6:3 וְלָבַ֨שׁ הַכֹּהֵ֜ן מִדּ֣וֹ בַ֗ד וּמִֽכְנְסֵי־בַד֮ יִלְבַּ֣שׁ עַל־בְּשָׂרוֹ֒ וְהֵרִ֣ים אֶת־הַדֶּ֗שֶׁן אֲשֶׁ֨ר תֹּאכַ֥ל הָאֵ֛שׁ אֶת־הָעֹלָ֖ה עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וְשָׂמ֕וֹ אֵ֖צֶל הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃
The priest shall dress in linen raiment, with linen breeches next to his body; and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has reduced the burnt offering on the altar and place them beside the altar.
The priest shall dress in linen raiment, with linen breeches next to his body; and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has reduced the burnt offering on the altar and place them beside the altar.
The first thing commanded of the Cohen in the morning is to clean up the ashes. Why is “cleaning up the garbage” the first the to do in the morning?
The chovos halevavos says that it is to remind the cohanim to be humble because they have such an important Job they might become arrogant because of his position. So Hashem makes him every morning clean up the ashes to humble him.
Questions :
What might be another reason why the Cohen picks up the ashes?
Where else is there a mitzvah in order to keep someone humble?
Where else do we see someone being humble?
What other mitzvah of a cohen has a deeper message?
What other mitzvot are there that teaches us to be better people?
Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks writes about how important humility is in Judaism. It is a common characteristic of a king to be arrogant, and not very humble. This is a clear example of how spirituality makes a difference to the way we act, feel and think. All of the leaders in Judaism make sure to be humble in the sense that they recognize that Hashem is higher up than them, and that they are just Hashem's messengers.
ReplyDeleteI like this because it shows how special Judaism is, and how even the highest up people of our nation were able to be humble, and recognize that Hashem is higher up.
https://www.ou.org/torah/parsha/rabbi-sacks-on-parsha/the-greatness-of-humility/
When Hashem told Moshe to go lead the Jewish people, וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים מִ֣י אָנֹ֔כִי כִּ֥י אֵלֵ֖ךְ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְכִ֥י אוֹצִ֛יא אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃
ReplyDeleteBut Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and free the Israelites from Egypt?”
Moshe is very humble because he asks who he is to lead the Jews out of Egypt and according to Rashi speak to kings.
I think it is very important to be humble but not so humble that you deny the request of Hashem.
Kayla feldhammer
The Sefti Chakhamim explains that the when the cohanim separate the ashes it is an expression of separation. If the Cohen would clear off all the ash it would remove the separation. I like this answer because it give meaning to the simple act of removing the ashes. Now instead of it being a simple meaningless act it shows that you can remove this separation.
ReplyDeletePARSHA BLOG:
ReplyDeleteWhere else do we see someone humble?
Moshe is called the most humble man on earth. As it says,
וְהָאִ֥ישׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה ענו [עָנָ֣יו] מְאֹ֑ד מִכֹּל֙ הָֽאדם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה”
“Now Moses was a very humble man, more so than any other man on earth”
Ibn Ezra says that Moshe never asked for recognition or acknowledgment and no reward, he was just so humble.
An example is when Jehova told Moshe that other navi’s would get nevuah also and not not just him and Moshe was joyous and not envious and was happy to share the honor and pleasure. Also when his father in law informed him that he should receive people to help him with his workload, Moshe did so and was not full of himself and think he could do it all by himself. Moshe was happy to share his good wealth with others around him and let everyone be happy and not let himself have it all.
I like this answer because it teaches us that not everything is always about us and that we need to be greater then and above everyone else. We should too go out of our ways to help others and make sure others feel great just like we would want to feel. Moshe is a man we should all strive to be like and learn from.
gabriella bak