CHAMISHOH MI YODEI'A - FIVE QUESTIONS ON THE WEEKLY SEDRAH - PARSHAS TZAV 5772 - BS"D

2) Ch. 6, v. 6: "Lo sei'o'feh chometz" - It shall not be baked leavened - The only exception to this rule is the two breads brought on Shovuos. They are chometz. What is the rationale for this exception?

3) Ch. 6, v. 13: "Zeh korban Aharon uvonov …… b'yom himoshach oso" - this is the offering of Aharon and his sons …… on the day of his anointment - Every Kohein must bring a meal offering, called "minchas chavitin," on the day of his inauguration. The Kohein Godol brings this offering every day, and it is offered half in the morning and half in the afternoon. Why does the Torah require of him to do this daily?

4) Ch. 7, v. 2: "Yish'chatu es ho'oshom" - They shall slaughter the guilt-offering - Rashi says that this refers to a guilt-offering of the "tzibur." This is most puzzling, as the gemara T'muroh 14a says that we find no "oshom shel tzibur."

5) Ch. 7, v. 10: "V'chol minchoh vluloh vashemen vacha'reivoh l'chol bnei Aharon ti'h'yeh" - And every minchoh that is mixed with oil and a dry one shall be for all the sons of Aharon - Why are these two particular types of meal offering given to all Kohanim for consumption rather than being limited to the Kohein who processes them?

ANSWERS:

#1

Now that he was finally mentioned by name, we find the seemingly lackluster task of removal of ash from the altar, and at a very early hour to boot, when hardly anyone is around to see the Kohein. This teaches us that the essence of any mitzvoh is not its glamour and splendour. Rather, it is the fact that one is fulfilling Hashem's command. This is why priestly garments should be donned even for such a service. (Rabbeinu Yonah)

#2

The reason for this is because Shovuos is the day we received the Torah. The angels were not ready to have the heavens relinquish the Torah. Moshe pleaded the case for humanity to have the Torah by asking, "Do you angels have an evil inclination?" Since chometz symbolizes the evil inclination we make an exception on Shovuos and bring breads that are "chometzdik." (Kli Yokor)

#3

Abarbanel offers 9 reasons for the Kohein Godol's bringing it every day.

1) By bringing an offering daily he will repent daily. As the spiritual leader of the generation and its representative in the Beis Hamikdosh, he must be in top spiritual form. Before he can serve as the agent to cleanse others of their sins, he himself must be cleansed (gemara Sanhedrin 18).

2) This will spur others on to bring offerings when they have sinned, as they will surely take a lesson from him.

3) This will keep sinners from being reluctant because of shame, to bring sin-offerings.

4) This will keep poor people who can only afford to bring a meal offering from being reluctant to bring their offerings, as the Kohein Godol himself brings a daily meal-offering.

5) This will bring the feeling of humility into the heart of the Kohein Godol, as his offering is the same as a poor person's.

6) Since he and his descendants will consume the meal-offerings of the bnei Yisroel daily, he must bring his own daily and have it burned in its entirety, to symbolize that his eating of others' is not to stuff his belly, but rather to serve as a form of burning/consumption of their offerings similar to that of the altar.

7) To serve as a daily thanks for receiving numerous "matnos K'hunoh" benefits, not only in the Beis Hamikdosh, but also from throughout the land

8) To make up for the possible shortfall of an incomplete "kmitzoh" portion for the altar.

9) To guarantee on a twice daily basis, morning and afternoon, that public and private offerings are brought - The "korban tomid" is the public offering, and the "minchas chavitin machatzisoh vaboker umachatzisoh bo'erev" is the private offering. Mayonoh shel Torah offers that although a regular Kohein only brings this offering on the day of his inauguration the Kohein Godol is expected to raise himself daily, to grasp new levels of service of Hashem. Thus he goes through a daily inauguration, as his office of Kohein Godol is a new greater responsibility daily.

#4

Because of this difficulty the Maharsha"l says that our text of Rashi is incorrect, and it should say "l'fi SHELO motzinu." However, the Avnei Neizer says that in the days of Ezra the "eil tzone al ashmosOM" (Ezra 10:19) was brought for many people sinning (commentators say that they sinned with a "shifchoh charufoh"), a special ruling called "horo'as sho'oh." This explains why Rashi expresses himself with "l'fi shemotzinu," - because we FIND, and not "l'fi she'yeish," - because there is. This actually took place. (Chayei Yitzchok)

#5

Rabbi Yoseif Bchor Shor offers that since these two types of minchoh do not require as much effort in preparation, as they are not baked, all Kohanim get a portion. Medrash Hagodol says that since these two types specifically come for atonement, and we have the maxim, "Kohanim ochlim uvaalim miskaprim," the Kohanim eat the offering and this brings about atonement for the owners, it is no simple matter to have human consumption on such a lofty level to expiate a sinner. By giving the meal offering to many Kohanim, even though each receives a paltry amount, we maximize the probability of a Kohein who can bring about atonement. I don't fully understand this. The "minchoh v'luloh vashemen" is not offered for atonement. An atonement minchoh is always without oil.

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