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This
Week In The Torah
Parsha Tzav
Vayikra Ch.6/1 - 8/36
A New Job Every Day
by Rabbi Yechezkel Fox
This is the offering of Aaron and his sons, which each shall offer to G-d on the day he is inaugurated: a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a meal-offering: continually, half of it in the morning and half of it in the afternoon. Ch6/13
There seems to be a contradiction in the verse. It says that the offering is brought on the day of inauguration, but it also says it is offered continually.
Rashi explains: The Kohanim offer a tenth of an ephah on the day that they are initiated into the Temple service. But the Kohen Gadol (high priest) brings such an offering every day.
Why is it that the Kohen Gadol has to keep bringing his offering every day? Rabbi Moshe Feinstein explains that in order that the Kohen Gadol shouldn't take his position for granted, he has to bring an inauguration offering every day. G-d could remove him from his office any time, due to a blemish, impurity or even death. So every day it is as if he is re-appointed, and he has to thank G-d for another day of the privilege of being the Kohen Gadol.
This can serve as a model for all people in positions of privilege. Even after many years, one should still think that this is his first day in office. In this way he'll stay focused on the privilege, rather than the power, of holding office.
* * * * *
The Thanksgiving Response
If he shall offer it for a thanksgiving-offering, he shall offer with the feast thanksgiving-offering unleavened loaves mixed with oil, unleavened wafers smeared with oil, and loaves of scalded fine flour mixed with oil. Ch7/12
The thanksgiving offering was brought upon emerging from a life-threatening situation; for example, after childbirth or a hazardous journey. Today, with no Temple, we recite a brocha (blessing) in the synogague. The blessing goes like this:
Blessed are you G-d, King of the universe, Who bestows good things upon the guilty, Who has bestowed every goodness upon me.
The customary response to a brocha is for the listeners to say Amen, in affirmation of the truth of what they have heard. This brocha, however, entails an additional response:
May He Who has bestowed goodness upon you continue to bestow every goodness upon you for ever.
One reason given for this unusual response is that when G-d helps a person through a life-threatening situation, it may well have been at the expense of that person's merits. So that is why, after we have said May He Who has bestowed goodness upon you (already), we add on that He may continue to bestow every goodness upon you for ever (in the future); that it shouldn't be at the expense of his merits.
Sources: Rabbi Alexandra Seder HaCohen
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