D'var Torah for Shabbat Parshat Tzav
Shabbat Parah

20 Adar Bet, 5757

"This is the law of the elevation-offering (Korban Olah); it is the elevation offering [that stays] on the flame, on the Altar, all night until the morning and the fire of the Altar should have a continual flame on it... and he [the Cohen] shall remove the ash to the outside of the camp, to a pure place" (Vayikra 6:2-4)

"It is the elevation-offering... on the altar all night until the morning... and he shall remove... to a pure place" The above verses which open our Parsha this week have been explained by the commentator Or Hachayim" who wrote: "The entire Parsha is a hint to the final Galut in which we find ourselves.

'The elevation offering' implies Israel. 'It is the elevation offering [that stays] on the flame' refers to our sacrifice of persecution, humiliation and annihilation, 'On the Altar' of the nations that rule over us; 'All night' - in the darkness of our exile; 'Until the morning' - until the morning of our redemption; 'The fire of the Altar should have a continual flame on it' - represents the fire of enthusiasm and the dedication of our holy martyrs who stubbornly stayed with their faith to revere Hashem in their deaths during thousands of years of exile.

And at the end, 'And he shall remove' - Hashem; 'The ash' - the remnants from the burning fires of our enemies; 'Outside of the camp' - outside of the lands of nations; 'To a pure place' - this is Eretz Yisrael; for the land of other nations is impure, it and its dust and even its air; and as such there is no place that can be called pure except for the Holy Land." (Or Hachayim, Vayikra, Chapter 6,2)

This explanation was written by one of the Israel's Greats over 250 years ago who was familiar with the exile of our nation from amidst the Ishmaelites and succeeded to leave it and make Aliya to Israel, to establish a home in Jerusalem and even to be buried there.

On the exile among the Ishmaelites he wrote: "Happy is he who did not see them [the Ishmaelites] enslave and embitter the lives of the Jews." (Or Hachayim) Generations before him on this same exile the Rambam wrote: "We... suffer their deceitful and lying enslavement beyond our ability... and each time that we seek peace, they chase after us with war; as King David A"H wrote (in Psalms 120,7): I am [a seeker] of peace, and as I say this, they [seek] war". (Igeret Teiman, Gimel)

Today in our settlement of this Holy Land, our main rivals for this very right, are called Ishmaelites. Are we to forget the days of our exile among them and strengthen their rule on our land? - Only last week we read in the Torah "Remember what was done to you" by your enemies. "Do not forget."

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Shalom Horowitz

Rabbi Horowitz is a Rav Mechanech at the Ulpana Girls Academy - Kiryat Arba

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