We open with a brand new sefer this week that covers all of the various saw sacrifices that are to be brought in the newly constructed Mishkan. The first seventeen verses are about the olah and the animals that are offered. The second chapter is the Mincha offering from flour, oil, and this stuff called frankincense. The third chapter talks about the shelamim, a festive offering that is shared. The next couple of chapters outline chatas or sin offerings, which have different regulations depending on whom sinned against Hashem: the Kohein Gadol, the Sanhedrin, the King, and then everyone else. Finally, the asham or guilt offering is discussed. What is absolutely missing is the most central service of them all: Korban tamid or the continual offering.

We already were introduced to this regular service a few parshios ago:

וְזֶה אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ כְּבָשִׂים בְּנֵי־שָׁנָה שְׁנַיִם לַיּוֹם תָּמִיד׃

Now this is what you shall offer upon the altar: two yearling lambs each day, regularly. (Ex. 29:38)

וזה. הטעם זה הקרבן, וכן זה יתנו (למטה ל’ יג) זה השיעור, וכן וזה אשר תעשה אותם (ברא’ ו טו), משה יעשה ככה שבעת ימי המלואים, ואחר כן אהרן ובניו: NOW THIS IS. Its meaning is: now this is the sacrifice. Similarly, the meaning of This they shall give (Ex. 30:13) is: this amount they shall give. Similarly And this is that thou shalt make it (Gen. 6:15). Moses shall do this during the seven days of consecration. Afterwards Aaron and his sons shall do likewise. (Ibn Ezra)

During the set up of the Mishkan, the Kohein had his job described in detail: to bring the tamid twice each day. It’s not found in our parsha. In next week’s Parsha, we find a part of it mentioned:

צַו אֶת־אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת־בָּנָיו לֵאמֹר זֹאת תּוֹרַת הָעֹלָה הִוא הָעֹלָה עַל מוֹקְדָה עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ כׇּל־הַלַּיְלָה עַד־הַבֹּקֶר וְאֵשׁ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ תּוּקַד בּוֹ׃

Command Aaron and his sons thus: This is the ritual of the burnt offering: The burnt offering itself shall remain where it is burned upon the altar all night until morning, while the fire on the altar is kept going on it.

However, we do not get the command to bring the offering, rather, is the command to clean off the ashes:

וְלָבַשׁ הַכֹּהֵן מִדּוֹ בַד וּמִכְנְסֵי־בַד יִלְבַּשׁ עַל־בְּשָׂרוֹ וְהֵרִים אֶת־הַדֶּשֶׁן אֲשֶׁר תֹּאכַל הָאֵשׁ אֶת־הָעֹלָה עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְשָׂמוֹ אֵצֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ׃

The priest shall dress in linen raiment, with linen breeches next to his body; and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has reduced the burnt offering on the altar and place them beside the altar.

Where’s the offering?

Rashi is basically forced to explain the simple meaning of our Parsha as a private conversation........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)