Parashat Tzav: What is the Connection Between the Eternal Fire and the Land of Israel?

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Parashat Tzav
What is the Connection Between the Eternal Fire and the Land of Israel?

How Can we Keep Our Fire Going While Constantly Breathing Continued Life into Others?

“I don’t know how I can go on anymore – everything is just too much,” cried a student (let’s call her Sarah) at my kitchen table. “I just want a simple life, enjoying the closeness with Hashem experienced here in the Holy Land in peace and quiet,” she continued. “There are so many demands on me – everyone wants my attention, and to engage in deep heart-to-heart conversations with me, it’s just all too much!” Sarah’s words reflected my own feelings of being overwhelmed with demands, dealing with various emergencies, and tedious administrative tasks on top of all the Pesach cleaning. I wish I could just peacefully settle on my land, softly playing my harp, prayerfully tending to the garden, and writing my books without all the interruptions. Sarah’s words, “I need a break; I can’t go on anymore!” couldn’t have reverberated more in my own heart. How can I keep my fire going when I am constantly having to breathe continued life into my institution? How many years have I had to write new rules? Dealing with challenging students and staff, ensuring we have enough money to pay our bills and avoid going into minus, tossing and turning in bed about losing a staff member, and trying to shift staff roles to make sure all the vital chores would be covered? For nearly 30 years, I have nursed and diapered, pulsating my blood, heartbeat, and essential life force to keep everything going. I, like Sarah, longed for peace and quiet to serve Hashem without interruptions. Yet, how do we grow in the Torah way and in our relationship with Hashem? Perhaps our understanding of serving Hashem is topsy-turvy. “What does it really mean to serve Hashem without interruptions for a Jew?” I asked Sarah. “Doesn’t the name Yisrael mean, ‘You have struggled with G-d and with people and you have prevailed’ (Bereishit 32:28)? Don’t we learn from this that it is precisely through the interruptions to our ‘peace and quiet’ that we serve Hashem in the highest way?” So perhaps we need to exchange our mindset – from assuming that the challenging drama with people and with figuring out the way of G-d are interruptions to our Divine service – to realizing that it may be the ‘peace and quiet’ that interrupts our true Divine service of continuous struggle.

The Eternal Fire on the Altar: A Flame Burning in the Soul of Every Jew
Reading the opening in Parashat Tzav describing the eternal flame of the altar encouraged me to keep my own fire burning. It is only when we allow the chametz (ego) of Amalek to inject the poison of doubt into our bloodstream that we feel our strength ebbing out. Our fire will remain steadfast, as long as we keep strengthening our emunah that whatever challenge we are undergoing, it is 100% designated from our Creator to help us grow. There is no greater way of serving Hashem than keeping the fire of emunah going. Perhaps this is why the Torah repeats how the fire on the altar must never be extinguished:

ספר ויקרא פרק ו פסוק ה וְהָאֵשׁ עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ תּוּקַד בּוֹ לֹא תִכְבֶּה וּבִעֵר עָלֶיהָ הַכֹּהֵן עֵצִים בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר וְעָרַךְ עָלֶיהָ הָעֹלָה וְהִקְטִיר עָלֶיהָ חֶלְבֵי הַשְּׁלָמִים: פסוק ו וְאֵשׁ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ תּוּקַד בּוֹ לֹא תִכְבֶּה:

“The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be extinguished. The kohen shall kindle wood upon it every morning, and upon it, he shall arrange the burnt offering and cause the fats of the peace offerings to go up in smoke upon it. “A continuous fire shall burn upon the altar; it shall not go out” (Vayikra 6:5-6).

The repetition of keeping the fire of the altar burning suggests that this fire did not simply serve to cook the sacrifices offered to Hashem upon the altar. Rather, the eternal burning of the flame was crucial in and of itself, as an independent value, to arouse our internal flame – to keep going against all the odds – and burn away the doubts that weaken our spiritual determination.

A Sacred Tool for Spiritual Endurance

This eternal flame is not merely a technical detail of ritual worship. It symbolizes the ever-present relationship between Israel and Hashem. The fire and flame that must never be extinguished reflect the spark of divine connection that is meant to burn constantly within the heart and soul of every Jew.  The Maggid of Kozhnitz, author of Avodat Yisrael, quotes a teaching from the Siddur haAri, citing a tradition from the prophet Eliyahu, that a spiritual remedy for distracting thoughts, is to recite the verse: אֵשׁ תָּמִיד תּוּקַד עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא תִכְבֶּה/Aish tamid tukad al hamizbeach lo tichbeh – “A constant fire shall burn on the altar; it shall never go out” (Vayikra 6:6). This verse serves as a spiritual tool to remove impure thoughts and ignite inner holiness. The Maggid takes this further, identifying the Yetzer Hara – the evil inclination – as one who schemes “to kill his fellow,” meaning the Yetzer Tov (good inclination), through devious and misleading thoughts. These words seem to speak directly to Sarah and me, reminding us, as Rebbe Nachman is famously known to say: כִּי אֵין שׁוּם יִאוּשׁ בָּעוֹלָם כְּלָל – “There is no despair whatsoever in the world” (Likutei Moharan Mahadura Batra 78). When the yetzer hara gets the better of us (G-d forbid), making us feel that we can’t go on, reciting, אֵשׁ תָּמִיד תּוּקַד עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא תִכְבֶּה pulses renewed emunah into our spiritual arteries, strengthening our determination and stamina to keep going – as the old proverb says, “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going!” (Joseph P. Kennedy). The Maggid interprets the verse, “From My altar you shall take him to die” (Shemot 21:14), to mean that by invoking this verse about the eternal flame, we awaken the soul’s passion for holiness and dispel impurity – let me add: the impurity of despair. (Avodat Yisrael, Parashat Mishpatim, v’Chi Yazid Ish al Re’ehu l’hargo b’Ormah etc.). This teaches us that the inner fire of the Jewish soul, sparked by Torah and mitzvot, is deeply connected to the fire on the altar.  The eternal flame thus becomes a metaphor for our spiritual endurance – a fire that must be safeguarded, fed, and kept alive.

Eretz Yisrael – The Only Home for the Eternal Mikdash

The eternal flame, though kindled through divine service everywhere, reaches its full brilliance only in Eretz Yisrael. Although Parashat Tzav takes place during the Israelites’ wilderness period, the mitzvot surrounding the offerings and the constant fire are destined for ultimate fulfillment in the final Beit Hamikdash (Temple). According to Ramban all the details of the Mishkan are essentially a blueprint for the Temple in Jerusalem. Scripture alludes to this when it says, “For I have not dwelt in a house from the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. In all places wherein I have walked among all the children of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the tribes of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying: ‘Why do you not build for Me a house of cedar?’” (II Shemuel 7:6–7; see Ramban on Bamidbar 16:21). This reveals a deeper truth: the Mishkan was a temporary vessel for the eternal Temple, which could only find permanence in the Land of Israel. The Shechinah accompanied Bnei Yisrael in the desert, but her true home is in the land that Hashem chose. As it states, “For Hashem has chosen Tzion; He has desired it for His dwelling place” (Tehillim 132:13). This makes Eretz Yisrael not only our homeland but also the spiritual address for divine presence, and for the fire that must never go out. Just as the offerings must be brought only in the place that Hashem chooses, so too the ongoing spiritual service of the Jewish people reaches its apex only in the Land of Israel.

The Fire of the Soul – Kindled in the Land

The spiritual air of the Land makes one wise (Babylonian Talmud, Baba Batra 158b). It also deepens our connection to Hashem, heightens our awareness of His presence, and attunes us to the inner fire. Parashat Tzav reminds us that true divine service is not sporadic or seasonal – it is constant. The eternal flame is not just on the altar but within us. The fire that must never go out reflects the spark of divine connection that is meant to burn constantly within the heart of every Jew. That flame finds its fullest expression only in the place where it was divinely kindled – Eretz Yisrael. The Zohar teaches: “A constant fire on the altar – this is the Torah, about which it says: ‘Is not My word like fire?’” (Yirmiyahu 23:29; cited in Rav Tzaddok of Lublin, Pri Tzaddik, Parashat Tzav 4).  The eternal flame on the altar alludes to the inner fire of the Jewish soul – a flame kindled through Torah and mitzvot. Each act of divine service fuels that fire, like a new log placed on the altar of the heart, keeping the inner fire alive and glowing, especially in the sacred atmosphere of Eretz Yisrael. During the ongoing challenges of Israel’s current war, we witness the holiness of the Jewish flame of endurance. It is only through the eternal flame of emunah that our brave soldiers get their strength to keep fighting for everlasting peace. The Shelah HaKadosh writes that although the fire descends from heaven, it is still a mitzvah to bring fire from below. This teaches us that our earthly effort to maintain a spiritual flame invites divine response – our inner fire awakens the heavenly flame (The Shelah Hakodesh, Mesechet Pesachim, Matzah Ashira). Shelah’s message comes to life in the way the IDF and world Jewry are aroused to keep the flame of emunah burning – drawing down the Divine response of protection and miracles as never before.

Returning to the Place of the Flame

Just as the altar’s fire in the Mishkan was a continuation of the fire from Sinai – where the mountain burned with divine presence – so too did this fire descend from heaven and rest specifically on the altar of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. No other place was worthy of it. In our days, as we continue to yearn for the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash, we must remember that the foundation of that eternal house is built by our daily commitment to keep our inner altars alive. Living in Eretz Yisrael, learning her Torah, loving her holiness, and praying for her redemption – these are our logs and oil. The altar fire is not only a divine gift, but also a human calling. The faithfulness of the Temple fire is an invitation: keep your own flame burning. By nurturing the flame of emunah, we can overcome the temptations of despair and despondency. Just as the altar must be stoked daily, so too must we cultivate the fire of faith within us, until our inner flame becomes an everlasting light. In a world that seeks to dim the Jewish flame, the Land of Israel stands as the place where we can keep it burning – with faith, with love, and with tenacity. Just as the fire of the Tabernacle altar was never extinguished, and continued to burn upon the Temple altar, so too will it burn eternally in the final Temple we await. May we soon see the fire return to its rightful place – and may the holy flame within each of us rise up to meet it.

How Does the Mincha Offering Teach Us to Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude?

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Parashat Vayikra 

How Does the Mincha Offering Teach Us to Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude?

How Can the Torah be Eternal if Animal Sacrifices May Never Return? 

We have begun the difficult book of Vayikra, most of which is dedicated to describing the various types of sacrifices, many of which seem obscure and irrelevant in our time. There is even a Machloket (dispute) about whether animal sacrifices will be reinstituted when the Temple is rebuilt. Possibly Rav Kook holds that eventually, we will only bring the mincha offering, as written at the end of the Ashkenazi Amidah prayer:

ספר מלאכי פרק ג פסוק ד וְעָרְבָה לַהָשֵׁם מִנְחַת יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִָם כִּימֵי עוֹלָם וּכְשָׁנִים קַדְמֹנִיּוֹת:

“Then the mincha offerings of Yehudah and Yerushalayim shall be pleasant to Hashem, as in the days of old and former years” (Malachi 3:4). 

“In the future, the abundance of knowledge will spread to and penetrate even animals… and the sacrifices, which will then be from grain, will be as pleasing to G-d as in days of old in yesteryear [when there were animal sacrifices]” (Olat Reiyah, vol. 1, p. 292). If most of the sacrifices were only temporary, how do we reconcile the multitudes of Torah verses describing the details of the various sacrifices with our belief that the entire Torah is eternal? (Rambam, The Thirteen Principles of Emunah, Principle 9). Many greater and wiser people have pondered this question, which is too great for me to fully grasp. Yet, I do believe that all the minutiae of the sacrifices have layers of deeper mystical meanings regarding the inner work of effecting true atonement, which in essence is achieving closeness to Hashem. The word atonement can also be read as, at-one-ment – reflecting the Hebrew word for sacrifice קָרְבַּן/korban – ‘close.’ Since the offering brings us closer to G-d, its root is קרב /kuf-resh-beit – ‘coming near’ (R.S.R, Hirsch). Whereas in the past we could come close to Hashem through our holy intention joined with the detailed exterior service of the sacrifice, when the Temple will be rebuilt we will with Hashem’s help undergo a paradigm shift through which we may attain the same spiritual elevation and oneness with Hashem – or perhaps even higher – solely through our holy intention without necessarily needing to go through all rectifications enacted by the actual animal sacrifices. I believe that the inner layer of each of the Torah verses describing the details of the sacrifices will be revealed to pertain to the various steps of the spiritual work necessary to reach such refined soul rectification. Thus, every Torah verse describing the sacrifices is pregnant with an inner meaning pertaining to all eternity.

 

Stepping Into the Journey of Perfecting Our Attribute of Gratitude

Although the details of the spiritual rectification that will take place during the Third Temple Time are still concealed from us, I believe we are called upon to begin to enact the inner work necessary to prepare for the ultimate oneness with Hashem. Its various steps will be revealed according to our level of climbing the spiritual ladder of cleaving to Hashem. Some sacrifices come to atone and cleanse us from wrongdoing, as to be one with Hashem we must eradicate the Amalek within including its various ego elements that act asblocks and barriers from attaining oneness with Hashem. Other sacrifices are expressions of gratitude, which include innumerable levels to be developed. It is vital to begin the journey of perfecting the attribute of gratitude, especially in our time of ingratitude with its pitfalls of taking our blessings for granted. Now is the time to practice gratitude, reverence, and gift-giving, which are powerful tools for expressing our deepest feelings for everything we have and are. It is well known that since the destruction of the Temple, our prayers have become the substitute for sacrifices as it states “…May You forgive all iniquity and accept good, and let our lips substitute for bulls [i.e., let our prayers substitute for sacrifices]” (Hoshea 14:3-4). Yisrael said, “Master of the Universe, when the Beit Hamikdash stood, we would offer sacrifices and be atoned for. Now we have only prayer” (Midrash Bamidbar Rabbah 18:17). Our prayer book is replete with sentiments of gratitude to Hashem – the ultimate source of our existence. It takes deep spiritual work to tune into this, rather than just paying external lip service. It is truly a meditative challenge to rise every single morning, and not only recite Modeh Ani, “I am grateful” to G-d but to sincerely feel gratitude in the deepest recesses of our hearts for bringing life to us every single day. When we thank G-d for sustaining the world with goodness in Birkat HaMazon, (Grace after Meals) we have the opportunity to tap into immeasurable gratitude for Hashem’s kindness, and mercy through which He sustains us. No matter how hard we work to put a meal on the table, we are challenged to recall that at the end of the day, everything we have, and our entire life is only by Divine grace. When we recite Modim Anachnu Lach, (We are grateful to You) in the daily Amidah prayer let us infuse our words as we bow deeply to Hashem to tune into the words we are reciting and truly thank G-d “for our souls, which are in Your keeping; for the signs of Your presence we encounter every day; and for Your wondrous gifts at all time.”

 

The Mincha Offering Reflecting the Ultimate Purpose of Sacrifices Eliminating Pride

ספר ויקרא פרק ב פסוק א וְנֶפֶשׁ כִּי תַקְרִיב קָרְבַּן מִנְחָה לַהָשֵׁם סֹלֶת יִהְיֶה קָרְבָּנוֹ וְיָצַק עָלֶיהָ שֶׁמֶן וְנָתַן עָלֶיהָ לְבֹנָה:

“If a נֶפֶשׁ/nefesh – soul brings a meal offering to Hashem, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil over it and place frankincense upon it” (Vayikra 2:1).

          

The Torah uses the word נֶפֶשׁ/nefesh – soul regarding the mincha meal offering. This expression isn’t used for any of the other voluntary sacrifices. Now, who usually donates a meal offering? A poor person [because flour is less expensive than birds or animals]. [Hence,] the Holy One Blessed is He, says: “I account if for him as if he has sacrificed his very soul!”- [BT, Menachot 104b]; (Rashi, Vayikra 2:1). The pauper is considered as having offered his nefesh – his entire being – to the Almighty, due to the difficulty his offering entails. Although a person of average means who offers a bull as a sacrifice could incur an expense proportionally equivalent to that of a poor person bringing a mincha, the difference between the two lies in their feelings of pride in their offering. Whenever we do something exceptional in public, our altruism is compromised, if only very slightly, by the admiration we receive. When people see us bring a large, respectable voluntary offering, it is hard to avoid feeling a degree of pride or at least a slight tinge of gratification over the respect we earn among peers and onlookers. Thus, even an idealistically driven offering may be less than perfectly sincere, given the justifiable pride that we may feel. Conversely, the pauper may feel embarrassed as he makes his way to the Mikdash with a meager sacrifice of oil and grain, and he needs to muster courage and resolve to overcome these feelings and proceed with his offering. Perhaps this is why the pauper’s mincha offering is considered as if he sacrificed his nefesh. Hashem cares about the level of sincerity rather than the value of the sacrifice itself. The pauper’s mincha offering is pure and genuine, devoid of any ulterior motiveaccompanying the larger sacrifices. The pauper gains no social benefit or admiration, but brings his offering with pure, untainted sincerity. Feelings of pride undermine the sacrifice’s very purpose, as it is meant to express a keen awareness that we can get closer to Hashem, and a sincere desire to disintegrate the barrier of pride and self-importance that block us from completely cleaving to Hashem.  (The Beit Yisrael (Rav Yisrael Alter, the fourth Rebbe of Ger).

 

Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude Even During Times of Hardship

The Chatam Sofer asks why the pauper didn’t choose to offer the sacrifice of a small bird – a dove or pigeon – which likely would have been the least expensive offering. The mincha offering included a sizeable portion of flour, as well as olive oil and frankincense, which all together likely cost more than a small bird. Then why does the Talmud cited by Rashi assume that the poor would offer mincha sacrifices rather than bird sacrifices? Chatam Sofer suggests that the Talmud refers to a pauper who does not even have money for his basic necessities and relies upon charity for his sustenance. His only access to food is agricultural gifts such as leket, shichecha, and pe’a – the portions of the fields that the owners are required to leave for the needy. As this is the pauper’s sole source of sustenance, his only option for offering a sacrifice is a mincha, which he brings from the grain that he collected from what the landowners left for the poor. Since he does not have money to purchase a bird, the only sacrifice he can offer is a mincha. For this reason, the pauper is considered as having sacrificed his soul to G-d, as he takes a portion of his meager eating rations, to offer a sacrifice to the Almighty. Generally, people enduring difficult challenges are too embittered and distraught to recognize and feel grateful for the good things in their lives to make altruistic sacrifices. If a beggar – who is forced to collect the gleanings of other people’s crops to survive – still feels moved and inspired to offer a portion of what he has to Hashem as an expression of his devotion, then how much more reason do we have to feel grateful for our blessings even in times of hardship. When the pauper allocates a portion of the grain he received through charity for a sacrifice, he shows gratitude for what he has received. This should inspire us to recognize and appreciate our blessings even if they at first seem meager, and to cultivate an attitude of gratitude for what we have even during times of hardship (Rav David Silverberg, Parashat Vayikra, The Israel Koschitzky VBM, Torat Har Etzion, SALT 2018).

 

            

  

Gratitude Focus for the Week of Parashat Vayikra –

Some Tips for Cultivating Gratitude During Hardships

“It’s easy to feel grateful when life is good, but when disaster strikes, gratitude is worth the effort (Robert Emmons, Gratitude Works). Research on gratitude has shown me that when life is going well, gratitude allows us to celebrate and magnify goodness. But what about when life goes badly? Amid the war in Israel, how do we feel grateful under such dire circumstances? Although gratitude doesn’t come easily or naturally in times of crisis, it is precisely under crisis conditions that we have the most to gain from a grateful perspective on life. An attitude of gratitude can help us cope with hard times. In the face of demoralization, gratitude has the power to energize. In the face of brokenness, gratitude has the power to heal. In the face of despair, gratitude has the power to bring hope. 

• Remember the Hardships – Trials and suffering can actually refine and deepen gratefulness if we allow them to show us not to take things for granted. During the good times, people may take their blessings for granted and believe that they are invulnerable. In times of uncertainty, though, we realize how powerless weare to control our own destiny. If you begin to see that everything you have, everything you have counted on, may be taken away, it becomes much harder to take it for granted.

 

• Think about How Far You Have Come – No matter how you’re feeling about life you can practice gratitude by asking yourself some basic questions:

What have I received from ____?

What have I given to ______?

What troubles and difficulties have I overcome? 

The last question forces you to remember the hard times and reflect on them. Think about how far you’ve come. The contrast between good and bad sets you up for finding gratefulness during difficult times.

 

• Develop Gratitude During Grief – If you’re, G-d forbid, dealing with an unimaginable loss of a family member, a chronic or life-threatening disease, divorce, unemployment, or depression, it’s likely difficult to find something that’s positive in your life. However, if you search with strong intent, you will find at least one blessing or kindness on which you can focus. By allowing yourself to turn to gratitude, you can find hope amid despair.

 

• Recall the Good Times – Reflect on your life when you felt a deep sense of gratitude, then write about it in your gratitude journal. You may focus on more than just one event and write about numerous moments of gratitude. Focus on the gratitude takeaways, even if you’re facing a challenging time or circumstance. Out of something terrible – an ailment or adversity – came something good, like a new opportunity or new perspective on life.

 

• Help Those Less Fortunate Than Yourself – Showing kindness to people in greater distress than yourself distracts you from your own hardships and causes you to feel gratitude for your blessings which may seem greater in comparison to those less fortunate. The Talmud tells the story of Rabbi Akiva and his holy wife Rachel, the daughter of the wealthy Kalba Shavua, who disowned her when she betrothed herself to Rabbi Akiva. It was during the winter, but they only had straw to sleep on, and Rabbi Akiva had to pick out the straw from his hair. “If only I could afford it,” said he to her, “I would present you with a golden Jerusalem.”  Later Eliyahu came to them in the guise of a pauper and cried out at the door. “Give me some straw, for my wife gave birth and I have nothing for her to lie on.” “See!’ Rabbi Akiva observed to his wife, “There is a man who lacks even straw” (Babylonian Talmud Nedarim 50a).