Vayedabber Adonai el Moshe lemor. Zeh korban Aharon uvanav asher yakrivu laAdonai beyom himashach oto: asirit ha’eifah solet minchah tamid, machatzitah baboker u’machatzitah ba’arev. Al machavat bashemen te’aseh murbeket teviennah; tufunaei minchat pitim takriv re’ach nichoach laAdonai. Vehakohen hamashiach tachtav mibanav ya’aseh otah; chok olam laAdonai, kalil taktar. Ve’chol minchat kohen kalil tihyeh, lo te’achel. Vayedabber Adonai el Moshe lemor. Dabber el Aharon ve’el banav lemor: zot torat hachatat—bimkom asher tishachet ha’olah tishachet hachatat lifnei Adonai; kodesh kodashim hi. Hakohen hamechateh otah yochalennah; bamakom kadosh te’achel, bachatzar Ohel Mo’ed. Kol asher yiga bivsarah yikdash, va’asher yizze middamah al-habeged, asher yizze alehah tekhabbes bamakom kadosh. U’kli cheres asher tevusshal bo yishaver; ve’im bikhli nechoshet busshalah, u’moraq ve’shuttaf bammayim. Kol zachar bakkohanim yochal otah; kodesh kodashim hi. Ve’chol chatat asher yuva middamah el Ohel Mo’ed lechaper bakkodesh, lo te’achel—ba’esh tissaref. Ve’zot torat ha’asham: kodesh kodashim hu. Bimkom asher yishchatu et ha’olah yishchatu et ha’asham, ve’et damo yizrok al hamizbe’ach saviv. Ve’et kol chelbo yakriv mimennu: et ha’alyah, ve’et hachelev hamechasseh et hakerev. Ve’et shtei hakelayot, ve’et hachelev asher aleihen asher al hakesalim, ve’et hayoteret al hakaved—al hakelayot yasirennah. Ve’hiktir otam hakohen hamizbechah—isheh laAdonai; asham hu. Kol zachar bakkohanim yochalennu; bamakom kadosh ye’achel, kodesh kodashim hu. Ka’chatat ka’asham torah achat lahem—hakohen asher yechaper bo lo yihyeh. Vehakohen hamakriv et olat ish, or ha’olah asher hikriv lakohen lo yihyeh. Ve’chol minchah asher te’afeh batanur, ve’chol na’asah bammarcheshet ve’al machavat, lakohen hamakriv otah lo tihyeh. Ve’chol minchah belulah bashemen vacharevah lechol Benei Aharon tihyeh, ish ke’achiv.
The Priestly Meal Offering, Sin and Guilt Offerings — Inner Holiness Without Compromise
Parashat Tzav – Second Aliyah
This aliyah continues to reveal the depth, precision, and sacred order in the service of the sacrifices — with a special focus on the roles of the kohanim (priests). It’s both moving and awe-inspiring.
The Torah begins here with a unique offering: the inauguration meal offering for the priests. On the day that Aaron or one of his sons is anointed for priestly service, he must bring a fine flour offering — one-tenth of an eifah, half in the morning and half in the evening. What’s the message here?
The priesthood is not a “status” — it is a mission of constant devotion, morning and evening, without breaks. And it’s not just at the beginning — the Torah calls this a “continual offering”, hinting that one who enters into Divine service cannot abandon it during moments of boredom or difficulty.
The aliyah then transitions into the laws of the Chatat (Sin Offering) and Asham (Guilt Offering):
The location of the slaughtering, the rules for eating, the sanctity of the utensils — even technical details such as: “an earthenware vessel must be broken” if the offering was cooked in it.
Why so many specific laws — especially for these offerings?
💡 A luminous idea from the Meshech Chochmah (Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk):
These offerings come to atone for sins between a person and God — but they also serve to shape the soul of the sinner.
Every detail — the place, the vessel, the specific priest — is intended to awaken a sense of sacred awe, to lead the person into introspection and emotional awareness.
The kohen purifies the offering — and sometimes, also the heart.
🔥 A connection to our own lives:
Inner work — like the Mincha or Chatat offering — doesn’t shine. It has no spotlight. It’s often quiet, hidden — just like the priest’s offering, from which no one may eat. It is entirely burned — a symbol of total surrender.
And so, you too — don’t dismiss your quiet moments, your personal “ashes removal.” These are the acts that shape who you are.
In the same breath, when there is a mistake, a feeling of guilt — the Torah doesn’t shut the door. It teaches a person how to return. How not to fear facing the truth. How to rebuild yourself — quietly, cleanly, with holiness.
Wishing you a good day — filled with quiet and deep heart-work, like a kohen in the courtyard, serving in your own sacred inner Temple.
