Leviticus: 6:2 – Command (צו) Aaron and his sons saying: This is the law of the elevation offering [it is it that stays] on the flame, on the Altar, all night until the morning, and the fire of the Altar should be kept aflame on it.
Tosefet Bracha: Rashi here quotes the Torat Cohanim as follows: The word “command” [‘tvav’ / צו] is used to mean ‘exhort to perform diligently now and for generations to come’. Rabbi Shimon states that the extra exhortation is needed in cases where [performing the commandment] involves a monetary loss.
It is worthwhile to consider more thoughtfully the reason why command/tvav implies extra diligence. It is possible to explain this idea according to the idea that is mentioned frequently in the Gemora “Greater is one who is commanded to perform a mitzvah and does it, than one who is not commanded to perform it, but does it anyway”.
As, for example, a blind person who is exempt from performing mitzvot, but who does them anyway. The reason why one who is commanded is ‘greater’ is explained by Tosafot in the Gemora Kiddushin 31a. It is because the one who issues the command is worried that perhaps the commanded one won’t heed the command and perform the mitzvah. [Note: the root of mitvah is “tzav” – commandment.] This issue [of the Commander’s expectations] is not present for one who is not commanded; in that case there is no worry. Since there is no command, if the person does not voluntarily perform the deed, he does not transgress a command in any way.
Therefore, this person who is commanded, he actually does need more exhortation to perform the commandment. Since, perhaps, it may not be convenient for him to perform it. This is the connection between the concept of commandment and extra exhortation. Together with accepting the command comes an extra need for exhortation and diligence.
Let us also consider more deeply why the word command/tzav also implies “for now and for generations”. The emphasis isn’t on the verb “command” per se but rather circumstance of God doing the commanding. When God commands, He means for now and for generations to come. Behold we find many instances where the verb “command” is used only for a short period of time. Examples are: 1. In the beginning of Parshat VaYishlach (Genesis 32:5) “He (Jacob) commanded them” 2. Parshat VaYichi (Genesis 40:2) “Joseph commanded his servants” 3. Parshat Shmot (Exodus 5:6) “Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters…” There are many other examples. These, however, are examples of people commanding others. Commandments from God, however, are for now and for generations to come.
The reason why there is a difference between God’s commands and people’s commands is obvious. People, since they only exist temporarily, cannot issue commands for eternity – who knows, perhaps the situation will change. This is not so with God. Since He is Eternal, He can issue commands that apply forever.
This approach is the approach that we took to explain one aspect of the liturgy for Rosh HaShana [the New Year]. “All believe that He exists forever and He is Good and does good to evildoers and to good people.”
[וכל מאמינים שהוא חי וקים, הטוב ומטיב לרעים ולטובים]
It is not clear how God’s existing forever is related to His aspect of doing good to evildoers and to good people. However, it can be explained as follows: People, who do not live forever, when they want to exact payment or revenge from on who hates them, they cannot tarry and wait. Since their days are short and they don’t know when their end will come. God, however, He exists forever. He does not need to hurry to exact judgement from those who hate Him. He can be sure that that day will come. Alternatively, the evildoer might repent and change his ways. Either way, God has done a good thing for the evildoer.
Let us also consider more deeply why exhortation is more needed when there is a monetary loss involved. Rabbi Shimon’s intent here is that this statement applies to the “elevation offering” of which the Cohanim [the descendants of Aaron] don’t get any share in it at all. The concern is that perhaps they may weaken a bit in their diligence for this mitzvah. It seems improbable to say this to a group referred to as God’s special messengers. (See Gemora Kiddushin 23b)
Further, besides our use of the word “command” here, this word appears many times in the Torah and there is no special exhortation or diligence required. As it often says “Command the Children of Israel saying…” Or “Command Joshua…” in Deuteronomy. There are many other examples where the word is used without any extra diligence being meant.
Also we need to consider the adjacent phrase in the verse “it is it that stays on the flame all night long”. This phraseology of “it is it…” is not usual nor does it flow well. It should have just continued with the details of the commandment “this is the Torah of the elevation offering, it will burn all night…” as is the usual phraseology used in the Torah.
Therefore, it appears possible to say that the verse itself explains why extra exhortation and diligence is required for this commandment of the elevation offering. The explanation is in accordance with the first Mishna in the Tractate of Brachot where it states that “Burning the fats and organs [of the sacrifices, on the Temple altar] — this precept [can be performed] until the break of dawn….If this is so, why did the Sages say ‘until midnight’? To distance a person from transgression.”
The explanation of this Mishna is that it is the nature of man when it is possible to perform a mitzvah throughout the entire night, he can tarry and weaken and think that he still has enough time left. With this type of thinking, he might then actually come to a transgression [since one dawn comes, he has missed the time and may not perform the commandment.] That is why our verse uses the word commandment with the implication of extra exhortation and diligence. Since the verse is commanding specifically regarding the elevation offering that can burn on the alter all night [but not longer] there was a concern that the Cohanim could weaken and therefore needed extra exhortation.
Thus, one can conclude that the phrase “the word ‘command’ always means extra exhortation” is not exact but rather is a contraction of its total meaning. The total phrase should be “the word ‘command’ IN THIS CASE means extra exhortation”. The average meaning of the word ‘command’ is ‘appoint’ or ‘designate’.
In this exact same manner do we explain the Gemora Berachot 9b explaining the verse in Exodus, Parshat Bo. There is says “say ‘please’ [na] into the ears of the people”. There the Gemora comments “the word ‘na’ always means ‘request’”. The truth is that there are many examples where the word ‘na’ is used without any reference to ‘request’. Rather, the meaning is the same as noted above “IN THIS CASE” the word ‘na’ means only ‘request’.
Similarly, we find in the beginning of Parshat BeShalach when it says “it was that when Pharaoh ‘sent’ [shlach] the people…” The Mechilta when commenting on this verse says “the word ‘sent’ always meaning ‘accompany’…” Again, we find many examples where the word ‘sent’ does not mean ‘accompany’. Thus, we see that the intent of this phrase in the Gemora is to say “in this case” rather than “in all cases”. See also the Gemora Makot 8a where more examples are given.
Also, note that further along in our chapter (Chapter 6, verse 7) it says “This is the law of the meal offering…”. According to what Rashi writes at the beginning of Leviticus that anywhere where a verse is missing the words “speak to”, “say to” or “command”, that verse relies on the command from the previous commands. Thus, this “command” in our verse, with the extra exhortation, also applies to the meal offering. We need to search and find a reason why extra diligence is also required with the meal offering because the explanation of “all night long” does not apply to the meal offering.
Perhaps one can say that the explanation is according to the Gemora Menachot 55a. There is states that all the meal offerings were mixed with warm water and one needs to be careful that they not become leavened bread. This may be the explanation: that extra diligence is required to ensure that the meal offerings do not become leavened bread.
It is also likely to quote the often-repeated refrain: “Cohanim are diligent”. The reason they are diligent is because they have been commanded all of these commandments and they have many obligations. This is another instance of the connection of the idea of being diligent and the idea of commanded.
Editor’s note: Certainly, the topic of why ‘one who is commanded is greater’ is an important topic for many people. It is wonderful that the Torah Temimah gives us an opportunity to discuss it.