Instances of the public peace-sacrifice are the offering of the ram at the installation of the priests (Ex. 9.), and the annual offering of two lambs along with two loaves of new wheat bread at Shavuot (Lev. 22:19). (Image: Wikimedia Commons, public domain)
TORAH: Leviticus 6:1-8:36 *
HAFTARAH: Jeremiah 7:21-8:3, 9:22-23
GOSPEL: Matthew 9:10-17
Portion Outline:
The twenty-fifth reading from the Torah and second reading from the book of Leviticus is called Tzav, which means “Command.” The name comes from the first word of Leviticus 6:9, where the LORD says to Moses, “Command Aaron and his sons …” Tzav reiterates the five types of sacrifices introduced in the previous portion but this time discusses the priestly regulations pertaining to them. The last chapter of the reading describes the seven-day ordination of Aaron and his sons as they prepared to enter the holy priesthood.
Torah
Leviticus 6:8 | Instructions concerning Sacrifices
Leviticus 7:11 | Further Instructions
Leviticus 8:1 | The Rites of Ordination
Prophets
Jer 7:16 | The People’s Disobedience
Portion Commentary:
Peace with God
When a person is not at peace with God, he has no peace. God is the absolute subject of reality, so to be at war with God is to be at war with reality.
Peace offerings are the sacrifices that are shared by the worshipper and the priesthood. In Leviticus 7, the Torah reiterates the laws of the peace offerings, adding details about which parts of the animal are to be retained by the priesthood, who is fit to eat a peace offering, how quickly the meat has to be eaten and what to do if not all the meat is eaten by the deadline. A peace offering could be eaten by anyone, anywhere, so long as that person was in a state of ritual purity when he or she ate it.
The Torah lists several different types of peace offerings, including votive offerings brought in fulfillment of vows, freewill offerings and the thanksgiving offering. The Passover Lamb was also a type of peace offering.
Peace offerings, however, were never brought for sin. They do not atone or expiate. Instead, the peace offerings represent relationship, fellowship and peace between God and man. Eating of the peace offering was like eating from God’s own table. When a person is not at peace with God, he has no peace. God is the absolute subject of reality, so to be at war with God is to be at war with reality.
Human beings often live unhappy lives as we flee from pain and pursue pleasure, trying to find comfort in the material world. A person does not realize that the reason for his constant angst is that he does not have peace with God. When a man does not have peace with God, he cannot have peace with himself or with others. He rages at those who tread on his dignity or offend his pride, and he justifies his own actions at the expense of relationships with his friends and family. He uses other people to try to prop up his fragile ego. He attempts to slake his thirsty soul with vices and to satisfy his fleshly appetites with indulgences, but all of it is useless.
Unless we have peace with God, there is no peace. “‘There is no peace for the wicked,’ says the LORD” (Isaiah 48:22). The good news is that there can be peace with God. The Apostle Paul says, “While we were [still God’s] enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son” (Romans 5:10). God wants peace with human beings more than human beings want peace with one another. That is why He gave His Son as a sacrifice—a peace offering between God and man.
Read complete commentary at First Fruits of Zion.
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