Tsav (Command)

Leviticus 6:1[8]-8:36
Jeremiah 7:21-8:3; 9:22-23(23-24)

“Holy Unto Him”

POSTED 21 MARCH, 2008

by Mark Huey
mhuey@outreachisrael.net

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Command Aaron and his sons, saying, “This is the law for the burnt offering: the burnt offering itself shall remain on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning, and the fire on the altar is to be kept burning on it”’” (Leviticus 6:8-9).

In Tzav, the Torah portion shifts from being general instructions for the people of Israel, to more specific directions for the priests of Israel. Leviticus chs. 6-7 are particularly concerned with the details for sacrificial offerings and the instructions for various procedures. The Hebrew term torah (hrAT) appears in vs. 6:2, 7, 18; 7:1, 7, 11, 37. In essence, “instruction” becomes one of the themes of this parashah. Not only are the priests of Israel commanded to perform these mitzvot, but God has also given specific instructions on how they should be performed.

After this, the portion turns to specific instructions on how to properly anoint Aaron as high priest, and his priestly sons. Here, we discover that both the anointing oil, that represents the Ruach (Spirit), and the blood, that is symbolic of the required atonement, are both ultimately used to separate the priests for their ministry to the Lord:

“So Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood which was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him; and he consecrated Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and the garments of his sons with him” (Leviticus 8:30).

A Continual Fire or Living Sacrifice

As you read and contemplate these requirements, you might be questioning all of the symbolism and the need for a continual burnt offering that is perpetually offering up a declaration to our Creator. You might even get the impression that some of these activities and requirements may become somewhat mundane and routine for those chosen or privileged to perform them. After all, the text states that these sacrifices are to burn continually:

“The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it. It shall not go out, but the priest shall burn wood on it every morning; and he shall lay out the burnt offering on it, and offer up in smoke the fat portions of the peace offerings on it. Fire shall be kept burning continually on the altar; it is not to go out” (Leviticus 6:12-13).

What might happen if some of the priests were just not fully committed to their mission? Could the work of laying fires and sacrificing animals get a little boring or redundant? After all, there are many other things one could be doing with his time. But when I reflected on this requirement for a perpetual sacrifice, the concept of being a living sacrifice, as described by the Apostle Paul to the Romans, came to my mind:

“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Messiah, and individually members one of another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation” (Romans 12:1-16).

Here, in this often quoted passage from the Apostolic Scriptures, Paul is exhorting the Roman Believers to offer themselves up as “living sacrifices” as their spiritual service of worship. He reminds us all today that we are each uniquely created with different measures of faith, different offices, different gifts, unique talents, and diverse abilities. And yet, as Believers in the Kingdom of God—serving as priests on Earth—we are each going to be responsible for conducting our lives in a manner that is acceptable to our Creator. As saints, we are all required to rejoice in hope, persevere in tribulation, be devoted in prayer, contribute to the needs of others, practice hospitality, bless those who persecute us, rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. In other words, we are to be constantly ministering, just like the priests who were called to perform various duties as anointed servants of the Most High.

As I read this assessment from the Apostle Paul, I noted that he reminded his readers of one of the major problems that seems to always arise with those called to be God’s representatives on Earth. He says, “Be not wise in your own conceits” (KJV). For some reason, there is a tendency for God’s people to think that they have become wise, because of their presumed position before Him.

Glory in This

As I thought about the proclivity to sacrifice, but not obey God’s instructions, I was reminded that the Prophet Jeremiah, whose words just happen to be selected to be the Haftarah portion, addresses some of this very problem. After describing the way that the priests of Judah in his day were certainly abusing their roles, he lambastes them with very vivid language:

“‘Yet they did not listen to Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck; they did more evil than their fathers. You shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you; and you shall call to them, but they will not answer you. You shall say to them, “This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God or accept correction; truth has perished and has been cut off from their mouth. Cut off your hair and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on the bare heights; for the Lord has rejected and forsaken the generation of His wrath.” For the sons of Judah have done that which is evil in My sight,’ declares the Lord, ‘they have set their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it. They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, and it did not come into My mind. Therefore, behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when it will no longer be called Topheth, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of the Slaughter; for they will bury in Topheth because there is no other place. The dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the sky and for the beasts of the earth; and no one will frighten them away’” (Jeremiah 7:26-33).

Here, we find that the priests had followed some of the vile practices of the neighboring nations, including child and human sacrifice as the most wicked. Of course, the punishment for this sinful behavior is declared by Jeremiah as God’s Prophet. But what is most interesting, is that as the Haftarah selection concludes—in the tradition of not departing a teaching on a negative note—two verses from Jeremiah 9 are considered:

“Thus says the Lord, ‘Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,’ declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

Just as Paul had warned the Romans about being wise in their own estimation, Jeremiah declares that a wise man should not boast of his wisdom, or a mighty man boast of his might, or a rich man boast of his riches. But instead, what delights the Lord is that a man should exercise mercy, justice, and righteousness. In other words, it is doing the things that constitute holiness unto the Lord that is most important to Him.

This, in essence, is what the priests of the God of Israel are supposed to do. Whether they are required to offer up the morning and evening sacrifices on the altar, or whether they are to minister to the poor, afflicted, down hearted, and imprisoned of their day—they are to perform their function faithfully unto Him. The key is that we do all things as unto Him, recognizing that ultimately, it is truly He—through the indwelling power of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit)—that is accomplishing His will in the Earth. When we do this, then all living sacrifices will give glory to Him, for He alone is worthy of praise!

Mark Huey (B.A., Vanderbilt University in History and Graduate Studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) is the Director of Outreach Israel Ministries (www.outreachisrael.net). He is the author of several books, including: TorahScope, Volumes I & II, and Counting the Omer: A Daily Devotional Toward Shavuot. He is also co-author of Hebraic Roots: An Introductory Study.