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Part I.Torah of KohanimEVERYONE IS JEALOUS OF RABBI MILLERInParshas Tzavwe continue our encounter with theavodahof thekohanim, the ones privileged to stand in the service of Hashem in the Beis Hamikdash. And we find ourselves inundated with the especial attention given tokohanim. Laws upon laws for the descendants of Aharon that place them on a pedestal; rules meant to regulate the behavior of the aristocracy. Now, I don\u2019t want to make you uncomfortable or jealous of me [The Rav was a kohen], but week after week, inVayikra, Tzav, Shmini, and actually in most ofSefer Vayikra,we become more and more impressed with the great honor and privilege accorded to thekohanim.I know that most of us here have already accepted the maxim of democracy, equality for everyone, so you don\u2019t want to think too much about it, but the truth is when theBnei Leviwere chosen to be theKohanei Hashem, it was a great pride for them. Thekohenwalked with a swagger; he was on top of the world! It wasn\u2019t just a matter of being called to officiate at apidyon habenor to benefit from theterumosand othermatnos kehunah.It was a great prerogative, a great privilege, to be the servant of Hashem in His house. And I have no doubt that the rest of theAm Yisroelwere disappointed and jealous. Thebechorim,who had lost this privilege, surely were jealous, but I\u2019m sure thateveryonelooked at thekohanimwith envy.TRESPASSING ON HOLY GROUNDSTo be akohenwas an eternal privilege of closeness to Hashem. \u05d5\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d9 \u05d4\u05dc\u05d5\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd \u2013 \u201cAnd the Levites shall be Mine\u201d (Bamidbar 3:12); and when Hashem says \u201cMine\u201d, you have to know, He means \u201cMineforever.\u201d Themedrashsays that. \u201cWherever it says \u05dc\u05d9, \u2018Mine\u2019, it\u2019s for all time; in this world and in the World to Come\u201d (Vayikra Rabbah 2:2). And therefore, to be chosen askohanimby Hashem \u201cTo be Mine\u201d was the greatest of honors; an honor for eternity, that most of the Am Yisroel could only pine for.And therefore, as we make our way throughSefer Vayikra,we understand that we are treading on holy ground. We are being taken on a tour of sorts through the Beis Hamikdash and theavodashakorbanos, and we feel as if we don\u2019t belong. We have stepped over the boundary into a world ofkehunah, a world ofkedushah, and we tiptoe throughparshiyosVayikra,TzavandSheminias if trespassing on forbidden grounds.And then, as we tiptoe through the Mikdash feeling out of place and alienated from all of these priestly laws, suddenly we bump our heads against something we weren\u2019t expecting. And it\u2019s a curious thing. Right in the middle of the laws ofkohanimand theirkorbanos, we chance upon apossukthat veers from the topic, words that are directed at all of theAm Yisroel.\u05db\u05dc \u05d7\u05dc\u05d1 \u05e9\u05d5\u05e8 \u05d5\u05db\u05e9\u05d1 \u05d5\u05e2\u05d6 \u05dc\u05d0 \u05ea\u05d0\u05db\u05dc\u05d5 \u2013 \u201cAny fat of oxen, sheep, or goats, you shall not eat\u201d(Tzav 7:23). It\u2019s apossukthat\u2019s telling us aboutchullin, ordinary meat, eaten in our own homes.MISPLACEDPESSUKIM?The Torah here, in aparshadedicated to thekohanim, is talking toLevi\u2019imandYisraelimas well; men, women and children; anyone of theAm Yisroel. And we are told that we are forbidden to eat thecheilev, a certain type of fat, from these animals. And that\u2019s a question; what\u2019schullin, ordinary meat, doing here inVayikra, theToras Kohanim? Why are we discussing our home kitchens inParshas Tzav?Now actually if we study the end of thepossuk, we find that the Torah provides us with a clue: \u05db\u05d9 \u05db\u05dc \u05d0\u05db\u05dc \u05d7\u05dc\u05d1 \u05de\u05df \u05d4\u05d1\u05d4\u05de\u05d4 \u05d0\u05e9\u05e8 \u05d9\u05e7\u05e8\u05d9\u05d1 \u05de\u05de\u05e0\u05d4 \u05d0\u05e9\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05e9\u05dd \u05d5\u05e0\u05db\u05e8\u05ea\u05d4 \u05d4\u05e0\u05e4\u05e9 \u05d4\u05d0\u05d5\u05db\u05dc\u05ea \u05de\u05e2\u05de\u05d9\u05d4 \u2013 \u201cFor anyone who eats the fat of an animal speciesfrom which one may bring a fire-offering to Hashem, the soul of the one that eats shall be cut off from its people\u201d (Ibid. 7:23-25). So we see that the Torah adds a few words here: \u05d0\u05e9\u05e8 \u05d9\u05e7\u05e8\u05d9\u05d1 \u05de\u05de\u05e0\u05d4, only the fats of animals that could be used as offerings are forbidden. A lamb, a calf, itcouldbe brought on themizbeiach, so itscheilevisossur. But it\u2019s forbidden even if it\u2019snotakorban!Now, at first glance, this reasoning is a bit difficult to understand. Just because thekohenworking in the Mikdash was once required to remove the fats from a calf and place them on themizbeiachin service of Hashem, what does that have to do with how I prepare the steak in my kitchen today? It\u2019s not akorbanafter all! You know that to remove thecheileventails a laborious process calledtreibering. You can\u2019t do it on your own. Someone has to be hired, someone who knows what he\u2019s doing, and we pay good money for that. And for what? We\u2019re not talking here about akorban, where thecheilevis offered up on themizbeiach. We\u2019re speaking of ordinary meat here, ofchullin. Why can\u2019t we eat thecheilevof ordinary meat? I don\u2019t know if it bothers you, but I think it\u2019s a good question.WHAT\u2019S WRONG WITH EATING BLOOD?And in the nextpossukwe find a similar idea: \u05d5\u05db\u05dc \u05d3\u05dd \u05dc\u05d0 \u05ea\u05d0\u05db\u05dc\u05d5 \u05d1\u05db\u05dc \u05de\u05d5\u05e9\u05d1\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05db\u05dd \u05dc\u05e2\u05d5\u05e3 \u05d5\u05dc\u05d1\u05d4\u05de\u05d4 \u05db\u05dc \u05e0\u05e4\u05e9 \u05d0\u05e9\u05e8 \u05ea\u05d0\u05db\u05dc \u05db\u05dc \u05d3\u05dd \u05d5\u05e0\u05db\u05e8\u05ea\u05d4 \u05d4\u05e0\u05e4\u05e9 \u05d4\u05d4\u05d9\u05d0 \u05de\u05e2\u05de\u05d9\u05d4 \u2013 \u201cAnd all blood shall not be consumed by you,in any of your dwelling places,whether from fowl or from animals. Any person who consumes any blood, his soul shall be cut off from its people\u201d (ibid. 26-27).In any of your dwelling places!Even outside of theMikdash, wherever the Jew, a non-Kohen, eats his ordinary meat, he must make sure to remove the blood from the animal.So the blood of an ordinarybeheimahisossurfor us. That costs us too! We\u2019re spending a lot of money on kosher meat today and some of it is because of themelichah, the salting, because we can\u2019t have blood in our meat. Why now, when being taught about thekorbanos, are we being told that we can\u2019t havedaminourmeat?WHY ARE WE PLAYING \u201cBEIS HAMIKDASH\u201d?And the answer is not a secret. The Torah tells us; it states openly that the reason is becausedambelongs on themizbei\u2019ach: \u05db\u05d9 \u05e0\u05e4\u05e9 \u05d4\u05d1\u05e9\u05e8 \u05d1\u05d3\u05dd \u05d4\u05d9\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d0\u05e0\u05d9 \u05e0\u05ea\u05ea\u05d9\u05d5 \u05dc\u05db\u05dd \u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05de\u05d6\u05d1\u05d7 \u05dc\u05db\u05e4\u05e8 \u05e2\u05dc \u05e0\u05e4\u05e9\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05db\u05dd \u05db\u05d9 \u05d4\u05d3\u05dd \u05d4\u05d5\u05d0 \u05d1\u05e0\u05e4\u05e9 \u05d9\u05db\u05e4\u05e8 \u2013 \u201cFor the life of a person is in the blood, and I have assigned it for you to be put on themizbeiachto atone for your lives, for it is the blood that atones for one\u2019s life\u201d (ibid. 17:11). That\u2019s why in the Beis Hamikdash the blood can\u2019t be eaten, it\u2019s sacred. It has to be thrown on the sides of themizbeiach. That\u2019s how the one who brings the korban gets hiskapparah.Now, by akorban, I understand. Its blood can\u2019t be eaten, it\u2019s sacred. But we\u2019re not eatingkorbanos! It\u2019s our ordinary food, ourchullin, and the blood is notli\u2019chapeir! We\u2019re not pouring thedamonto themizbeiachto be akapparah. And yet, it\u2019s forbidden. And so instead of pouring it on themizbeiach, we\u2019re commanded \u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05d0\u05e8\u05e5 \u05ea\u05e9\u05e4\u05db\u05e0\u05d5 \u05db\u05de\u05d9\u05dd \u2013 \u201cPour it onto the ground\u201d (Devarim 12:16). And that\u2019s becausehadthis animal been akorban, its bloodwould have beenpoured onto themizbeiach. So we see again that we approach ourchullinfood the same way thekohanimapproached theirkodshimin the Beis Hamikdash. \u05d7\u05e7\u05ea \u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd \u05dc\u05d3\u05d5\u05e8\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05db\u05dd \u05d1\u05db\u05dc \u05de\u05d5\u05e9\u05d1\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05db\u05dd \u05db\u05dc \u05d7\u05dc\u05d1 \u05d5\u05db\u05dc \u05d3\u05dd \u05dc\u05d0 \u05ea\u05d0\u05db\u05dc\u05d5 \u2013 \u201cIt\u2019s an eternal decree for your generationsin all your dwelling places; you may not consume any fat or any blood\u201d (Vayikra 3:17). And that\u2019s a question. Why am I playing \u201cBeis Hamikdash\u201d in my kitchen?A KOHEN HAS TO LOOK GOODAnd what\u2019s even more remarkable is that it\u2019s not only regarding laws of thekorbanosthat we find this crossing of the boundaries. It permeates our daily lives as well. The Kohanim are commanded: \u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05d0\u05dc \u05d4\u05db\u05d4\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd\u2026\u05dc\u05d0 \u05d9\u05e7\u05e8\u05d7\u05d5 \u05e7\u05e8\u05d7\u05d4 \u05d1\u05e8\u05d0\u05e9\u05dd \u05d5\u05e4\u05d0\u05ea \u05d6\u05e7\u05e0\u05dd \u05dc\u05d0 \u05d9\u05d2\u05dc\u05d7\u05d5 \u05d5\u05d1\u05d1\u05e9\u05e8\u05dd \u05dc\u05d0 \u05d9\u05e9\u05e8\u05d8\u05d5 \u05e9\u05e8\u05d8\u05ea \u2013 \u201cThey shouldn\u2019t make a bald spot on their heads, and they shouldn\u2019t shave the edges of their beard, and in their flesh they shall not cut a gash\u201d (Vayikra 21:5). Akohenhas to look like an aristocrat; like a prince. And Hashem tells us why: \u05db\u05d9 \u05d0\u05ea \u05d0\u05e9\u05d9 \u05d4\u05e9\u05dd \u05dc\u05d7\u05dd \u05d0\u05dc\u05d5\u05e7\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd \u05d4\u05dd \u05de\u05e7\u05e8\u05d9\u05d1\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5 \u05e7\u05d5\u05d3\u05e9- \u201cBecause the fire-offerings of Hashem, the food of their G-d, they offer, and so they must remain holy\u201d (ibid. 21:6). They are servants of Hashem, and so they must look the part; their exterior appearance must be befitting of those who stand before Hashem in His service. The holykohanimmust always appear to others as men of distinction.And yet, these priestly laws are repeated again, this time as a command for the whole nation. Thepossuksays: \u05dc\u05d0 \u05ea\u05e7\u05d9\u05e4\u05d5 \u05e4\u05d0\u05ea \u05e8\u05d0\u05e9\u05db\u05dd \u05d5\u05dc\u05d0 \u05ea\u05e9\u05d7\u05d9\u05ea \u05d0\u05ea \u05e4\u05d0\u05ea \u05d6\u05e7\u05e0\u05d9\u05da \u05d5\u05e9\u05e8\u05d8 \u05dc\u05e0\u05e4\u05e9 \u05dc\u05d0 \u05ea\u05ea\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d1\u05d1\u05e9\u05e8\u05db\u05dd \u2013 \u201cYou shall not round off the edges of your scalp, and you shall not destroy the edge of your beard. And you shall not make a cut in your flesh for the dead\u201d (ibid. 19:27-28).\u05d1\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05ea\u05dd \u05dc\u05d4\u05e9\u05dd \u05d0\u05dc\u05d5\u05e7\u05d9\u05db\u05dd \u05dc\u05d0 \u05ea\u05ea\u05d2\u05d5\u05d3\u05d3\u05d5 \u05d5\u05dc\u05d0 \u05ea\u05e9\u05d9\u05de\u05d5 \u05e7\u05e8\u05d7\u05d4 \u05d1\u05d9\u05df \u05e2\u05d9\u05e0\u05d9\u05db\u05dd \u05dc\u05de\u05ea \u2013 \u201cYou are children to Hashem your G-d, do not make gashes and do not make bald spots on your heads\u201d (Devarim 14:1).Here the Torah is repeating to the Am Yisroel the same commandment that was told to thekohanim. And the reason given is: \u05db\u05d9 \u05e2\u05dd \u05e7\u05d3\u05d5\u05e9 \u05d0\u05ea\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05e9\u05dd \u05d0\u05dc\u05d5\u05e7\u05d9\u05da \u05d5\u05d1\u05da \u05d1\u05d7\u05e8 \u05d4\u05e9\u05dd \u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5\u05ea \u05dc\u05d5 \u05dc\u05e2\u05dd \u05e1\u05d2\u05d5\u05dc\u05d4 \u05de\u05db\u05dc \u05d4\u05e2\u05de\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05e9\u05e8 \u05e2\u05dc \u05e4\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d4\u05d0\u05d3\u05de\u05d4 \u2013 \u201cFor you are a holy people to Hashem, and Hashem has chosen you to be His treasured people from all of the peoples on the face of the earth\u201d (ibid 14:2). So what was said first to thekohanim, as an admonition because of \u05d5\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5 \u05e7\u05d5\u05d3\u05e9, so that \u201cthey should be holy,\u201d that same thing is subsequently told to the Klal Yisroelwith the identical reason, \u05db\u05d9 \u05e2\u05dd \u05e7\u05d3\u05d5\u05e9 \u05d0\u05ea\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05e9\u05dd \u05d0\u05dc\u05d5\u05e7\u05d9\u05da, because you are a holy nation set aside for the service of Hashem.SOME SECRETS ARE EASILY REVEALEDNow, I\u2019m not capable of revealing the secrets of the Torah, but certain things are apparent even to our minds. Because it\u2019s remarkable! The same commandments given to thekohenbecause of his prestigious status are duplicated almost word for word, for the Yisroel, for the most \u201csimple\u201d Jew. Each commandment!Korcha, baldness of the head.Sritah, cutting yourself.P\u2019aszekanam lo yigaleichu,not to cut the corners of the beard. The Am Yisroel walks lock step with thekohanei Hashem!Now of course there are reasons why things are repeated \u2013 we learn details from the repetition, newhalachos. But right now we\u2019re talking about thepshuto shel mikra.And thepshuto shel mikrais telling us something here. The intention of Hashem is evident in thesepesukim, and that is of an entire nation patterning their lives after the laws of thekohanim. And if we pay attention to the words of the Torah, we\u2019ll see that this intention of Hashem began already atMattan Torah.HASHEM\u2019S TREASURE CHESTBefore the Torah was given, Hakodosh Boruch Hu made a declaration to the Am Yisroel. Now, even the people who know thispossuk, usually understand it as a poetic expression; something beautiful and noble, but that\u2019s about it. However it\u2019s not merely poetic and so we should listen well to His words: \u201cI\u2019m going to do something now,\u201d said Hashem, \u201cthat\u2019s going to change the nature of the entire people. The wholeKlal Yisroelwill become different now. If you will stand at Har Sinai and you say, \u2018Na\u2019aseh v\u2019nishma; Yes, Hashem, we accept You forever and ever,\u2019 then I\u2019m going to make you into an exceptional type of people.\u201d \u05d5\u05d4\u05d9\u05d9\u05ea\u05dd \u05dc\u05d9 \u05e1\u05d2\u05d5\u05dc\u05d4 \u05de\u05db\u05dc \u05d4\u05e2\u05de\u05d9\u05dd \u2013 \u201cYou\u2019ll be for Me a special treasure from all the nations; the whole nation will be forever chosen as My prized possession\u201d (Shemos 19:5).Now,Am Segulah, doesn\u2019t merely mean \u201cI\u2019m going to give yousemichah; I\u2019m going to give you a rabbinical certificate to hang on the wall and you\u2019ll be honored just by the title.\u201d No; it\u2019s much more than that.Segulahmeans that your nature is going to change. Your character will be entirely metamorphosed and you\u2019ll become an entirely different type of people. At Har Sinai not only did we adopt certain attitudes and promise to remain faithful to them, but we became an entirely different people then we were before.THE JEWS ARE NOT A NATIONWhat that means is that our status in this world, our place in the history of the world was now changed. That\u2019s what Hashem was letting us know. \u201cFrom now on it\u2019s going to be different. I\u2019m going to raise you up and make out of you an entirely new type of people \u2013 anAmSegulah.\u201d Not merely that we are a good nation; not merely that we are the best nation.We are no longer one of the nations of the world! We were chosen and elevated to a status that is far above the status of Mankind. That\u2019s a tremendous concept! A Jew is more than human \u2013 no matter what you\u2019re going to say in objection. That\u2019s what the Torah is telling us.And what is our function as Hashem\u2019s treasured nation? Here come the following words which I wish to speak abouttonight, because they are really the answer to the questions we asked earlier: \u05d5\u05d0\u05ea\u05dd \u05ea\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d9 \u05de\u05de\u05dc\u05db\u05ea \u05db\u05d4\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd \u2013 \u201cYou\u2019re going to be to Me a Nation of Kohanim, \u05d5\u05d2\u05d5\u05d9 \u05e7\u05d3\u05d5\u05e9 \u2013 And a Holy People.\u201d \u05d0\u05dc\u05d4 \u05d4\u05d3\u05d1\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05e9\u05e8 \u05ea\u05d3\u05d1\u05e8 \u05d0\u05dc \u05d1\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d9\u05e9\u05e8\u05d0\u05dc \u2013 Take these words and tell it to the Bnei Yisroel\u201d(Shemos 19:6). \u201cMake sure the people understand what I\u2019m saying now very well,\u201d Hashem said to Moshe Rabeinu.What we\u2019re hearing now is that these words, that we were to become now aMamlechesKohanim,are of the utmost importance. Everything is important in the Torah, but these words are especially outstanding. Now, I don\u2019t imagine myself capable of explaining them properly, but one aspect of these words we\u2019ll talk about now.THE MOST REMARKABLE PROFESSIONFirst we\u2019ll have to understand the wordkohen. Like we said earlier, akohenis one who is privileged to have been chosen for the most remarkable profession possible. And that profession is the service of Hashem. That\u2019s who he is, akohen. He might be let\u2019s say a plumber as well, or maybe a shoemaker. But that\u2019s alltafel, it\u2019s tangential to his primary function in this world which is the service of Hashem. Akohenknows that his life is dedicated to Hashem. He was born akohen, he lives his life akohen, and he will take his last breath as akohen. All the days of his life are a lifelong career standing ready to serve Hakodosh Boruch Hu.And therefore when Hashem declared that He had chosen us to be HisMamleches Kohanim, His \u201cKingdom of Priests,\u201d He was charging us with the responsibility ofkohanim. What it means is \u201ca kingdomconsistingof priests\u201d \u2013 a nation in which every individual, man woman and child, is akohenliving a life of holiness in the service of Hashem.And so, while we imagined that all of these laws for the Am Yisroel don\u2019t belong here inVayikra, what we\u2019re learning now is that theydobelong! Thekohanimwere given these laws because of their special status \u2013 and then, to emphasize our status asKohanei Hashem,Hakodosh Boruch Hu said to all of us as well, \u201cYou too, all of you, are myMamleches Kohanim, and are to act in the same manner as mykohanim.\u201dDON\u2019T WAIT FOR BAMIDBARAnd so we come back toSefer Vayikra,and we see the laws of thekohanimin a different light altogether. Because we understand that whatever is said aboutkohanimis a hint for what Hakodosh Boruch Hu wantsusto be. Now maybe you never heard this before, but you should take it seriously \u2013 it\u2019s not just talk. \u05d5\u05d0\u05ea\u05dd \u05ea\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d9 \u05de\u05de\u05dc\u05db\u05ea \u05db\u05d4\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd means that whatever you\u2019re going to hear about thekohaniminSefer Vayikra\u2013 the wholeVayikrais calledToras Kohanimbecause it deal with the laws ofkohanim\u2013 don\u2019t think that it\u2019s only forkohanim. Don\u2019t sit back duringkriyas hatorahand wait forBamidbarandDevarim, for the parts that you think are more suited to you. No, no;Vayikrais for you! It\u2019s there to be utilized as a lesson, as model for every person in theAm Yisroel.When Hashem said, \u201cYou\u2019ll be amamleches kohanim,\u201d it means, \u201cI\u2019m telling you howkohanimhave to behave, what duties they have and what privileges they have,and you should know that I intend that you should study them and emulate these principles.Now, I want that to sink in because these words are not amashal, not mere words. You\u2019re hearing here a fundamental truth of the Torah and if you didn\u2019t know it before, now is the time. And that is the great lesson ofMamlechesKohanim\u2013 that we are theKohaneiHashemof this world. The rest of theworld, all the nations of the world, make their way through the days of life, fulfilling their purpose of being the \u05de\u05e9\u05e4\u05d7\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05d3\u05de\u05d4, nations whose purpose isthisworld. And we appreciate that; we don\u2019t hold it against them. We need the Italians and the Irishmen. We need the construction workers and garbage men; wewantthem to be busy with theadamah.Yet, while theumos haolam areengaged in living in this world, solely for this world, we theKohanei Hashem, spend our days living in this world \u2013 we have plumbers and truck drivers too \u2013 but we do it all while standing in the service of Hakodosh Boruch Hu as if we werekohanimstanding in the Beis Hamikdash.IT\u2019S NOT POETRYAnd in order that it should be clear that the expression \u201ca kingdom of priests\u201d is not merely a poetic declaration but an actual status, Hakodosh Boruch Hu commanded the Am Yisroel in the same priestly laws as thekohanim. Just like thekohanimare commanded to zealously guard their dignity, so too are we commanded not to abuse our bodies with gashes; we are forbidden from making bald spots on our heads and from cutting the corners of our beards. And all this because we are acting out in our own lives, in our own homes, the same function that thekohanimact out in the Beis Hamikdash. Thekohanimhave one function and that is to serve Hashem. And we theMamlechesKohanimhave that same exact function.And because we arekohanimtoo, Hakodosh Boruch Hu tells us: \u201cIf this animal would have been offered up to Hashem, thecheilevwould have to be removed and brought up on the fire, and thedamsprinkled on the sides of themizbeiach,before partaking of the meat. And so, even when it\u2019schullin, ordinary meat that you\u2019re eating you must also remove thecheilevand thedam.\u201dEven though your own personalshechitahis not anavodahof akorban\u2013 you\u2019re merely standing in the kitchen preparing supper for your family \u2013 Hashem tells you that you are to treat it like anavodah, because theMamleches Kohanimis always standing before Hashem in His service.And therefore, just like thekohenwho was working alongside themizbeiach, we can\u2019t eat thecheilevof ourbeheimos. And the blood that would have been sprinkled on themizbeiachhad this animal been akorban, we spill it out to the ground. The preparation of our food, reminds us that we don\u2019t have the same function as themishpachos ha\u2019adamah! Ourshechitais not merelyshechitas chullin\u2013 it\u2019s an echo of theshechitas kodshimthat took place in the Beis Hamikdash.NO ROMPING ON TABLESAnd that\u2019s why the Am Yisroel always understood that when you sit around the Jewish table it\u2019s like sitting around themizbeiach. \u05d6\u05d4 \u05d4\u05e9\u05d5\u05dc\u05d7\u05df \u05d0\u05e9\u05e8 \u05dc\u05e4\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d4\u05e9\u05dd. The Jewish table is called amizbeiach(Chagigah 27a). It sounds like a queer thing to say, but it\u2019s not just words. In the Jewish home if the children were playing in the house, romping around, and a boy sat on the table for a moment, the mother would shoo him away; \u201cOff the table! You can\u2019t sit on amizbeiach!\u201d That\u2019s how it used to be. A man told me that; he said his mother used to drive him off the table. \u201cA Jewish table is holy,\u201d she told him.The table in a frum home is holy, it\u2019s amizbeiach. Not only because you eatkosherfood, and feedaniyimat your table. It\u2019s not only because you say somedivrei Torahat theseudah.Ofcourse we do that too, all that is important; but understanding that your table in the kitchen is amizbeiachis much more than that. It\u2019s a reminder that as much as possible, all of what you do in the home is to be done in the service of Hashem. So when you sit at the table, you\u2019re thinking of ways, opportunities to speak about Hashem; to praise Hashem, to praise frum Jews, to praise the Torah, to praise the Torah communities. Not just that you make a token donation to the cause by sayingBoruch atah Hashem.That too is good but a nation ofkohanimdoes much more than that. As much as possible you\u2019re thinking about Hashem while you\u2019re eating, and you\u2019re serving Hashem like akohenthinking about Hashem while serving at themizbeiach.Part II.Every Jew a KohenTHEKIYORAT THE SIDE OF YOUR BEDAnd so the person who recognizes his place in this world understands that he is really living his entire live in emulation of thekohanim. As much as possible, from morning till night, you keep in mind that you\u2019re akohenmaking your way through life as a servant of Hashem. And that\u2019s why in the morning as soon as you get up you pour water over your hands. What\u2019s the point, what\u2019s so important aboutneggel vasser? Listen to this carefully. The Rashba (Teshuvos HaRashba 1:191) says thatnegel vasseris for the purpose of showing that we areKohanei Hashem.That\u2019s why when you wash your hands in the morning, you use akli,a vessel, just like thekohanimused in the Mikdash when they prepared themselves for theavodah. \u05db\u05db\u05d4\u05df \u05d4\u05de\u05e7\u05d3\u05e9 \u05d9\u05d3\u05d9\u05d5 \u05de\u05df \u05d4\u05db\u05d9\u05d5\u05e8 \u05e7\u05d5\u05d3\u05dd \u05e2\u05d1\u05d5\u05d3\u05ea\u05d5 \u2013 \u201cYou are like akohenwho purifies his hands from thekiyorbefore his service.\u201d Those are the words of the Rashba.By thekohanimit says, \u05d5\u05e8\u05d7\u05e6\u05d5 \u05d9\u05d3\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd \u05d5\u05e8\u05d2\u05dc\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd \u05d1\u05d2\u05e9\u05ea\u05dd \u05dc\u05e9\u05e8\u05ea. Thekohanimhave to wash their hands as a preparation for tremendous opportunity to work in the Mikdash. But what does that have to do with us? Because we are emulating thekohanim.We are serving Hashem; that\u2019s our business in life. You get up in the morning and what do you do? You\u2019re akohenwashing your hands getting ready foravodas Hashem. And so the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning, before anything else, you prepare for the day with the most important information that you need. You remind yourself that you\u2019re akohen, that you\u2019re a member of theMamleches Kohanim.When you wake up in the morning, what are you getting up for? To go to work? To go to school? To be an accountant? No, you\u2019re getting up in order to serve Hashem all day long.And therefore, as you wash your hands, don\u2019t just pour the water without thinking. What a waste! Think, better yet say, \u201cI am doing this now because I am akohen. Hashem has appointed me to be part of His \u05de\u05de\u05dc\u05db\u05ea \u05db\u05d4\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05d2\u05d5\u05d9 \u05e7\u05d3\u05d5\u05e9.\u201d Our entire lives are dedicated to serving Hashem. Whether you\u2019re in your office working, in the kitchen cooking, or cleaning diapers in the laundry room, you\u2019re serving Hashem. Besides for yourdaveningand learning, you should know that whatever else you do is all part of serving Hakodosh Boruch Hu. You\u2019re aneved ne\u2019emanand you\u2019re akohen, and therefore the washing of the hands \u2013 the preparation for a day of serving Hashem is a very important symbol. And it should be utilized by you to make yourself aware of your status. It\u2019s a shame to waste that glorious opportunity that you have every morning. And most people are missing it altogether. That first act of the day, if done with thought, sets the tone for the rest of the day \u2013 that everything you will do, you\u2019ll be doing as a servant of Hashem.THE HILL ON YOUR HEADAnd therefore we can carry the comparison still further. We read a few weeks ago about thebigdei kehuna. And the one garment that is especially described as being worn \u201cfor honor and for beauty\u201d was themigba\u2019as, the headgear, of the Kohen. \u05d5\u05de\u05d2\u05d1\u05e2\u05d5\u05ea \u05ea\u05e2\u05e9\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05dd \u05dc\u05db\u05d1\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d5\u05dc\u05ea\u05e4\u05d0\u05e8\u05ea \u2013 \u201cAnd the headgear you shall make for them, for honor and for beauty\u201d (Shemos 28:40). You know that the wordmigba\u2019as,headgear, is related to the wordgiv\u2019ah, a hill, an elevation. And that\u2019s because the Kohen appears taller because of hismigba\u2019as. It added to his height, to denote his superiority as a servant of Hashem. He wore this crown of \u201chonor and beauty\u201d to demonstrate to everyone the importance of his service and his pride in being able to serve Hakodosh Boruch Hu.You know, once upon a time the whole Klal Yisroel didn\u2019t wear hats. But everyone knew that thekohenwore amitznefes. They knew that, and it meant something to them; there was a tinge of kosher jealousy there. And so the Am Yisroel said, \u201cIf thekohanimwear amitznefeswhy shouldn\u2019t we?!\u201d And so little by little themamlecheskohanim, the whole Am Yisroel, began to cover up their headsbecause they understood that as much as we can we emulate the kohanim.THE REAL PSHAT IN \u201cSHIVISI\u201dAnd so when you cover your head today; when you put on your hat, youryarmulke, what you\u2019re doing is walking in the footsteps of the Jews of ancient times who knew that they werekohanimtoo. And if you wear asheitel or tichelyou can add that thought as well. As often as you can you should be reminding yourself \u2013 if nobody is listening say it with your mouth \u2013 that you\u2019re identifying with theMamlechesKohanim.Even though you are not akohenserving Hashem at themizbeiach, but you are serving Hashemno lessin your home, in your kitchen, at your place of work, or on the street outside. You are a part of theMamleches Kohanim, and that means that wherever you are, and whatever you\u2019re doing, you\u2019re standing in front of Hashem in His service. That\u2019s the realpshatin \u05e9\u05d5\u05d9\u05ea\u05d9 \u05d4\u05e9\u05dd \u05dc\u05e0\u05d2\u05d3\u05d9 \u05ea\u05de\u05d9\u05d3. Don\u2019t tell me that you\u2019re picturing the letters of Hashem\u2019s name all the time. You don\u2019t need the letters \u2013 you areactuallystanding before Him.When we study the fact thatkohanimwear special garments, we understand thatevery Jewis expected to look different in his garments. Now I\u2019m not saying right now what you have to wear. If you\u2019re from a certain neighborhood or from a certain group that wears let\u2019s say long cloaks or you wear black hats very good, very good. Black hats by the way is a very good thing; if you\u2019re able to emulate that practice in order to identify with the Torah community, it\u2019s a greatness. But that\u2019s not my subject right now. Because whatever it is, the point is that a decent Jew must be distinctive in the way he dresses; he has to be dignified in his dress. AYisroelcannot wear jeans for instance. Like it says by thebigdei kehuna,l\u2019chavod u\u2019li\u2019siferes, he has to dress conventionally, in an honorable way. If he\u2019ll wear jeans let\u2019s say, or patched or torn clothing for the purpose of looking like a bum so he\u2019s ignoring the model of themamleches kohanim.A PROFESSOR ACCOSTS RAV MILLERSo you\u2019ll say what\u2019s the sin? And I\u2019ll tell you \u2013 it\u2019s the lack of understanding of our status in this world! I met an Orthodox Jew in the street one day. I was walking in the street and a man accosted me \u2013 I was frightened. He looked like a bum! He was wearing a cap, a queer kind of cap, and queer clothing. And then I recognized him as an Orthodox college professor. I can\u2019t blame him really; he\u2019s among bums all day long so he has to camouflage himself so they should think he\u2019s one of them. But that\u2019s not how Hashem wants us to be! He wants us to look different because we are themamleches kohanimv\u2019goy kadosh\u2013 we\u2019re a holy people like thekohanim.Kohanimyou know are called a holy group of people. \u05d5\u05e7\u05d3\u05e9\u05ea\u05d5 \u2013 \u201cAnd you should make himkadosh\u201d (Vayikra 21:8). It\u2019s a commandment that we have to give a certain deference to akohen. We recognize that he is holy because he is a servant of Hashem and we therefore accord him a special respect. So you\u2019re sitting at aseudah, and there\u2019s a waiter there. So he\u2019s can\u2019t just serve one, two, three, whatever the seating order is. No, he knows thedinthat \u05db\u05d4\u05df \u05e0\u05d5\u05d8\u05dc \u05d7\u05dc\u05e7 \u05d1\u05e8\u05d0\u05e9 \u2013 \u201cThekohenis served first.\u201d That\u2019s adinin thegemara, thekohencomes first. Thekohengets the first aliyah atkriyas hatorah, that you know already. But not only when it comes to analiyah; even when it comes to eating, he\u2019s also first.In every matter, we give respect to the one who has been chosen as aneved Hashem.V\u2019kidashto, we treat him with respect because he\u2019s holy to Hashem. Because of his status, his function in this world as the servant of Hashem we accord him privileges and distinctions of honor. \u05db\u05d9 \u05d0\u05ea \u05dc\u05d7\u05dd \u05d0\u05dc\u05d5\u05e7\u05d9\u05da \u05d4\u05d5\u05d0 \u05de\u05e7\u05e8\u05d9\u05d1 \u2013 He\u2019s serving Hashem, and that\u2019s whyv\u2019kidashto, that\u2019s why you honor him above all others.YOUR HOLY SPOUSEAnd now, when we think about these words we hear an echo of the words \u05e7\u05d3\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05dd \u05ea\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5 \u2013 \u201cAnd you, theAm Yisroel, should bekadosh\u201d (ibid. 19:2). Not only is akohenakadosh, but every frum Jew iskadosh. What does the wordkadoshmean? It means set aside, set apart for Hashem, something that\u2019s connected to Hashem.Every Jew iskadosh; it says that openly in the Torah that we\u2019re amamleches kohanim v\u2019goy kadosh.And so, when you deal with your fellow Jew, you have to watch out what you say. Of course, when you deal with agoyyou have to watch what you say as well, but it\u2019s not the same at all. Your wife iskadosh, your husband iskadosh. You cannot just hurl words against each other recklessly. Be careful what you say! You have to know who you\u2019re talking to. Would you talk like that to akohenin the Beis Hamikdash?! You have to respect akohen, and you have to respect theAm Kadosh. And just like akohenis treated with an especial dignity because he is holy to Hashem, that same respect and honor should be given to our fellow Jews.ENCOUNTER WITH GREATNESSSo you have to practice up on these truths. You see a fellow Jew, and you say under your breath, \u201cThere goes a holy person, one of thegoy kadosh.\u201d That\u2019s how to think when you pass a Jew in the street. It\u2019s an encounter with greatness, withkedusha, and it\u2019s important to get that into your head. And it will only happen if you train yourself to think these thoughts; \u201cThat man is holy; he\u2019s from theMamleches Kohanim.\u201dBut not only do we have to consider our fellow Jew akadosh, but we have to consider ourselves askedoshim. Just like akohenhas to be careful with hiskedusha,you\u2019re always reminding yourself, \u201cI\u2019m part of thegoy kadoshof Hashem; I\u2019m set aside foravodas Hashem.\u201dAnd so, since you\u2019re always standing in front of Hashem, you must begin to train yourself to do as much as you canl\u2019sheimshamayim. Little by little you train yourself to think about Hashem in whatever you are doing. And so, when you serve supper to your husband, to your family, why not? You\u2019re a good frum wife, a loyal woman; you\u2019ll say, \u201cCertainly I serve my husband supper. What else should I do? He\u2019s my husband. Any loyal wife would do this.\u201d But now we\u2019re seeing that that is not enough. Your job in this world is to be more than a wife who is loyal to her husband, and to her family. Because while you are doing all of these \u201cmundane\u201d activities, you are doing them with the intention that you are from themamleches kohanimand that you are serving Hashem.FLIPPING THE PANCAKESAnd that\u2019s what Hakodosh Boruch Hu wants from you. That you should become more and morekadosh; more and more set aside for Himin your thoughts.And that means that as much as you can you try to do thingslisheimshamayim, which means that you\u2019re aware that you\u2019re serving Hashem. So you stand at your stove just like akohenstands at themizbeiach, putting onto the fire things to burn up to Hashem. And he\u2019s \u05de\u05d4\u05e4\u05da \u05d1\u05e6\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05e8\u05d0, he\u2019s turning over the fats and pieces of thekorbanfor Hashem. And you\u2019re standing there atyourmizbeiach, your stove, turning over the pancakes, and you\u2019re serving Hashem no less than akohen. You\u2019re thinking these thoughts; that you\u2019re serving Hashem right now in your kitchen like thekohenserves Hashem in the Mikdash and the status of your home is elevated to a place of the service of Hashem.Now people will say, \u201cCertainly I\u2019m anoivedHashem, certainly. But that\u2019s only part of my life; I have to do other things too. I have a job, I have a family.\u201d And the answer is, no. \u05d5\u05d0\u05ea\u05dd \u05ea\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d9 \u05de\u05de\u05dc\u05db\u05ea \u05db\u05d4\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd tells you that whatever you are doing in life, you\u2019re still akohen Hashem.Look, akohencan also get a job; he also has a family. But he\u2019s still akohen! So you have to go to your office, to your store, whatever it is, to make a living. But you\u2019re still akohen Hashem. You have to take care of your children, feed them, bathe them. But that doesn\u2019t in any way affect your status. You\u2019re part of theMamleches Kohanimand you must keep that in mind always. Hashem took you out of Mitzrayim to be His servant and nothing can change that fundamental truth of your purpose in this world. AYisroelcan never change his function in life.BANGING NAILS L\u2019SHEIM SHAMAYIMAnd so, even if you\u2019re a plumber or a carpenter, and you\u2019re busy all day long, you should know how important it is for you to keep this in mind. Every time you bang in a nail \u2013 of course you have to concentrate on doing a good job too; you might bang in a nail incorrectly and then you\u2019re being paid for nothing, you\u2019re aganav\u2013 but in addition to doing your best on the job, you have to add the thought, \u201cI\u2019m doing this because it\u2019s the will of Hakodosh Boruch Hu. I have to work, I have to make a living, I have to get married, I have to support a wife, I have to support my children.\u201d Of course if you have a rich father-in-law who\u2019s willing to support you, then you could sit in akollelall your life; and even the kollel man has to be reminded to keep Hashem in his thoughts always. That\u2019s exactly how we have to think and that is the motivation that is chiefly prized by Hashem.And so it doesn\u2019t matter what you do, who you are. You could be a dentist, a shoemaker or an errand boy \u2013 whatever it is, that\u2019s all incidental to what you really are. Because your chief profession is that of being part of theMamleches Kohanim. Now don\u2019t think it\u2019s just amashaland a piousdrasha. No, Hakodosh Boruch Hu expects us to take all the hints inVayikra, theTorasKohanim, and expand on it with your own mind in many other directions.That\u2019s your business in life. And therefore as much as possible, in everything you do, you should keep in mind that you are serving Hashem. And everything you do, at home, at work, on the, street should be motivated by this awareness. Now it doesn\u2019t mean that everything must be done that way or else you don\u2019t do it. We are human beings and we try our best. We aspire to bekohanimas much as possible and therefore if we could add an additional intent to the things we do, and even say something to that effect, we train ourselves to be more and morekadoshand we fulfill our function in life as akohen, akadoshwho is set aside for Hashem.When you allow this thought to enter your mind and you gradually continue to practice it, so it begins to take a part in all of your actions, as a share in your thoughts. And after a while you\u2019ll find that part of your intentions in whatever you do islisheim shamayim.You start by thinking and speaking aboutlisheim shamayimand about being from themamleches kohanim v\u2019goy kadoshand it\u2019s all not real, you\u2019re a hypocrite. But that\u2019s the best hypocrite in the world because after a while it begins to penetrate and it becomes a genuine intention that participates in all of your motivations.THE DELICIOUS FRUIT OF PARSHAS TZAVThe great ideal, the important attitude that we are theMamleches Kohanim, and that our lives, our behavior, and our thoughts, are to be patterned after thekohanimin the Mikdash, must be for us a seed that is planted in our minds, a seed that you must water and nurture all the days of your life. And the more thought that you put into thisavodah, the more this seed ofMamleches Kohanimwill grow in your mind into beautiful and delicious fruit. The more you water this ideal, by thinking about what we\u2019re speaking about tonight, the more you will understand that everything that you do in your life, Hashem looks at it as if it is theavodas hakohanimserving in the Beis Hamikdash.And as the years pass by, the ideal of being from themamleches kohanimgrows upon you and it becomes a stronger and stronger part of your personality until finally, before you realize it, it occupies a very big part in all of your motivations, and you actually begin to live life as one of themamleches kohanim. And just like when thekohanimwere chosen by Hashem it is written: \u05d5\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d9 \u05d4\u05dc\u05d5\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd \u2013 \u201cTo be Mine,\u201d it meant to be especially Mine forever, so too the nation as a whole was chosen to be theMamleches Kohanimwith that same word. \u05d5\u05d0\u05ea\u05dd \u05ea\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d9 \u05de\u05de\u05dc\u05db\u05ea \u05db\u05d4\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd \u2013 \u201cAnd you shall be forMea Kingdom of Priests,\u201d is the mark of eternal honor. \u201cWherever it says \u05dc\u05d9, \u201cFor Me,\u201d it shall never cease in this world and in the World to Come\u201d (Vayikra Rabbah 2:2). It\u2019s a mark of distinction that we must live up to, to be always aware that all of our actions must be for the purpose of serving Hashem. And if we keep that in mind always, then we become thegoy kadosh, the nation set aside for Hashem in eternity. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.