Rav Zevin on Tzav

Rav Zevin is awesome

צַו אֶת-אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת-בָּנָיו לֵאמֹר וגו' (וקרא ו:ב)

Rashi comments that the use of the word צו, command, in the beginning of this week’s parashah is an expression of zeiruz, urging on, meant for that moment and for future generations. Rashi also quotes Torat Kohanim where R’ Shimon says that the Torah needs to convey the need for urging especially in a situation where there is chesron kis, monetary loss, such as here where Aharon and all of the other Kohanim perform the Avodah without any payment.

It is the usual way of the world that when something new suddenly pops up before us, it creates a feeling of excitement inside us that we don’t have for things which we are accustomed to daily. Be it the latest iPod or a new flavor at Ben & Jerry’s, for some reason people are just excited around new and unusual things. But the real ikar idea that should be noted in this phenomenon is not the active feelings of excitement, but rather the passive feelings of indifference that people have for that which they are used to, despite the fact that what we have around us all the time is often even more wondrous and amazing than anything new that may come along. The sun rises and sets every day, and many people habitually go about their daily tasks without even giving this natural occurrence a second thought. Were someone to take a moment to appreciate the sheer magnitude of this cosmological occurrence, the universal harmony flaunted by the many astronomical factors involved, certainly one would be filled to the brim with amazement over the world that is around him every day. It is, however, unfortunate that this among countless other things goes unnoticed by the general population as is the way of the world.

Rav Shlomo Zevin writes that this is why the Torah says והיו הדברים האלה אשר אנכי מצוך היום וגו',  “And these matters that I command you today…” (Devarim 6:6); that every day the mitzvot should be like new before us, as Rashi explains. A person is supposed to view the Torah every day as if it were given to him that day and approach it with the same vigor and excitement as he would something new. In Shacharit in regards to Beri’at HaOlam we say “המחדש בטובו בכל יום תמיד מעשה בראשית”. By all of Creation around us we should feel the renewal that occurs every day. This is why something which is to be performed from this moment and forever on, like these mitzvot being given to Aharon and the other Kohanim, there is a special need for the Torah to emphasis this point out the need for zerizut, that the Kohanim should be urged and urge themselves on so that the mitzvot should not appear as old and dry to them because of the regularity.   

In the Midrash that Rashi above quotes, R’ Shimon adds that we especially need urging on where there is chesron kis. Rav Zevin explains that when life is peaches and cream, it’s nothing to marvel at when someone keeps the mitzvot and does ma’asim tovim. When things are going well and life is more relaxed, it’s easy for a person to do such things. It’s when times are hard that we really show who we are in our commitment to mitzvot. The Gemara in Yevamot says that if one lends money to one who is poor when he in a time of need, the Torah says of him אָז תִּקְרָא וַה' יַעֲנֶה וגו', “Then you shall call and Hashem shall respond.” (Yeshayah 58:9) Some explain this as referring to when the lender is in a time of need. The Gemara in Berachot states that HaKadosh Baruch said to the Mal’achei HaShareit, “How can I not raise My face towards Yisrael, for I said to them “ואכלת ושבעת וברכת” and they are medakdek in this until a k’zayit and a k’beitaza?” Usually this would explained as referring to the mitzvah of Birkat HaMazon, but Rav Zevin says it can be learned another way in that it refers to all mitzvot in general. That is to say, Bnei Yisrael bless Hashem not only when they are satiated and all is good, but even when food and sustenance is scarce as a k’zayit and k’beitaza. That even when times are hard and life is as good as it is at other times, Bnei Yisrael are still mevarech Hashem for what they have.

This is why immediately upon leaving Mitzrayim, Bnei Yisrael were commanded about eating matzah- לחם עוני, “poor man’s bread.” This is to symbolize that the Torah was given to be upheld even in poverty, and as the Mishnah says in Avot, וכל המקיים את התורה מעוני סופו לקיימה מעושר (Avot 4:11). This correlates to the Torah writing in a way that connotes a language of zeiruz when there is chesron kis. At a time of poverty and chesron kis it can be very easy for a person to stumble and veer off from the proper path in life, the path of Torah and miztvot. Therefore, the Torah has to come and urge us on to be mechazek and me’ametz us in our Avodat Hashem. May we be zoche to be invigorated in our Avodat Hashem with a feeling of hit’chadshut every day.