Thursday, March 19, 2015

Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Vayikra

The following is a brief summary of some of the thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

In Vayikra (4:13) the Torah writes "V'Shachat Oso Al Yerech HaMizbayach Tzafonah Lifnei Hashem" - that the Chatas and other sacrifices  are slaughtered on the north end of the altar before Hashem. This pasuk is stated daily in davening at the end of the recitation of the Tamid sacrifice even though it is not found in Parshas Pinchas where the Tamid is described.

The Mishan Berurah writes that according to the Medrash this should be recited daily after the Tamid. The Medrash actually testifies that if a person says this pasuk (even a non-Jew) they are rewarded for remembering Akeidas Yitzchak.

This is a strange statement, given that the pasuk is not connected to Akeidas Yitzchak.

The Maharal Diskin explains the connection by saying that in biblical times the animal being sacrificed was slaughtered on the mizbayach. When Avraham intended to bring Yitzchak as a karban, he tied Yitzchak to the altar (at Yitzchak's request) so that he could be slaughtered there. When Hashem intervened and sent the goat, Avraham did not untie Yitzchak. Why? Because Avraham was concerned that the goat might have been damaged by being caught in the thorns. So Avraham slaughtered the goat on the north end of the mizbayach and made certain that the goat was OK. We remember the Akeidah and are rewarded for causing the rememberance by reciting that the Tamid was sacrificed on the north side of the mizbayach.

R' Frand also quoted a pasuk in Vayikra (1:11) which states that if the nation "V'asu Achas Mikol Mitzvos Hashem Asher Lo Sayasena." The simple meaning is that a negative commandment was transgressed. However, R' Naftali Tzvi Horowitz explains that it means that a person did one of the mitzvos aseh, but did not do it properly.

R' Frand remarked that we are two weeks before Pesach with all of its extra mitzvos. We should be aware that when doing the mitzvos there is more than just fulfilling them, one should make sure they are done correctly and with excitement as it is a once a year event.

R' Frand told a story about two students of the Ba'al Shem Tov were discussing their fear of judgment at the end of days. One student said that he was worried about being judged for his sins. The other student said that he was more afraid about being judged for not properly completing positive mitzvos. He explained that a person can have a momentary lapse of judgment or give in to desire and sin. But a person who does a mitzva should do it right and if he does not have the proper intent it is much more of a problem.

If you have seen this post being carried on another site, please feel free to click www.kosherbeers.blogspot.com to find other articles on the kosherbeers blogsite. Hey its free and you can push my counter numbers up!

No comments: