Leviticus 8:14-21 

​​Parsha Tzav: Day #5​ 

Study Notes

In this daily parsha, we continue to learn about the consecration ceremony for Aaron and his sons.

(Leviticus 8:14)

After Aaron, his sons, and the Tabernacle were dressed and anointed, Moshe was then commanded by Hashem to bring forward the Bull of the sin offering (for the priests) (Leviticus 4:1-12).

In our last daily parsha study, we learned that Hashem set in place a system of accountability where by the sinner would bring forth the animal, lay their hands on the head of the animal, and then the priest would slaughter the animal.

Here the animal being slaughtered is the Bull of the sin offering—that is, the sin offering for the priests (of which Moshe was included). It is likely for this reason that Moshe brings forth the Bull instead of Aaron and his sons—in so doing, Moshe included himself in the priestly sin offering of the Bull.

In Leviticus 4:1-21, we learn of the specific steps of ritual sacrifice for the priestly sin offering. As commanded by Hashem in Leviticus 4, Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull. In so doing, they took ownership of the animal and their sins for which the animal was being slaughtered.

We know that there was a single offering for all of the priests present, just as there is on a single sacrifice when the entire community sins. Here we learn that the priesthood is like a community within the Jewish community. And just as with the community, the sins of one person affect the whole. Yet, so too, does the offering of one Bull positively benefit the whole—this shows the kindness and compassion of Hashem. Instead of taking multiple lives of multiple animals when a community sins, Hashem accepts one for the whole.

Yet, it must be made clear that he will never accept the death of a single Jew for the atonement for another single Jew, let alone the entire community or the world—The death of a Jew cannot save you, nor the rest of the milieu.

The juxtaposition of the Priests’ anointing by Moshe with oil atop the head to the priests anointing of the animal with their hands atop the head of the bull signifies the connection of these two seemingly disparate actions. Just as the priests were anointed for the service of Hashem through the placement of oil on their heads, so the bull was anointed for the service of Hashem through the placement of the hands of the priests atop its head.

(Leviticus 8:15)

We learn that that after the priests laid their hands on the Bull, Moshe then slaughtered the bull.

Unlike the instructions given in Leviticus 4, Moshe takes the blood of the bull and places some of the blood on the horns of the Burnt Offering altar. For a normal sin offering of the priests, the blood would be taken into the Tent of Meeting and sprinkled seven times before the curtain.

We learn the two specific purposes of placing the blood on the altar:

• TO CLEANSE THE ALTAR

• To Consecrate the altar in order that it be prepared to make expiation on it.

THIS IS KEY: The blood in no way acts to cleanse sins, nor the priests (let alone a single Jew). Instead the blood cleanses the altar. The blood prepares the altar for the part of the sacrifice that DOES grant atonement, expiation, and forgiveness: THE FAT, which is turned to smoke.

(Leviticus 8:16)

As described in Leviticus 4:7-10, Moshe removed all of the fat. The specific parts of fat that are removed include:

• The fat that surrounds the entrails

• The protuberances of the liver

• The 2 kidneys and their fat.

(Note what is left out: the fat that covers the entrails, as is mentioned in Leviticus 4).

All of the fat is then turned into smoke on the burnt offering altar. Again, it is the FAT turned to smoke that gives expiation, not the spilling of blood, though the blood and the fat do work in tandem. Expiation cannot be made without both parts of the offerings.

(Leviticus 8:17)

Just as is commanded in Leviticus 4:11-12, the remainder of the bull, its hide, flesh, and dung were taken outside of the camp to a clean place and burned completely. We learned previously that the clean place to which the priest carries the sin offerings of the priests and the community is the same place to which the priest carries the ashes that he collects daily from the burnt offering altar.

Unlike other sin offerings, NONE of the flesh nor hide of the sin offerings (of priests nor the community) goes to the priest who slaughter the offering—so, none when to Moshe. We can understand why no “gift” portion is given to priests of these two types of offerings when we understand that the priest is part and parcel with the “community” AND the “priesthood”. So, just as a commoner does not eat of his own sin offering, neither does the priest eat (nor benefit by gifts) of the offering when they are included in the body for whom the animal dies.

In this case, the one slaughtering the animal is “unclean” because he his part of the body of sinners. When anything unclean touches the flesh of a holy offering, the flesh of the holy offering must be burnt up completely.

Here, though the bull was being offered for the consecration of Aaron and his sons, Moshe was still part of the priesthood for whom the bull was being slaughtered. Thus, Moshe could not eat of, nor benefit from, the sin sacrifice, since the sacrifice was dying for his sins as well.

(Leviticus 8:18)

After completing the priestly sin offering, Moshe brings forward the Ram of the Burnt offering. A Ram as a Burnt Offering would follow the instructions for a Burnt Offering “brought from the herd”, which we learned about in our studies of Leviticus chapter 1.

We read that the laying on of the hands occurs in front of the Tent of Meeting. The Reason:

This is a reiteration of Leviticus 1: 3. To be acceptable on the priests’ behalf means that the Ram is made acceptable for the “expiation” of the sins of the priests.

We know from Leviticus chapter 1 that the Burnt offerings are not for forgiveness of sins, nor do they deal with sin in any way. So, the fact that the Burnt offering is made acceptable for expiation seems out of place.

(Leviticus 8:19)

We learn that the blood of the Ram was then dashed on all sides of the altar.

The fact that the blood was not placed on the horns of the altar indicates that the offering was NOT a sin offering, nor was it a Ram offered for a Trespass Offering (as is described in Leviticus 5:14). As we learned in Parsha Vayikra, the blood dashed on all 4 sides of the altar plus the priest (acting as “an angel of Hashem”) creates the Hebrew word, CHAI, which means life!

חַי

(Leviticus 8:20)

Thee Ram is then cut up into sections:

1. Head

2. Sections

3. Suet (fat)

All of these together were turned into smoke.

Like other burnt offerings, the head is turned to smoke, which is unlike sin offerings where in the fat of the broad tail is turned into smoke. Here we must remember that the Burnt Offerings are all good, they are pleasing aromas, they are gifts of thanksgiving to Hashem. Thus, unlike the broad tail, which burns in place of the Jewish people (so we do not become the tail due to our sins), the head (arguably) is burned as a thanksgiving offering when the Jews are indeed made the head, as promised by Hashem.

Again, the burnt offerings are not for sin, so they are not "rams in the bush." They are all good and all pleasing. Thus, the burnt head becomes a thanksgiving offering to Hashem for keeping His promises to those who are faithful to Him and His mitzvot. As we have learned elsewhere, keeping mitzvot is the necessary requirements in order to become the head and receive blessings from Hashem.

As we learned in Parsha Vayikra, this process of cutting and burning the sections harkens to Genesis 15 and the “cutting covenant” that Hashem made with Abram, which coincided with the promise of the eternal covenant nation (Israel) being born from Sarai’s womb. In that cutting covenant, Hashem walked the alley of cut pieces alone. He did so in the form of a pillar of fire and a smoking pot. This act was Hashem’s way of saying that Abraham and his offspring would never have to become like the severed animals if or when we do not keep our half of the deal (i.e. we do not keep Torah). Instead, Hashem promised to take care of becoming like the pieces on Abraham’s behalf if/when he and his offspring could not keep Torah.

This does NOT mean that G-d would manifest in animal form, and certainly not human form, and become a sacrifice on our behalf.

Instead, as we learned in Leviticus 1, the fire of Hashem is that which burns on the altar. The animals are provided by Hashem, so that the people do not have to become like the animals. Rather the animals become as the people should be—cut up, burnt, and turned to smoke.

The Ram in the bush that was provided to Abraham in place of Isaac was proof of the coming sacrificial system that would work to atone for sins. By providing the ram in the bush, Hashem spared the life of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of God. Thus, through the ram in the bush provided for Isaac, Hashem made clear that the sacrificial system which He showed to Abraham in Genesis 15 would not be the sacrifice of a Jew (i.e. Isaac, nor any of his brethren, Abraham's offspring). Rather the sacrifice would be a ram caught in a bush—an animal—and the system that is written of in Leviticus.

(Leviticus 8:21)

Moshe then washes the entrails and legs of the Ram Burnt offering, as is commanded in Leviticus 1:8-9. After washing, the ram was turned to smoke on the Burnt Offering altar.

We know this is not a sin offering.

If the ram was a sin offering, it would be a sin offering for the priests. The sin offering for the priests is to be taken outside of the camp and turned to smoke on a fire in the place where the ashes of the Burnt offering are placed.

We know this is not a trespass offering.

The flesh would have been left over for eating, which is not the case for this ram in the consecration ceremony offerings.

In our next offerings, the sacrifices of the Priests continue!

Am Yisrael Chai!

Kimberly Davis