The tabernacle sacrifices are repeated in detail from the perspective of the priests' duties. The order of sacrifices here-- evening burnt offerings, morning burnt offerings, peace offerings, and lighting the eternal light from the sacrificial altar-- reflects the progress of Israel and human history. Thruout the dark night of history, Esav's descendants sacrifice Yaakov in their furnaces; only at the dawn of redemption, the rebirth of the State of Israel, is meaning seen in the sacrifices, the burnt offerings, of Jews on their altars-- tho Israeli soldiers are also killed, we can see for what they're dying. Eventually peace will come to a "free people in their land"-- but that is not enough. The raison d'etre of Israel is for the eternal light of Eden to go forth to the whole world from Jerusalem, to be "a holy people" in our land. The reading closes with the 7 day consecration and inauguration of the tabernacle and the priests of the nation of priests, who are in charge of God's tabernacle and later temple.

THE HAFTORA for Shabbat Hagadol, usually Parshat Tsav, is MALACHI 3:4-24. The prophet speaks of Israel's moral purification and return to God, stimulating His return to Israel. God's true servants will be spared on His fiery day of destruction and crushing the wicked. Elijah will come and restore parents' hearts to their children; then their childrens' hearts will respond in kind-- otherwise, the world will be destroyed.

If Tsav is Parshat Zchor, we read Deut. 24:17-19, followed by ISam15:2-34, Saul's battle with Amalek-- Saul spared Agag, king of Amalek and Haman's remote ancestor. If Tsav's Parshat Parah, we read Num. 19:1-22, followed by Ezekiel 36:16-38, the prediction of the redemption, restoration and purification of Israel.

HAFTORAT TZAV, JER. 7:21- 8:3, 9:22-3, CONDEMNS insincere sacrifice, which will bring down God's temple; then only learning about sacrifices, a poor substitute, will replace them. When God took Israel out of Egypt, He wanted sacrifices, not just the WORD of sacrifice (7:22), per Klei Yakar. But some say God instituted sacrifices only to satisfy (temporarily?) Israel's craving for something physical in relating to God, e.g. the Golden Calf (for many Christians, it's hard to relate to our abstract God). The Song of Bride and Bridegroom, God and Israel, will leave the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem until its revival today! We conclude: THUS SAYS GOD-- LET THE WISE MAN NOT GLORY IN HIS WISDOM, NOR THE MIGHTY MAN IN HIS MIGHT; LET THE RICH MAN NOT GLORY IN HIS WEALTH, BUT LET HIM WHO TAKES PRIDE GLORY IN THAT HE UNDERSTANDS AND KNOWS ME, THAT I'M THE LORD WHO EXERCISES MERCY, JUSTICE, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE EARTH-- FOR IN THESE THINGS I DELIGHT, SAYS GOD. Parshat

God taught Moshe, who's to teach all Israel, about sacrifices in last week's reading, Vayikra; now he's told to teach them to the cohanim, the experts in charge of the tabernacle. God repeats the detailed laws of sacrifices in Chs. 6-7, adding various related dues and duties of the priests. Those fats offered upon the altar are forbidden food, as is blood.

The order of sacrifices in Vayikra- raising-up offerings, peace offerings, and sin offerings- may reflect the relative frequency and importance of the life functions represented. Life is a constant struggle to raise oneself up, regardless of one's situation. WHEN good fortune comes, peace offerings connect it to God's grace and Providence. Sin, an aberation, should NEVER happen- its redeeming sacrifices are taught last.

In Tsav, the order is: olah, sin offerings, peace offerings. This reflects the cohen's decreasing involvement in their processing. He eats the sin offering, in holy fashion, teaching the sinner how to sanctify even his primal drives. Perhaps only the cohanim had to know the inner meaning of the sacrifices, to ensure their success; other Jews simply had to be open to the beneficial effects (only the driver needs to know how the bus works-- The Habad Rebbe). God calls to Man with love, forbidding his self-immolation, both at the Sacrifice of Yitzchak and here in Vayikra. His preference- the slow drawing nearer to Him of Man's essence, soul and mind- requires preservation of man's body; animal sacrifice will vicariously draw it near to God too.

HOLISTIC HOLY CONNECTIONS: Vayikra contrasts real and ideal. Moshe's to teach the Jews how to achieve the most intense contact with God; yet his opening message closes with the sacrifice brought by a man who lies and denies, to steal another's property (5:20ff). Even Torah won't change man overnight- its fulfillment, Temple III, takes thousands of years, until Israel truly shapes up and all acknowledge its holy role-- Arabs too. Tsav thus begins again (6:2) with the burnt raised offering, a striving for holiness; the juxtaposition may teach that God despises the "religion" of one who lies and hates, lacking integrity and kindness. Dishonesty implies lack in faith in God as one's Provider. "I CANNOT ENDURE SIN WITH HOLY CONVOCATION" - (Is. I:13).

"FOR YOU DON'T WANT ME TO GIVE PEACE OFFERINGS AND DON'T DESIRE AN OLAH - THE OFFERING TO GOD IS A BROKEN SPIRIT - A BROKEN AND CONTRITE HEART YOU WILL NOT DESPISE, O GOD. FIRST YOU'LL BUILD ZION SO THAT IT WILL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR WILL, YOU WILL BUILD THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM - THEN YOU WILL DESIRE SACRIFICES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS... THEY CAN ELEVATE BULLS ON YOUR ALTAR. (Ps. 51, 18-21, per S.H. Hirsch). Ramban compares Isaac's 3 wells to the 3 temples- NO ONE will dispute #3, perhaps because God won't build it until Jewish life, public and private, is itself an inspiring sanctuary. Man's relationship to God is compared to that of man and wife- the physical component of both, sacrifice and sexual relations, is negative, if missing a true inner unity.

HAFTORAT TZAV, JER. 7:21- 8:3, 9:22-3, CONDEMNS insincere sacrifice, which will bring down God's temple; then only learning about sacrifices, a poor substitute, will replace them. When God took Israel out of Egypt, He wanted sacrifices, not just the WORD of sacrifice (7:22), per Klei Yakar. But some say God instituted sacrifices only to satisfy (temporarily?) Israel's craving for something physical in relating to God, e.g. the Golden Calf (for many Christians, it's hard to relate to our abstract God). The Song of Bride and Bridegroom, God and Israel, will leave the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem until its revival today! We conclude: THUS SAYS GOD-- LET THE WISE MAN NOT GLORY IN HIS WISDOM, NOR THE MIGHTY MAN IN HIS MIGHT; LET THE RICH MAN NOT GLORY IN HIS WEALTH, BUT LET HIM WHO TAKES PRIDE GLORY IN THAT HE UNDERSTANDS AND KNOWS ME, THAT I'M THE LORD WHO EXERCISES MERCY, JUSTICE, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE EARTH-- FOR IN THESE THINGS I DELIGHT, SAYS GOD.

Parshat Tsav is usually Shabbat Hagadol. THE HAFTORA then is Mal. 3:4-24. Meal offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will again please God. He'll judge both the morally corrupt and those who hold back their agricultural dues, the source of blessing and prosperity. Were it not for them, all would acclaim Israel. Jews only praised brazen sinners (cf. rock stars and soccer heroes); God and religion were reviled. God reserves reward and leadership for those truly aware of Him (Knesset?). Those few still in awe of God will prevail over the wicked. They must remember the Torah- then God will send Eliyahu the Prophet, harbinger of the great day of God. He'll return fathers' hearts back to their children, then (as a result?) children's hearts back to their parents. Otherwise, God will bring destruction upon the earth. If Tsav is Parshat Zchor, we read Deut. 24:17-19, followed by ISam15:2-34, Saul's battle with Amalek-- Saul spared Agag, king of Amalek and Haman's remote ancestor. If Tsav's Parshat Parah, we read Num. 19:1-22, followed by Ezekiel 36:16-38, the prediction of the redemption, restoration and purification of Israel.