"Command Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘this
is the law of the burnt offering…’” (Lev. 6:9), are YHVH's words to Moshe at
the beginning of our Parasha, named after the imperative form for “command” - "tzav." "The law (of the burnt
offering)" is rendered "torah,"
making the usage of this word here, “binding instructions.” This is one of
several examples of the way this multi-faceted term is utilized. But before
attending to the subject matters included in the Parasha, let us pause and look
at an all important word that appeared three times in last week’s Parashat
Vayikra (in Lev. 4:3, 5, 16, being its first appearing in Scripture), and once
in ours (6:22). This word is “mashi’ach,” translated “anointed.” In
Hebrew, however, there is a clear distinction between “anointed” in verb form (such
as in 6:20), which is literally “to coat with oil,” as well as the adjective
form such as in Sh’muel Bet (2nd Samuel) 3:39 where David declares: “And
I am weak today, though anointed (“mashu’ach”) king,” AND the noun:
“Mashia’ch.” In order to illustrate
the difference we can take, for example, the verb “to appoint.” An “appointed
person” is an adjective, whereas “appointee” is classified as a noun.
Similarly, “mashi’ach” is not someone who has been merely smeared or coated
with oil, whether for a singular function or several functions, or even for a
permanent position or calling. “Mashi’ach’s” function and nature, his very
being, are embodied in his person. And even though this term was used regarding
the priests (or the people of Yisrael - “m’shi’chim” – plural, in Ps. 105:15), these were
obviously not The Messiah. Yet this
rendering was employed with the long term view to the coming of the one and
only “Mashi’ach” – the Anointee,
if you will.
Back to the Parasha’s topics, with the main
one being the listing of the various sacrifices/offerings, with added
specifications. The interaction and connection that exists between them is one
more feature introduced in this Parasha. Thus, we read about the meal offering
- "mincha" (6:17b): “It is
most holy, like the sin offering, and
like the guilt offering"
(italics added). In verse 25, it says about the sin offering ("chatat"): "This is the law
[torah] of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed, the sin offering shall be
killed before YHVH" (italics added). Likewise, regarding the guilt
offering ("a'sha'm"): “In
the place where they kill the burnt
offering, they shall kill the guilt offering" (7:2, italics added), and
again in 7:7: "As a sin offering
is, so [is] a guilt offering. One law [torah] is for them. The priest
who makes atonement by it, it is his"
(italics added).
In summation, the meal offerings' holiness is identical to that of both
the sin and guilt offerings, all of which are denoted by the term "kodesh kodashim" - holy of holies – i.e. the "holiest of all." The animals for the
sin and guilt offerings are to be killed in the same place as the burnt offering. Similarly, both the sin and guilt offerings
are to have one "torah,"
according to which they actually belong
to the priest who makes the atonement of these two offerings. Thus, status
(of holiness), place, and ownership are the three common elements
shared in some way by all four of these sacrifices/offerings.
These same three
attributes may be quite easily related to the person of Yeshua, to what He has
accomplished, and hence to the benefits that we derive thereby:
1. Holiness: “The
Holy One and the Just” (Acts 3:14 in reference to Yeshua, italics added).
"According as He chose
us in Him before the foundation of the world, for us to be holy and without blemish before
Him in love" (Eph. 1:4, italics added).
2. Place: "I am going to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2, italics added). “In Him we live and move and
have our being”
(Acts 17:28 italics added).
3. Ownership by the Priest: "I am the Good Shepherd, and I know those
that are mine, and I am known by the
ones that are mine" (John 10:14, italics added). "I guarded those whom You gave to Me" (John 17:12, italics
added). "Of those whom You gave to
Me, I lost not one of them" (John 18:9, italics added). “Seeing then that we have a great High
Priest who has passed through the heavens, Yeshua the Son of Elohim” (Hebrews
4:14).
Following the instructions for the
"guilt offering" is the "torah
of zeva'ch sh’lamim,” or “the law of the sacrifice peace offerings”
(7:11-21), which appears to stand on its own. However, its conspicuous
placement after the mention of the "guilt offering" may be
significant. Last week, in Parashat Vayikra, we noted that the "guilt
offering" was accompanied by reparations for damages incurred (5:6-8).
Peace and reconciliation cannot take place before one is relieved of one's
guilt (through YHVH’s provision, such as making good for damages). We also noted that "sh'lamim" is of the root sh.l.m, meaning "complete
or whole," as well as
"peace, reconciliation and payment." But the actual term for
"peace offering" - sh'lamim - is rendered in the plural form. This is
not surprising, as this type of sacrifice includes three differing aspects or
categories: thanksgiving, oath and a freewill offering
(7:12-16).
Thanksgiving is "toda," from the root y.d.a
(yod, dalet, hey) connected to "hand"
or “arm” – “yad” (and confession, as we observed last week).
Interestingly, in quite a few cases carrying out a vow is conveyed as "paying the vow/oath" - "shalem neh'de'r" -
making use of both these terms (“peace/whole/pay” and “oath”) together (e.g. 2 Sam.
15:7; Ecc. 5:4; Is. 19:21*; Jonah 2:9). The freewill offering is termed "n'dava," which
is a word we encountered in Parashat Trumah (in Ex. 25:2). The root n.d.v. speaks of generosity and free giving. “Oath” as "neh'de'r” (n.d.r) is connected to another root,
n.z.r, which is the root for "nazarite," being the adjective for 'he
who is bound by a neh'de'r - oath'
(see for example Numbers 6:2). The root n.z.r also appears in our Parasha.
In 8:9, toward the end of the Parasha, we
read about the consecration of A'ha'ron and his sons: "And put the miter
on his head, and on the miter, on its front, he put the golden plate, the holy
crown; as YHVH commanded Moses." The "holy crown" here is "nezer
ha'kodesh," the “crown of holiness.” Since the nazarite
is a person who is "consecrated
or dedicated," the root n.z.r appears to be a fusion of that
which pertains to a priestly ministry (even as the priests were to wear this
crown) and at the same time also referring to a crown, an item associated with
royalty. Does the term “nezer,” therefore, allude to the office of king-priest,
particularly as it was to be fulfilled in Yeshua (see Zech. 6:13)?
"As
to the flesh of the sacrifice of the thanksgiving peace offerings, it shall be
eaten in the day of his offering. He shall not leave of it until morning"
(7:15). This idea engendered a variety of comments on the part of the sages and
rabbis. Maimonides, writing in The Guide
for the Perplexed- part 3, proffers the following reason: “‘The offerings
must all be perfect and in the best condition, in order that no one should
slight the offering or treat it with contempt’. And according to Sefer
haHinuch: ‘There is an allusion [here]
to our trust in God; a man should not begrudge himself his food and store it
for the morrow, seeing that God commanded to utterly destroy sanctified meat
after its time, when no creature - man or beast - is allowed to partake of it.’”
This point of view is comparable to the way the Israelites were supposed to
regard the manna.2 Notice that the Pesach lamb also had to be consumed
without leaving its remains overnight
(Ex. 12:10). In addition, if the offerer was to partake of the peace
offering, he had to be ritually clean or else be cut off from his people (ref.
7: 20, 21). Similarly, in 1st Corinthians 11:20-34, we read that
those who were breaking bread together were not to do so “unworthily, [such]
that one will be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine
himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and let him drink of the cup; for he
who is eating and drinking unworthily eats and drinks judgment to himself, not
discerning the body of the Lord" (v. 27-29).
Still on “Ze'vach sh'lamim" and its
above mentioned features… This offering may be seen as an analogy to Yeshua's perfect
(shalem) and "one [time] offering… [that] has perfected the ones being sanctified for all time" (Heb.
10:14, italics added), who are thereby able "through Him… [to] offer up a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Elohim always, that is, the fruit of the lips…” (Heb.
13:15, italics added).
"Any person who eats any blood, even
that person shall be cut off from his people" (7:27). In last week's Hebrew
Insights we looked at Vayikra 17:11, regarding the “blood which makes atonement
for the soul." It also says there that, “the life is in the blood."
And while Mankind - "adam"
- is of the earth ("adama"), he is also of blood, which is "dam." Man cannot partake
of the very substance which is divinely designed to both give him life AND
cover his sin and iniquity.
In chapter 8, dealing with the consecration
of the priesthood, one of the words used for "consecration" is "milu'im" (v. 22, 28,29,31,33), of
the root "m.l.a" (mem,
lamed, alef), meaning "full, to
make full or fulfill,” and by implication "consecrate," as is seen in verse 33:
"…until the days of your consecration
– mi’lu’ey’chem” are fulfilled – melot. For He shall consecrate – ye’maleh - you seven
days" (italics added). The connection of "maleh" (singular form)
to consecration seems rather obscure. Yet when looking at the items pertaining
to the act of consecration, in verses 25 and 26, all of which were to be placed
on the palms of A'ha'ron's hands and his sons’, we get a glimpse of the
connection between 'making holy' and 'full.'
This is how it is described in the Gill Commentary: "And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his
sons," [&c.], which accounts for the use of the phrase, filling the
hand for consecration." Gill goes on to say - "For all the above
things of the ram, bread, cakes and wafers were put into their hands when
consecrated, denoting their investiture with their office: all things are in
the hands of Messiah, relative to the glory of God and the good of his people.
Their persons are in his hands, and all grace and blessings of it for them; a
commission to execute his office as a priest is given to him. And as it was proper that he also should have
somewhat to offer (Heb. 8:3), his hands are filled, and he has a sufficiency
for that purpose, as Aaron and his sons had."3 And
to that we add: “And out of His fullness we all received, and grace on
top of grace. For the Torah was given through Moses, and grace and truth came
through Messiah Yeshua" (John 1:16,17, italics added).
The
Parasha ends with A’ha’ron and sons doing as they were commanded, that is sitting
for a complete seven days and nights at the door of the Tent of Meeting,
thus fulfilling the “charge of YHVH” (8:35) for their sanctification -
“milu’im” (again, literally, “fullness” or “completion”).
Lastly, another interesting encounter with
the term “fulfill” or “fulfilling” by the “hand” is found
in Divrey Hayamim Bet (2nd Chronicles). At the inauguration of the (first)
Temple
Notes:
*. “ Then YHVH
will be known to Egypt Egypt
2. New Studies in Vayikra Part 1, Nechama Leibowitz, trans. Aryeh Newman.
Eliner Library, Department for Torah Education and Culture in the Diaspora.
Hemed Books Inc., Brooklyn ,
N.Y.
3. Gill Commentary, On Line Bible.
Hebrew Tools for Everyday Use
The anointing, spiritual or material (and of
course Mashi’ach) is rooted in the consonants m.sh.ch (mem, shin, kaf/chaf) and
anointing would be “meshicha”, a word which is used only in believing circles
in Israel
Thank you for the cream (spread, ointment)
Toda lecha al ha’mish’cha (addressing a male)
Toda lach al ha’mish’cha (addressing a female)
I am not guilty - masculine
Ani lo ashem
I am not guilty – feminine
Ani lo ashema
This place is holy
Ha’makom haze kadosh (literally, the place this, is holy)
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