#24 — Parshat Tsav
(Leviticus 6:8-8:35)
Overview
The first part of this week’s parasha (Leviticus chapters 6 and 7) records the law of the sacrifices and the second part (chapter 8) relates the consecration of Aaron and his sons for the work of the priesthood.
According to chapter 8, Moses brought Aaron and his sons to the door of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). After first washing them he clothed them in their priestly garments. As High Priest, Aaron was clothed with a unique set of garments ‘for glory and splendor’ (Exodus 28:2), consisting of a tunic, a sash, a coat, an ephod, and a breastplate in which was placed the Urim and the Tummim. On his head was placed a turban with a gold plate on which was engraved, ‘Holy to Adonai’. The Mishkan and the priests – the most holy place on earth and the holiest people on earth – were not only set apart for God with the sacred anointing oil but were purified with the blood of the hattat, or ‘de-sinning’ offering.
The blood of the sacrifice was then applied to the ear lobes, the thumbs and the big toes of Aaron and his sons. They were consecrated and cleansed literally from head to toe, in order to mediate between the people and their God. Compared with the setting apart of the Israelite priests, the consecration of modern religious officials pales into insignificance.
Deep cleaning for the soul!
Decay
On YouTube, there is a fascinating time-lapse video of a bowl of fruit and vegetables decaying over a period of 70 days. It was created by taking a shot of the food every 40 minutes and then playing the film back at 30 frames per second so that in a minute-and-a-half you can see a process of decay that took over ten weeks to occur. Something similar can be seen with regard to the priesthood when we read through the Hebrew Bible.
Malachi, the final prophetic book in Hebrew Scripture, reveals a decadent priestly system in need of deep and thorough cleansing. The priest had a special position as a “messenger [מלאך] of the L-RD” but the priesthood had decayed into a failure:
“For the lips of the priests should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the L-RD of host. But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of host”
The priests and Levites purified themselves every day when they washed themselves in the temple. But outward cleansing didn’t prevent them from being inwardly corrupt. The people performed the mikveh every time they went to the temple but the mikveh did nothing more than cleanse the body.
The prophet Ezekiel, however, foretold a day when Adonai would sprinkle clean water on his people and put a new spirit (his Ruach HaKodesh) in them. Just as Aaron and his sons were purified and sanctified with blood, water and oil, a greater sacrifice, cleaner water and purer oil were required to totally purify the sons of Levi.
The purifier of the sons of Levi
Malachi actually also promised that this would happen. A better messenger would come instead of the corrupted priesthood. “The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; even the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold he is coming says the L-rd of host….. He will purify the sons of Levi (Malachi 3:1-4)
Who is this Lord and messenger that the temple is said to be his?
We believe this ultimate Lord and messenger or angel [מלאך] is Jesus the Messiah. On two occasions he cleansed the temple of ungodly practices. (John 2:13-22, Matthew 21:12-17). But more than that he gave his life as the ultimate “de-sinning sacrifice” (chattat).
The book of Acts, the first written account of the Messianic movement that centered around Jesus, records that soon after Jesus offered himself as the final, ultimate atonement for the sins of his people and rose from the grave three days later, the word about him spread, ‘and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith’ (Acts 6:10).
The Better Priest
Reading the historical books of Scripture, we can’t fail to see that almost as soon as the Aaronic priesthood was established it began to decay (to see that, we need look no further than next week’s Parasha). The priesthood was always an inadequate institution because the kohanim were as morally weak as the people they represented. Like everyone else the priests died and could not continue their ministry. Nevertheless, the Aaronic priesthood served its purpose until the coming of the descendant of David who would be ‘a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek’ (Ps. 110:4).
Because Jesus the Messiah is not only the purifier of the son of Levi he is also himself the ultimate priest. We should listen to his instruction as the messenger of the LORD and let him purify us as a refiners fire. (Malachi 3:2)
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