QUESTIONS FOR THE SHABBOS TABLE
PARSHAS TZAV, LEVITICUS, 6:1-8:36,
SHABBOS HAGADOL
The Shabbos before Pesach is called “Shabbos Hagadol”. Because in Egypt it was the day when we took the sheep that we would be bringing as our קָרְבָּן, offering. . And each of our families tied the sheep to a bedpost, infuriating our Egyptian neighbors.
On that first Shabbat Hagadol, we Jews started on our journey to freedom and liberty; that journey is a continuing one. That was true for them and also for us,
The Times They Are A Changin'.
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While ridding the household of all chametz in preparation for the Passover holiday, my thoughts turn to the ultimate source of chametz, namely and without reservation, bread.
In Parshat Tzav, Hashem instructs Moshe that as part of Aaron’s inauguration process he should bring a special grain offering that will be burnt in its entirety on the Altar (6:14).
“On a griddle it shall be made with oil, scalded shall you bring it; a repeatedly baked meal offering you shall bring it in broken pieces that you will offer it…”
עַל-מַחֲבַת, בַּשֶּׁמֶן תֵּעָשֶׂה--מֻרְבֶּכֶת תְּבִיאֶנָּה; תֻּפִינֵי מִנְחַת פִּתִּים, תַּקְרִיב
I’m thinking, what distinguishes this offering is that it is scalded or boiled before baking. After very sober serious contemplation, it is my belief that this method of bread preparation, albeit altered by time and geography, has come down to us as part of our esteemed Ashkenazi Jewish heritage.
It is my sincere belief that this bread preparation is what my Yeshivish friends might call the “Ikar” (עִקָר) or essence of who or what we are or have come to be. What I am referring to is the Bagel.
This ethnic bread preparation first surfaced in Jewish Poland during the 17th century. Indisputably we are as much the “People of the Bagel” as we are the “People of the Book”.
Bagels for the untutored or if you know, are boiled or steamed before baking. And its circular shape perhaps represents out unending connection to Hashem and that all Jews must be included. Of course the hole in the middle is a metaphor for our "holiness".
I rest my case.😉
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In Parshat Tzav Hashem commands (6:4) regarding the ashes of the olah offering:
“…and he [the Kohen] shall take out the ashes to a ritually clean place outside the camp”.
וְהוֹצִ֤יא אֶת־הַדֶּ֨שֶׁן֙ אֶל־מִח֣וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה אֶל־מָק֖וֹם טָהֽוֹר
Before the Kohen performs this mitzvah, he must sort through the ash residue and return any animal part remainder back on to the Altar. This offering is to be fully consumed by fire. I assume that outside the camp there were ritually clean and ritually unclean places (for instance a privy). Even ashes from the altar have a holy status, to be treated with respect and only be deposited in a clean place. Think about the mindset.
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