Parsha Tzav (Leviticus 6:1-Leviticus 8:36)

Leviticus 6:12-7:10

​​Parsha Tzav: Day #2​ 

Study Notes

(Leviticus 6:12-14) Discusses the Priests’ offerings when a priest is first anointed.

(Leviticus 6:13)

Tells us the Anointment Offering is to be: 1/10^th of an ephah of choice flour.

This is like the meal offering discussed in Leviticus 2, which is to contain both oil and frankincense.

(Leviticus 6:14) The meal offering is to be prepared as griddle cakes.

(Leviticus 2:5-7) Tells us the griddle cake is to have oil mixed in and it is to be unleavened. Then, the cake is broken into pieces and oil is to be poured on top.

Previously, we learned that the two placements of oil on the griddle cake is performed because the griddle cake is part cake and part wafer—we gain this understanding by studying the Cake-like meal offering and the wafer-like meal offerings in Leviticus chapter 2.

The griddle cake meal offering is a fitting type of meal offering for the anointed priests for several reasons:

1. The Levites are “anointed” twice: first, as part of Hashem’s chosen people—the sons of Jacob. Second, as the “token portion” of Hashem’s chosen people—a priest.

2. This token election of priests only came after the chosen people were broken into pieces during the Egyptian slavery.

3. Hashem anointed Moshe to go to Pharoah and demand that Pharoah let the Hebrew people go.

4. After the first Pesach, the Hebrews were finally free and went to the wilderness, where they received the Torah (including the mitzvot of priests) at Mt. Sinai.

5. The Jewish people are called the first-fruit of Hashem (Jeremiah 2:3)--the grain of meal offerings is like the “ram in the bush” that represents the Jewish people in the offerings. The burnt offerings are burnt in the place of the Jewish people. BUT, the priests are the ram in the bush for the first born of the first-fruits. Like the griddle cake, the priests are part broken (part of the Jewish people) and part supple (anointed with oil and consecrated for the sacred duty on behalf of Hashem in the place of the first-born Israelites). 

   
   

(Leviticus 6:13)

We learn the Priests’ Anointment Meal offering is to be offered at two times:

• ½ in the morning

• ½ in the evening.

  
  

From our previous studies, we can deduce that the ½ that is offered in the morning is to be offered with the rest of the congregation’s burnt offerings (Leviticus 6:5). Remember, new burnt offerings are only to be added in the morning.

These morning offerings include:

• The pieces and fat of the Burnt Offerings.

• The Meal Offerings.

• The sin meal offerings of the poorest of the poor, which is fine flour without oil or frankincense.

  
  

Just as we learned that these meal offerings of the poor are mixed with the meal burnt offerings, which provide the necessary oil (i.e. fat to properly turn the sin offering into smoke for expiation and forgiveness), so too are the sin meal offerings of the poor mixed with the griddle cake anointment offerings of the priests.

(Leviticus 6:14)

We learn in this verse that the priest’s griddle cakes are to be “well soaked” with oil.

This “soaking” comes from the additional oil that is poured on top of the griddle cake after it has been broken into pieces.

The part of the griddle cake that is like the cake would absorb the excess/abundant oil like a sponge. This abundant excess oil-soaked offering is then added to the flames (along with the sin offerings of the poor—the only sin offering that is put in the flames with Burnt Offerings).

This abundant oil, again, provides the necessary fat for the sin offerings of the poor to be turned to smoke for expiation and forgiveness of their sins (since the sin offerings of the poor are mixed with the well-soaked meal offerings of the priest and other meal offerings). This system truly allows us to understand how the Levites are the “substitute” for the first-born of all of Israel and the significance of their work.

(Leviticus 6:15)

Leviticus 6:15 teaches us that the anointment Meal offerings of the priest are to be entirely turned into smoke. This means that there is to be none left over for the priests to eat, as is the case with other meal offerings—i.e. there is to be no Most Holy Portion from the priests' own offerings.

Again, this system of meal-offering can be seen as the “ram in the bush” for the first-fruit people of Hashem’s harvest. Since none of the meal offering is left over, all is consumed in the fire SO THAT Hashem will not entirely consume His first-fruits in any fire—we may face the furnace, as promised in Daniel, but this will be for our refinement, not our extermination.

(Leviticus 6:15) We learn that the Anointment Offering is 

and

Just as the portion of the Levites is Hashem, so the portion of the Levites’ offering is Hashem’s portion.

(Leviticus 6:16)

Unlike other meal and grain offerings, there is no Holy portion taken out of the Priests’ Anointment offering. The lack of a Most Holy Portion means there is none left to eat (as we learned above). The lack of the Most Holy Portion also means that the grain that would be the Most Holy Portion goes to the LORD, which represents the truth about the Levites, in general. For, the Levites are the most holy portion of the most holy people—Hashem's elect, the children of  Israel.

(Leviticus 6:17-23)

This portion of scripture discusses the “Ritual of the Sin Offerings”

Just as in other portions of Parsha Tzav, this portion of scripture adds details to the information we already learned in Leviticus 4:22-36. From the information provided in verses 17-23, we can discern that these verses are talking about the sin offerings of the:

• Individual who sins unwittingly

• Chieftain who sins unwittingly.

We can know that these verses are not discussing the sin offering of the priests or the community because of the location given for the slaughter:

If these verses were discussing the ritual for the sin offering of a priest or the community, the place mentioned would be “in front of the Tent of Meeting.” (see Leviticus 4:1-21).

(Leviticus 6:19)

Hashem commands that the Priest who offers the sin offering (on behalf of the chieftain or the individual) “shall eat of the offering.” In Leviticus 4:26 and 4:31, we are told that the fat of the chieftain or the individual’s offering is to be turned into smoke on the altar.

Unlike the sin offering of the priest or the community, we are not told that the remainder is to be taken outside of the Israelite camp and turned to smoke in a clean place (the place of the ashes). Here, we learn that instead of being taken outside of the camp, the remainder is to go to the priest who offers a given sacrifice.

This means that a portion of every sin sacrifice provides sustenance for the priests—to state the obvious, the Priest and High Priest eat the sacrifice, they are not the sacrifice that is eaten, as is held in some other religions. We learn that this portion given to the priests is to be eaten by the priests in the “sacred precinct, in the enclosure of the Tent of Meeting”. Meaning, these portions are to be eaten in the presence and nearness of Hashem.

(Leviticus 6:20)

We learn that the holy portion is not to be eaten in public because  if anything touches the holy portion of flesh, the thing that touches the flesh becomes holy. We learned previously that “to become holy” means to be bound 100% to the service of Hashem, as if one took a Nazarite vow (see Numbers chapter 6).

(Leviticus 6:21)

We learn that because the sin offering will make anything that touches it Holy, the pots in which the meat (of the priests’ portion) was boiled should be:

1. BROKEN: if the vessel was of earthen ware.

The reasoning is because earthenware vessels are porous. This means that it is possible for a minute remnant of the holy meat to remain in the pores of the pot even after thorough cleaning. So, the vessel is destroyed so it cannot unintentionally make someone or something holy through contact. 

2. SCOURED: if the vessel was made of copper.

   
   

   These vessels are not porous, so these types of pots can be scrubbed with a mettle sponge and all of the possible debris can be removed.

(Leviticus 6:22)

We again learn that only males of the Priestly line are allowed to eat of the holy flesh portion.

The Meat portion that goes to the Levitical priests is Most Holy just as the Levitical Priests are the Most Holy Portion of the Jewish children of Israel.

(Leviticus 6:23)

We learn that No sin offering may be eaten from which any blood is brought into the Tent of Meeting. The details in this verse allow us to know that Hashem is providing additional details for the sin offerings of the Priests and/or the entire congregation (Leviticus 4:1-21).

As we learned when studying Leviticus 4:1-21, only the blood of the sin offerings of the Priests or the entire Jewish community are brought into the Tent of Meeting. So, we learn that there is no Holy Portion of flesh that remains to be eaten when the sin offering is for:

• The Priests

• The community.

Instead, the flesh of the sin offerings whose blood was brought into the Tent of Meeting is to be taken outside of the camp to a clean place, as we learned in Leviticus 4:1-21. As we learned previously, the remnants of these two types of sin sacrifices are “kicked out” of the Jewish camp and utterly consumed SO THAT the Priests and/or the entire Jewish community will not be entirely cut off nor entirely consumed by fire. Again, these sacrifices are true “rams in the bush.”

 (Leviticus 7:1-6) Discusses the Ritual of the Guilty Offering

This section, thus, provides us additional information for the lessons we learned when studying Leviticus chapter 5.

(Leviticus 7:1) We learn the guilt offering, like the sin offering, is “Most Holy”.

In Leviticus Chapter 5, we mentioned that there were no specific details given about HOW the female sheep or goat was to be slaughtered/offered. Here, in Leviticus 7, Hashem provides the specifics:

1. (Leviticus 7:2) “Slaughtered at the spot where the burnt offerings are slaughtered,” which is the same as the command for the individual sin offerings or chieftains’ sin offering.

2. (Leviticus 7:2) The blood shall be dashed on ALL SIDES of the altar.” As we have learned previously, the splattering of blood can be seen as creating the letter chet. Add the priest, and we can envision the word CHAI! (LIFE).

This means that the guilt offering is sacrificed so that life remains for the one who brings the sacrifice.

NOTE: This splattering of blood on all sides of the altar is different than the placement of the blood of the sin offerings, which is only placed on the four horns of the altar. It is therefore interesting that the greater guilt transgression is dashed, creating chai, whereas the blood of the lesser unwitting sin offering does not form life. The four horn placement provides separation. It does not form the letter chet (nor word chai) on the sides of the altar.

(Leviticus 7.3-4) All the specific parts of fat that are to be removed and offered:

1. The broad tail (for the sheep only [Lev. 3:9]) We learned the offering of the broad tail is significant so that the person does not suffer the curse of becoming “the tail.” With the broad-tail offered as a type of “ram in the bush,” the person is forgiven and can become “the head” as promised by Hashem.

2. The fat covering the entrails

3. The 2 kidneys and the fat on them

4. The liver protuberance.

(Leviticus 7:5)

All of the fat is to be turned into smoke on the burnt offering altar for the purpose of:

• Expiation of guilt

• Forgiveness of sin (Leviticus 5:6).

To reiterate, this means that forgiveness of sin comes from the fat being turned into smoke, not the shedding of blood of the animal sacrifice. We will learn later that the blood on the altar has the purpose of cleansing the altar SO THAT the fat can be burned and thus expiation and forgiveness be achieved.

(Leviticus 7:6)

After the fat is removed, a portion of the guilt offering is to be given to the priests to eat. This portion is taken of the flesh once the blood and fat is removed. Again, the fact that there is a portion left over differentiates the guilt offering from the sin offering of the priest or the sin offering of the community.

(Leviticus 7:6)

Only the males of the priestly line can eat of the flesh of the guilt offering.

This command is the same as for the flesh of the sin offerings that is left over for the chieftain or the individual. The flesh of the guilt offering, like the flesh of the sin offering of the chieftain or the individual, may also only be eaten in the Holy Precinct in the presence/nearness of Hashem. In Leviticus 4:16-17, we learn that the fat of the chieftain’s/individual’s sin offering is “the food” offered to Hashem. Here the flesh is the food offered to the priests.

The Priests are the especially chosen portion of the chosen people of Hashem. The priests do not receive any land portion in the Land of Israel. Rather, Hashem and His Holy Temple are the portions of the priests. This distinction indicates that the priests are set apart from the common people—they are “made like Hashem” to the congregation of Israel.

Thus, a portion of ALL offerings made to Hashem go to the priests—Hashem's “right hand men.”

 (Leviticus 7:7)

We learn that the guilt offering is like the sin offering.

• Meaning: the same rules apply to both.

• Meaning: the priest who offers the guilt offering on behalf of the sinner is the priest who eats the flesh of the sinner’s offering.

This system is a good example of the priests' being the substitute for the first-born of Israel as well as being the one who is “made like Hashem” to the people.

• “flesh-for-flesh". Instead of the priest being offered in the place of the one bringing the offering for sin, the animal is offered in place of the sinner and the priest.

This means that animals are offered in the place of men in the sacrificial system which Hashem provided due to the sin that occurred in Genesis 3. Because of sin, flesh (or a life) is required for atonement. With there being flesh left over to eat for the priests, it is as if Hashem is taking back some of the flesh and providing sustenance for life as a way of proving that the sinner's sins are forgiven and therefore will not lead to death.

Again, taken from the notion that the priests are Hashem's representatives to the people, we can understand that when the priests receive the flesh, it is as if Hashem receives the flesh as well.

 (Leviticus 7:8)

The priest keeps the skin or hide of the animal that he slaughters as a burnt offering (for a congregant). Again, this hearkens to Genesis when Hashem provided the skin to cover the nakedness of Adam and Havah. Allowing the priests to receive the hides as a gift is as if Hashem is taking the original hides back, indicating that the person bringing the sin-offering is fully forgiven and free to walk in the presence of Hashem, unashamed of his or her nakedness.

This gift to the priest, though seemingly simple, indicates the full magnitude and scope of forgiveness and expiation—both are total and complete. There is no need to be covered with shame any longer.

 (Leviticus 7:9)

The priest who offers the Meal Offering on behalf of another gets to eat the Holy Portion of the Meal Offering that he offers. This is only true if the meal offering is:

• Baked in an oven

• Prepared in a pan

• Prepared on a griddle.

MEANING: the meal offering is not a sin sacrifice. We can know this meal offering is not a sin offering because the choice meal is prepared. If in a pan or griddle, it must also be prepared with oil. Oil is not added to a sin offering, nor are sin offerings prepared in any way.

 (Leviticus 7:10)

We learn “every other offering, with oil or dry” will be shared equally among all of the priests—i.e. it will not go to a single priest (who offered the offering). 

• With Oil = The meal offering that is not baked (see Leviticus 2:1-3).

• Dry = the guilt offering of the poorest of the poor (see Leviticus 5:11-13).

• We learned previously that these two meal offerings are mixed together and turned to smoke together on the burnt offering altar.

Since they are mixed together, a Holy Portion is taken from both together (after the Token portion is removed and turned to smoke). Additionally, since these two offerings are mixed together and offered together on the altar, there is no way to separate out a portion offered by one individual to go to one specific priest—so, just as the offering becomes communal (in a way) so too does the remaining portion become a communal food for the priesthood community.

Remember, the Priests’ Anointment meal offering is burned on the altar at the same time as the above described mixture—the oil of both the priests’ offerings and the meal burnt offerings provide the fat necessary to turn to smoke for the full expiation and forgiveness of sins of the poorest of the poor. 

SHARED BURDEN = SHARED BLESSING.

Am Yisrael Chai!

Kimberly Davis