The importance of being commanded: Tzav 5785

The word “tzav” conveys much of the basic message of Judaism and the traditions of Torah life.  Even though we live, or believe that we do, in a world of free choice and personal autonomy, the structure of every civilization and society is based on commands to do certain things in life. Sometimes it is our family that makes these demands on us; other times it is our work. Still other times it is the government that intrudes upon our autonomy. There is always a piece of us, deeply hidden within the recesses of our psyche, that rebels against these intrusions on our personal right to decide.

 Recognizing this, the Torah emphasizes the need for commandments to ensure a moral lifestyle and a better society. Even the great Aharon, the paradigm of human goodness and peace, the holy High Priest of Israel, must be commanded. The strength of being commanded, of “tzav”, is the bulwark of Jewish tradition. Without that ingredient of asher tzivanu (“He who has commanded us”) there is no Judaism and ultimately no private or public Jewish life.

 From infancy onwards, we are shaped and raised by commandments. The rabbis called this process chinuch—laying a strong foundation for our lives. The “tzav” which introduces this week’s parsha is not only to be understood in its literal and narrow meaning as applying to the laws of Temple sacrifices and the High Priest. It must be seen as the basic expression of the mindset of Judaism in all its aspects.

Special note should be made that the word “tzav” appears in conjunction with the commandments regarding the sacrifice of the olah in the Temple. The olah was the only sacrifice from which no human being obtained any immediate tangible benefit, being completely consumed by the fire on the altar. There must have been a hidden voice of hesitancy that resonated within the person bringing that sacrifice and even within the priest who offered it up. After all, what value is a sacrifice if no one derives any immediate value from its offering?

 Because human logic is limited in comparison with God’s infinite wisdom, the Torah emphasizes here the word “tzav”: this is an order andis not subject to human logic or choice. Life sometimes makes demands on us that are illogical and sometimes appear capricious. Nevertheless they must be met. By realizing the innate necessity in life for “tzav”—for submitting to Divine Will and obeying it, we make our lives easier to live and more meaningful too. We also must realize that life at times demands an olah from us, selfless sacrifice that shows little immediate or tangible reward or benefit. We are here to serve. That is our ultimate purpose. 

Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein