In Parshat Tzav, it says in pasuk 5 וְהָאֵ֨שׁ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֤חַ תּֽוּקַד־בּוֹ֙ לֹ֣א תִכְבֶּ֔ה , that a fire should burn on the Mizbeach and it should not go out. The again, in the next pasuk 6, it says אֵ֗שׁ תָּמִ֛יד תּוּקַ֥ד עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לֹ֥א תִכְבֶּֽה. A continuos fire shall burn on the mizbeach and not go out.
Why is there double language? What is the signifigance of this repition?
Rashi comments a very Pshat answer, that the reason why the phrase is repeated twice is because by violating this commandment, you are also violating two Mitzvot.
What are other suggestions to the reason for double language here? Where else in the Torah do we see repitition, and what is the signifigance? What is the signifigance of the continuous fire on the mizbeach?
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ReplyDeleteAnother example of double language is in shemot when it says ראה ראיתי. According to the cli yakar, the significance is hashem saw Bnei Yisrael pain in the past, but he only accepts it now because before they were complaining, but now they are asking hashem-בקשה and now accepts it because they ask him with a full heart. I like this answer because it’s important for us to realize that hashem is always there for us and listening, but we really have to put in the effort for what we daven for to happen.
ReplyDeleteRav Binny says that the eternal fire is significant because it demonstrates the eternalness of Hashem. The problem was that bni Israel might think this was just nature and then take it for granted so it was really important that the fire was know from G-d. Bni Israel needed to constantly see that G-d is much more powerful and is eternal (which we see is something bni struggles with all the time) they need the fire to remind them of this. I think this is really cool because bni Israel must have been in awe every time they walked into the mikdash to see the eternal flame. Also I think it’s cool because we know that fire is used as a metaphor for Torah so it’s nice to see that it was also incorporated in the place where we serve Hashem.
ReplyDeleteAnother example of repetition in the Torah is in Devarim 16:20 when it says צדק צדק תרדף למען תחיה וירשת את הארץ אשר ה אלקיך נתן לך- Righteousness, righteousness you shall pursue so that you will live and take possession of the land that Hashem, your G-d, gives you.” The Ibn Ezra explains that the word צדק appears twice to show that one must do justice wether if your gaining something or losing something. He also says the reputation emphasizes that you must do justice time after time- every day of your life. I like his answer because its simple and explains the repetition of the world by teaching us we have to do righteousness every day
ReplyDeleteThe chizkuni says that the reason that it says it twice is because it kept burning even on Shabbat and even if somehow it became impure. I like this answer because it’s statightfoward and makes sense
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