalom) – due to its result. The second interpretation also connects the name “shelamim” to the word “peace” and explains their relationship by the fact that this sacrifice is eaten by three: The altar that “eats” part of it, the kohanim, and the person who brought the sacrifice. These three make peace between them when they participate in the eating of the sacrifice.
We can understand the concept of “peace” when it comes to the relationship between two people, or two states. Peaceful relations mean that human beings behave with each other in friendship and solidarity. But what kind of “peace” is needed for the altar? If we look at the religious expression expressed by the sacrifice, we can understand the meaning of this “peace”.
The different sacrifices convey different aspects of religious expression. The sacrifice of the “olah” expresses one’s desire to give and devote oneself to holiness. Therefore, this sacrifice is not eaten at all by humans but is entirely sacrificed on the altar. This sacrifice is not limited to Jews alone. According to Halacha, even a person who is not Jewish can bring an “olah” sacrifice to the Temple since all people can and are invited to devote themselves to holiness. In contrast, the sacrifices of “chatat” and “asham” come to atone for sin. The person who feels guilty for his sin brings a sacrifice whose meaning is a kind of reconciliation offering that allows for turning a new page in one’s relationship with G-d. But the sacrifice of “shelamim” does not come to atone for sin. It is brought by a person who wants to express thanks and joy for his life.
The way to express the gratitude and joy between people is sometimes through a shared meal. Food—said the sages—brings hearts closer. This person, who strives to express gratitude and joy, expresses his feelings through a “joint meal” with G-d. Needless to say, G-d does not eat anything. This is a purely symbolic act, with the sacrifice on the altar seeming to man as G-d “eating” it, and in the language of the Torah: “pleasing fragrance to the Lord.”
But there is a third side to this “peace”: the kohanim. They, too, receive a part of the sacrifice and are also partners in this three-way “peace”. The kohanim are human beings, and the message in this is that there will be no peace between man and G-d without peace between people. Only when the bringer of the sacrifice shares with the kohanim, which expresses the “peace” between them, can there be peace between man and G-d.
Religion brings people closer together, not just when they are members of one community. When a person internalizes the proper conception of Judaism, he learns that to properly worship G-d, what is required of him includes proper relations with others. Morality does not exist parallel with the religious world, and certainly does not contradict it. Judaism includes morality and calls on all of humanity: there is no true religiosity without unity and peace between us, human beings.
