I
have always wondered about how the rich and powerful prepare for Pesach. Sure it
is very easy for me to point to Jared and Ivanka as the epitome of rich and
powerful Jews. Maybe they are very busy dealing with Iraq, the Chinese Premier,
or reminding her father about the importance of women entrepreneurs to roll up
the old shirtsleeves and start cleaning for Pesach. I suppose they are too busy
and I hope they have someone at their home cleaning up for Pesach. However it
probably would have been a really good idea if Ezra Cohen- Watnick, the senior
director of intelligence at the National Security Council had spent more time
cleaning up for Pesach and taking out the garbage and chometz from his house
instead of showing Devin Nunes (chairman of the House Intellegence Committee)
the White House’s reports that justify the President’s false claim of being the subject surveillance. On Pesach we celebrate the Exodus from Egypt, we celebrate The
Jewish people’s freedom from Egyptian slavery. However before Pesach, we clean.
We rid our homes of chometz since one is forbidden to “own chometz” during Pesach.
So we vacuum cars. We vacuum and clean under beds, under sofas, behind the
refrigerator. We use special dishes, special pots and pans and cutlery
designated for Pesach. We throw out lots of trash. chometz, yeast, puffed up
dough, is a symbol for arrogance. The message is clear. Cleaning up after
oneself is humbling. Not having to clean up after one self can lead to
arrogance. We hock and remind our children to clean their dishes rather than
just live them in the sink for someone else to clean. Maybe someone should have reminded Ezra that
this is the season to clean up one’s own chometz, and rid oneself of arrogance.
This
week’s Parsha is Tzav. It is also Shabbat HaGadol, the Shabbat that immediately
precedes Chag HaPesach, the Passover Holyday. Like last week’s Parsha, Parsha
Tzav focuses upon Korbonot (offerings). While last week we read of God’s
commanding Moshe to tell Aaron and his sons, this week we read of Moshe
actually telling Aaron and his sons. This week we read about the actual
sacrificing, the actual sprinkling, the actual burning and the actual donning
of appropriate clothing. The Parshah concludes with instructions for Aaron and
his sons to remain outside of the camp for seven days. These are the seven days
required for spiritual and to some degree, physical preparation. The Priests
must remain outside of the camp because they are in the process of purifying
themselves for this extremely sacred and vital position, Kohen Gadol.
Besides
Moshe, the Kohen Gadol was the most vital role within Israelite society. It was
the Kohen Gadol that served as a vehicle for the common person to draw closer
to God. When the common person or the king needed to atone, they would bring a
sacrifice to God. However it was the Priest that had to check for blemishes. It
was the priest that had to slaughter the animal in a very precise way. It was
the priest that had to sprinkle the blood.
Later on it was the priest who became the “spiritual advisor” to the
king. Unlike any other position, the priesthood was based upon lineage and was
promised by God to Aaron for eternity (or as long as there was a Temple). Yet
as important as this was for the welfare of B’nai Yisroel’s relationship to
God, the Priest was eternally reminded of the importance of humility within a
leader. V’hotzi et a Hadeshen el Michutz
La’Machaneh el Makom Tahor-“and he
shall bring the ashes to the outside of the camp, to a pure place (Lev
6:4).” Here is arguably the most important position within the community and he
has to shlep the ashes out from the Mishkan. What’s even more amazing is what
the Talmudic tractate Yoma teaches. The Talmud explains that the priests were
so anxious to take out the ashes that a lottery system had to be introduced to
pacify all those who wanted this “honor”. Anyone could have been commanded to
take out the ashes. Why the Kohanim (the Priests)? Like all other aspects of
the sacrificial process, the priests’ sole concern was the Temple and
everything about the Temple. No task was below the priest. No aspect of the
Temple remained untouched or unaffected by the Priest. The Sefer HaChinuch, a
thirteenth century work enumerating and explaining all 613 Mitzvot explains
that Terumat HaDeshen is a positive commandment. The priest removes these ashes
daily, and in doing so, he is enhancing the Mizbeach (the altar) and
beautifying it to the best of his ability. Rashi adds that the priest would
wear old clothes and nice his daily Priestly Vestments or his Holiday Vestments
to do this type of menial work. All agree that the Kohen was never thought to
be too important for such a lowly task.
So
what can we learn from Parsha Tzav, and the Priest’s most menial of tasks?
First we learn just how vital it is for leadership, of any kind, to roll of its
shirtsleeves and do some of the dirty work. After all, if leadership is
unwilling to “to get dirty” for a greater purpose, then the purpose is not so
great. Also if the leadership is unwilling “to get dirty”, why should anyone
else “get dirty”? Effective leadership is not only about convincing others to act;
it is about one’s observance of the same rule. No matter how important we think
we are, we always should be reminded to take out the ashes. We need humility in
order to remind us of where we fit in, and who we are. Possessing this humility
gives us credibility when dealing with anyone. Possessing this humility reminds
us of how we should treat others as well as how we wish to be treated. By participating
in the preparations, by cleaning up and throwing out the garbage; we remind
ourselves that Judaism is about the individual fitting into the community. Hopefully
my kids will begin to appreciate the importance of throwing out the garbage.
Peace & Chag Kasher v’ Sameach,
Rav Yitz
