LEV62 Do not extinguish the Altar’s fire. A person is blessed according to the degree that his deeds are pleasing in the eyes of Hashem. By fulfilling the mitzvah of tending to the Altar fires every day, the Kohanim caused Hashem to bless the natural fire in their bodies. That is, man is made of four basic elements: fire, air, water and dust. Fire is the main element, for through it man gained strength and is able to move and act. Therefore, of the four basic elements of the body, it is most important that blessing be present in this one.

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LEV63 It is desirable to go suitably dressed and especially when sitting down to a meal (Shabbat 114a. Spoken of the High Priest, who was not to appear in the Holy of Holies in vestments in which he prepared the sacrifices), a lesson derived by the School of Rabbi Yishmael from their explanation of "And he shall take off his garments and put it on others" [this verse]. Appearances are very important, and man was advised to spend more on dress than on food. Such advice was considered unnecessary for woman; nature has seen to that. "Woman's armour which she carries about with her, is her beauty", of mind, as well as of body, if we are to be chivalrous.

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LEV64 See [[DEUT210]] Deuteronomy 6:5 love SPERO 96

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LEV65 Ten miracles were wrought for our forefathers in the sanctuary:… [5] the rains never put out the fire of the wood-pile [on the altar, under the open sky] Pirkei Avot, Perek V, mishnah 7. The altar for sacrifices was in an open space, exposed to the elements. Yet in the heaviest rains the fire always burned. If we might personify them, we could call fire and water natural mortal enemies: water poured on fire will douse it; if there is not enough water to put out a blaze, the flames will dry up the liquid rapidly. Yet here, for a higher purpose, these opposites were made to cooperate. The fire on the altar was needed that the offerings might be burnt there, in accordance with Scripture's revelation of the Divine will. In fact, it commanded, "a constant fire shall be kept burning up on the altar" [this verse]. The cohanim could ensure only a steady supply of wood, fed to the flames as necessary; rain was beyond their control. But Heaven intervened for its own command. To serve the higher goal of the Creator of all, fire and water rose above their natures and made a truce, as it were.… What natural elements did, human elements must also do. Clashing personalities, conflicting interests, drives and pulls in opposite directions -- in the communal life of Jewry these have no place. All must be subdued to the sacred will of Heaven, as we discern it through the Torah and its authentic teachers. Skulduggery of power and politics, the defeat of one group by another for the sheer joy of flexing and showing political muscle, the battle of wills as the greater pigheadedness seeks to triumph--all this is cold water to douse the fires of faith burning in the altars of the heart.

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LEV66 See [[EXOD959]] Exodus 29:33 eat CHINUCH 69-70

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LEV67 We must not do anything that might create animosity. The Talmud comments on the words, "When he is anointed" that only one High Priest at a time is anointed, not two. Why? Rabbi Yohanan explains that this is to prevent animosity. (Yerushalmi Yoma 1:1). The essence of the High Priest is the attribute of peace. Aharon, the first High Priest, was renowned as a lover and pursuer of peace. The High Priest must unite the entire nation. If there would be animosity in this high position, it would be a distortion and mockery of the concept of the High Priest. Therefore, nothing maybe done to create such animosity. (Yalkut Yehuda, on this verse).

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LEV68 The Kohen Gadol (High Priest) shall bring a daily meal offering. The Kohen Gadol prays for the Jewish nation and serves as its agent in performing avodah in the Beis HaMikdash. By means of his prayers and avodah, the nation gains atonement for sins. Accordingly, it is fitting that he bring his own special offering every day in the morning and evening, just as the daily offerings of the community are brought then. All this is in keeping with the principle that offerings are to awaken the heart of the one who brings them, and spur him to serve his Maker with greater devotion. Without question, when a man brings an offering that is specially designated as his, his heart is moved more than if he is simply a partner in the offering.

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LEV69 The Kohen Gadol daily flour offering shall not be eaten. As noted, offerings are to awaken the heart of the one who brings them. If the Kohen Gadol would eat of his meal offering, the desired effect on his heart would not be achieved, for it would seem to him that he brought the offering for his own sake, for nourishment. All the more so, were his offering to be eaten by someone else, the desired effect on the Kohen Gadol would not be achieved. Therefore, the Torah commands that his offering be burned on the Altar, and none of it be eaten by anyone.

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LEV71 We must not cause someone embarrassment by referring to his past misdeeds. The Talmud (Yerushalmi Yevomos 8:3) explains that the reason the sin offering and burnt offering were slaughtered in the same place in the Sanctuary was to save sinners from embarrassment. Anyone witnessing someone bringing a sin offering could assume that it was a burnt offering which is brought as a donation and not necessarily as an atonement for a transgression. Using this as a source, the Sages made a regulation that prayer (shmoneh esrai) must be recited quietly in order not to embarrass people who confess their sins during their prayers. (Sotah 32b). This verse teaches us that we must be very careful not to cause someone embarrassment or discomfort because of past misdeeds.

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LEV70 Again and again our Torah emphasizes the dignity and respect that a man must accord his fellow. The Torah is considerate of human feelings even where you would least expect it. During the days of the Temple, for instance, various people brought offerings for different reasons. Some sacrifices were obligatory, some were gifts, and some were brought to atone for sin. In this last category were the hattah (sin–offering), brought for an unintentional transgression; the asham (guilt–offering), brought, for example, for the sin of swearing falsely; and the olah (burnt-offering), sometimes brought for improper thoughts, but it could be brought for other reasons as well, unrelated to sin. Now just imagine what might have happened at the Temple. The person making the offering had to be present, to place his hands on the animal of the sacrifice. Then, if Reuben walked into the Temple with his ashram, everyone would know that Reuben had sworn falsely! Let Simeon enter the Temple with his hattah, and all would realize that Simeon had sinned! Surely the Temple would have become a center of unwarranted public humiliation. Therefore the Torah specifically commands: "In the place where the olah is slaughtered shall the hattah be slaughtered" [this verse]; "In the place where they slaughter the olah shall they slaughter the asham" (Leviticus 7:2). Under this system the spectator would never know whether a particular sacrifice was a voluntary offering or something obligatory in expiation of a sin. This is how the Torah sought to protect the dignity and esteem of man. (Continued at [[DEUT977]] Deuteronomy 20:5 "go back" SINAI1 301-2)

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