Parashat Tzav

This week our parasha continues with the details of the korbanot, the offerings to be brought on the altar in the mishkan, and later the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Last week we read about the various offerings that an individual would bring. These offerings were always brought during the day.

In Parashat Tzav we get an insight into the domain of the kohanim (priests), whose activities extended into the night. “It is the olah offering that is on the fire all night, until the morning, and the flames of the altar will remain burning” (Lev. 6:2).

The night seems to be the stage for acts of elevated holiness, to take place while most of the world is sleeping.
The Talmud (Eruvin 65a) reports an interesting exchange about the different qualities of day and night activities. Rabbi Yehuda says that nights are for sleeping, implying that daytime is the best opportunity for acquiring wisdom, while R’ Shimon Ben Lakish says that moonlight was created only for learning. Rav Zeira credited the clarity of his learning to his daytime study. Obviously there is more going on here than meets the eye.

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888) teaches that for most of the world, the day is the most powerful platform for our activities. The clarity that Rav Zeira mentioned is epitomized by the unique prophecy of Moshe himself, who, unlike any other prophet, did not communicate with G-d in a dream or night vision. “Rather, the Word of G-d that came to Moshe reached the lucid intellect of an aware individual” (R’ S.R. Hirsch, Vayikra 6:2). Therefore, it is only natural that the korbanot be offered during the day. No new offerings could be accepted after hours.

But, after a day of striving, of accomplishment, of offering our best, and celebrating our very existence, we can rest assured that the processes that went into play by light of day can continue into the night. Rav Hirsch points out a chronological dichotomy. The universal structure of time begins at night, and proceeds into the day. “……And it was evening, and it was morning, one day” (Gen. 1:5). The yearly calendar follows suit. Rosh Hashana, the anniversary of the creation of human life, takes place in the fall month of Tishrei. The year begins in the autumn and proceeds into the night of winter, and awakens to spring time, matures into summer, and fades away in a wash of color.

Not so the sacred chronology. Here, life begins with the day, where one can toil, and invest in the future, knowing that our physical and spiritual offerings will remain burning deep into the night. Rav Hirsch writes,” For the night, which symbolizes the stillness of death, cannot drag down the day down after it; rather, the day, which symbolizes a life of closeness to G-d, raises with it the night”.

Likewise, the sacred calendar starts with the month of Nissan, the month of Aviv, that is, springtime. Our dedication and hard work make it possible to proceed into the dark of winter knowing that we have done our part, and that G-d will provide the return on our investment.

As the fires burn on the altar into the evening, the darkness of night provides the stage for our ultimate redemption. It’s no surprise we are days away from the festival of freedom, from Pesach. The Torah tells us the Exodus took place at midnight, and during our seder we will recall the power of the divine illuminated against the dark backdrop, in the song Vayehi bachatzi ha’layla, It Happened at Midnight.

“Bring quickly, Lord, the day which is not day or night.
The day is yours, G-d, and so is the night.
Set guards about your city day and night,
Give us vision clear by day by night,
And it came to pass, at midnight”

The true vision of freedom will be as clear as day.
Next Year in Jerusalem…..

Shabbat Shalom, and good night,

Rabbi Greg

“The past is the present, isn’t it? It’s the future, too.”
Eugene O’Neill

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