Tzav – A Party for Hashem’s Superstars 


The Mishna Berura (429:2:7) says we don’t say tachanun the entire month of Nissan because on Rosh Chodesh Nissan began the dedication of the Mishkan where each of the 12 tribes brought their sacrifice each day, which was considered 12 days of yom tov. Then comes preparing and slaughtering the korban Pesach, Pesach itself, and most of the month is completed, so for the whole month we don’t say tachanun.
 It’s very apropos then that this week’s Torah portion of Tzav discusses the preparations for the dedication of the Mishkan, which took place for seven days prior to Rosh Chodesh Nissan. In fact Chassidim have a custom to not say tachanun for these 7 days as well. The end of the Torah portion discusses the process of installing Aharon and his sons as kohanim to serve in the mishkan. Anointing them, the process of dressing them in their priestly garments, and the offerings that were brought for their inauguration. The pasuk says “Then Moshe took them from on their palms and caused them to go up in smoke on the alter after the burnt-offering; they were inauguration offerings, for a satisfying aroma; it was a fire-offering to Hashem” (Vayikra 8:28).

The Moshav Zekeinim, who is one of the Baalei Tosfos, comments on this pasuk: “the inauguration offerings were called a satisfying aroma, meaning Hashem was joyful and made a yom tov (a holiday) with the inauguration because He acquired a loved one who He had chosen, as it says in Megilla 10b: ‘And it was on the 8th day’ that day was like no other for Hashem ever since He created His world. And [the gemara] learns it out from a gezeira shava it says there the word ‘vayehi’ and it says before in Breishis perek 1 ‘vayehi erev vayehi boker’ (it will be evening and it will be morning). Isn’t it a kal vachomer, fortiori, for just as a human king acquires a loved one and throws a party for him, all the more so The King of Kings, The Holy One Blessed Be He, who appointed a kohen and chose him to serve Him.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
One can relate to a king being happy over acquiring a loved one and throwing a party. It’s like an NFL franchise signing the best quarterback in the league. After the signing no doubt there would be champagne, and an elaborate party amongst the owners, staff, and the quarterback and his family. It is a time of joy because so much potential for success is being bet upon the signing. But why does it then make sense that Hashem’s appointing Aharon and his family as the kohanim who will be in charge of the service in the Mishkan and Beis Hamikdash is such an excitement for Him that it’s compared to when He created the world? When Hashem created the world, He set nature into motion in the most perfect way possible. All of nature did and does Hashem’s bidding, flawlessly. The sun rises and sets at the right time, the seasons happen exactly how Hashem wants them to happen, each species of animals and vegetation have a specific purpose in the grand scheme of things, and do their jobs as Hashem precisely programmed them to do. This incredible work of art, this world that Hashem created with all that is inside, is understandably a joyous masterpiece worth celebrating. How then are the kohanim, who are only human beings, granted, are charged with doing Hashem’s service, but it’s certainly not as thrilling and “earth shattering” of a feat as creation itself, to be equally as joyous and exciting the creation of the world?

However, the reality is that we underestimate the greatness of man and the potential they can reach. Hashem was so excited about appointing priests that would lead the way in serving Hashem the best possible way frail human beings can, and the potential for them to reach great heights and create such a bond with their Father in Heaven for themselves and on behalf of His children is so incredible and inexplicably exhilarating that Hashem justly equated it with when He created Heaven and Earth.

We must appreciate gadlus ha’adam, the greatness of mankind, and how much Hashem believes in us and the success He expects us to accomplish. With this attitude we can indeed have much success and reach the height of perfection that Hashem expects His loved ones to attain.