Rabbi Howard Morrison

As I shared last week, the Talmud informs us of a time when children were first introduced to the study of Torah with the opening chapters of Vayikra and not the familiar stories of Bereishit and Shmot. Sacrifices are pure, and children are pure. Let them be bound with each other. 

For millennia, our people worshipped God with ritual sacrifice and an accompaniment of verbal prayer. Some sacrifices were of animal content, others of vegetable content, some were a matter of choice, some were a matter of obligation. Some sacrifices were completely consumed. Some sacrifices were eaten only by the Priests. Some sacrifices were eaten by the community. Some sacrifices were consumed over time, and others right away.

Last week's portion of Vayikra and this portion of Tzav are almost identical. Vayikra begins with voluntary sacrifices based on the starting point of Israelite practices. Tzav begins with obligatory sacrifices based on the starting point of the kohanim who oversee the ritual process.

The categories of the sacrifices included striving to ascend spiritually, expressing compassion to the poor, dealing with feelings of guilt and sinful behavior, sharing gratitude, aspiring for peace and wellbeing, and more.

While the ancient rabbis lived when there was no more Temple in Jerusalem and no more altar on which to bring sacrifices, volumes of rabbinic literature are replete with details of the Temple and sacrificial system, as well as post-Talmudic compilations of Jewish law. So - did the early rabbis want the Temple and sacrificial system to be brought back as soon as possible? Do we not add meditations after the Kaddish D'Rabanan and after the Amidah for the restoration of the Temple speedily in our day? Or perhaps were the early Sages reverential to a past system but also content to evolve Judaism into a new pattern of behavior? In one ancient story, Rabbi Yochanan consoles his colleagues after the destruction of the Second Temple saying that the new altar is the performance of deeds of lovingkindness. Is that comment meant for a temporary period of time? Or for all time to come?

Today, there are Jews who fervently pray for a restoration of the ancient Temple practices. There is a special Yeshiva for Kohanim in the old city of Jerusalem preparing for that day to come. 

Today, there are Jews who pray the words for a restoration of the Temple but who envision it metaphorically or in vegetarian terms.

Today, there are Jews who refer to the Temple rituals of yesteryear in past tense language as a legitimate stage in the development of Jewish history.

Regardless, until forces larger than yours and mine emerge, our early Sages transformed the imagery of sacrifices into our words and ideas of today: The Amidah, recited three or four times a day, links us to the bringing or burning of sacrifices three or four times a day. The categories of the sacrifices called Olah, Mincha, Chatat, Asham, Todah, and Zevach Shelamim are now found in verbal ideals when one ascends to the Torah for an Aliyah; when one gives Tzedaka to the less fortunate; when one asks for forgiveness for accidental wrongdoing;  When one confesses one's sense of guilt; when one prays with the notions of gratitude and peace.

The original term for the sacrificial service, Avodah, became known as Avodah She'b'lev - the service of the heart.

No one today observes Pesach as it was done in Temple times. Back then, one brought a Paschal lamb to the Temple, had it slaughtered, and then ate it with family and friends combined with Matzah and Marror. Soon after the Temple's destruction, the same Sages who constructed our prayerbook developed the Haggadah and the Seder. A textbook containing fifteen steps, based on fifteen steps ascended by the Levites in the Temple, became our Passover manual. The removal of Chametz from many of the daily sacrifices became the removal of Chametz from our private homes prior to Pesach. 

In a non-leap year, Parshat Tzav, today's portion, would coincide with Shabbat Ha'Gadol, the Great Sabbath preceding Pesach. This year, Parshat Tzav reminds us that Pesach is just over three weeks away. Now is the time to prepare - Review your Haggadah. Maybe purchase a new edition or various editions with more illustrations, instructions, and meaningful commentary. On line, you will find many examples of incorporating the new Jewish reality caused by October 7^th into your Seder experience. For some of us, "next year in Jerusalem" will take place in a number of weeks. We all truly understand sadly the statement, "In each and every generation there are those who arise to annihilate the Jewish people," and so on.

Literally or symbolically, we the Jewish people have always had to make sacrifices for our wellbeing and survival. We will continue to offer up the necessary sacrifices for the refinement of our people and our distinctive way of life.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Howard Morrison