MHA-FYOS Dean's Blog

The beginning of this week’s parasha, Parashat Ki Tavo, describes the mitzva  of bikkurim – the obligation to bring the first of one’s fruit to Yerushalayim to be given as a gift to the kohen . The Torah enumerates an additional aspect of this commandment – an obligation to be performed immediately after this gift is given – to recite four specific verses that describe the sojourn of our forefather, Jacob, in Egypt and Hashem’s subsequent salvation of the Jewish People. Incidentally, these four verses – and their explication – also serve as the backbone of the maggid section of the Passover seder . In his explanation of this mitzva , the author of the Sefer HaChinuch writes that by making this declaration about Hashem’s kindness to the Jewish People at this time – when he has reaped the produce of his land and Hashem has blessed him with the means to give this gift to the kohen – the farmer reinforces the idea in his own mind that his blessing is the result of Hashem’s handiwork an...

In the section from Parashat Bo that we will read on the first day of Pesach, the Torah recounts Moshe’s command to the elders of Israel regarding the night of the exodus. Moshe commands the details of the Pesach sacrifice and concludes by commanding the elders to guard this matter as a law for all generations. Moshe continues and says, "And it will be that when you come to the land that Hashem has given to you like He spoke. And you will guard this service. And it will be that when your children say to you, ‘What is this service of yours?’ And you will say, ‘It is a Pesach offering to Hashem that He passed over the houses of the Jewish People in Egypt when He smote Egypt and our houses he saved and the nation bowed and worshipped. And the children of Israel went and did like Hashem commanded Moshe and Aharon – thus did they do.'" In summary, after commanding the people to offer the Passover offering, Moshe tells the people that when they enter the land of Israel, thei...

Our parasha , Parashat Tzav, continues from the description in last week’s parasha of the various offerings that were offered in the Tabernacle and in the Beit HaMikdash – the Temple in Yerushalayim. One unique phrase is repeated time and again – le’Hashem – to Hashem: a memorial offering to Hashem, that they will offer to Hashem, a pleasant odor to Hashem, to name a few. “To Hashem” is an ambiguous phrase. What does it mean? What does it add? Does “to Hashem” convey the possessive case – as in G-d’s memorial offering? Alternatively, does “to Hashem” indicate the intended recipient – a memorial offering to G-d? Perhaps, “to Hashem” means something else. What is the meaning of the phrase “to Hashem”'? One example of a similar usage of the phrase, “to Hashem” is from the Passover offering that was celebrated in Egypt and is mentioned in the Seder. In parashat Bo, the Torah says, “And thus you will eat it (the Pascal sacrifice): with your loins girded, your shoes on your f...