Torah Bites for Your Table: Parshat Tzav

Hi Friends

In this week's Torah reading of Parshat Tzav, we encounter the variety of offerings mandated to be given by the Israelites within the biblical sacrificial system. Each offering is grounded in notions of what type of religious worldview the bible wanted to develop in the Jewish people. For example, the parasha tells us about an offering that is to be brought as a "sacrifice of well-being" in the following text:

“This is the ritual of the peace-offering (well-being) sacrifice that one may offer to the Lord: If he offers it for thanksgiving, he shall offer together with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes with oil mixed in, unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes of choice flour with oil mixed in, well soaked. This offering, with cakes of leavened bread added, he shall offer along with his thanksgiving sacrifice of well-being” (Lev. 7:11-7:13).

When you look at this passage, you will notice, in contrast to many other offerings, a person is obligated to make an offering of bread to God as their offering of well-being. In commenting on the symbolism of this offering, the Keli Yakar, an early modern commentator from Poland, writes the following:

"Why was an offering of bread added to the offering of thanksgiving? In order that the donor might be able to share this, the tangible demonstration of his gratitude to God, with as many of his friends and neighbors as possible" (K’li Yakar on Lev. 7:11).

The commentary above attempts to remind us that while there are many reasons why one would bring an offering for the benefit of God, it is important to note that our offerings to God attempt to build community, as well. On the one hand, sometimes our offerings build community because everyone is obligated to make the same offering, at the same time. However, in the case above, the Keli Yakar is telling us that our offering builds community but allowing us to share that which we offer with our community. Although we no longer practice a sacrificial, there is no reason that we cannot continue embracing the notion that things we sacrifice to God can also be sacrifice to our community, as well. May we merit the ability to make offerings that show our communities that we care and embrace the holiness of one another.

Shabbat Shalom
Josh