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crucial to place this practice in its historical context, explain its
deeper meaning, and demonstrate how the Rabbis have translated it
into contemporary reality.
One of the cardinal principles informing any serious and objective
study in the fields of anthropology, history, or comparative
religion is not to judge a different culture, religion, or era by one’s
own contemporary standards. Doing so destroys any semblance
of objectivity and prevents any meaningful understanding of the
subject under investigation. Therefore it is essential not to judge the
Temple service by today’s standards but rather to try and understand
the underlying principles of the animal sacrifices that took place
in the Tabernacle and the Temple. By comparing the sacrifices to
contemporary Jewish prayer, we will illustrate the deeper meaning
of the sacrifices both in their own time and in terms of their impact
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on contemporary prayer.
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While animal sacrifice was discontinued with the destruction
of the Second Temple, the Sages replaced it with prayer. In the
synagogue, and even more importantly in the hearts and minds
of men and women, private and communal prayers took over for
the Temple service. As discussed above at length in the portion of
Terumah (“The Tabernacle, the Temple, and the Synagogue”), the
Sages brilliantly recreated the Temple’s physical layout and the
experience of the Temple service in the synagogue. The Talmud even
explicitly states that our prayers today take the place of the Temple
offerings (Berachot 26b). For instance, the Morning Service and the
Afternoon Service correspond to the daily morning and afternoon
offerings mentioned in Tzav, and the Evening Service corresponds to
the offerings that burnt all night on the altar. The notion of turning
to God three times a day at prescribed times is taken from the Temple
and instituted in the world of prayer.
Furthermore, the elevation offering (olah) is the very paradigm
for prayer as it was completely consumed on the altar. Prayer, to be
meaningful and effective, requires total concentration and intense
focus and must spring forth from the very depths of one’s being.
While individuals brought elevation offerings for several reasons,
the common denominator among these reasons was the offering’s
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tzaV ו ַצ
££The Bush That Burns
£The Bush That Burns The Bush That Burns
Yet Is Not ConsumedYet Is Not Consumed
Yet Is Not Consumed
In Tzav’s six opening verses, the Torah sets down the laws about
the elevation offering brought by the cohanim each morning on the
Tabernacle and Temple altars. Over a span of only six verses, the
word fire occurs four times and the admonition not to let the fire on
the altar be extinguished is repeated twice. Kabbalah and Chassidut
teach that the Temple service is, among other things, a paradigm
for each person’s quest to come nearer to God and find one’s purpose
and the rectification one need’s to undergo in this world. Therefore it
behooves us to look deeper into the symbol of the fire on the altar to
glean constructive teachings for life.
In general the perpetual fire on the altar represents the obligation
to continuously serve God and be constantly aware of His Presence
and existence. Whether at work or at play, during the week or on
Shabbat and holidays, whether feeling elevated or dejected, the
service of God as defined by the Torah never ceases. Every situation in
life affords the opportunity to experience God, perform mitzvot, and
bring light, healing, and rectification to ourselves and the world.
On a deeper level fire represents the soul’s longing to flame
upwards and express its passionate desire to be unified with God.
Fire symbolizes an exuberant love of life and the yearning to serve
God. When Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach was in the midst of teaching a
class, leading a prayer service, or performing at a concert and he felt
that the congregation or audience lacked enthusiasm, he would stop
and plead with everyone by yelling out: “More fire!! More fire!!” This
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