Torah Portion of the Week

Tzav צו

Leviticus 6:1–8:36

Parshat Tzav ('Command') revisits the offerings introduced in Vayikra but now from the priests' perspective — not what the offerer brings, but what the Kohanim must do. It details the perpetual fire on the altar and the daily ash removal, the priests' portion of the meal offering, the laws of the sin and guilt offerings, and the prohibition against eating blood or certain fats. The second half describes the historic seven-day ordination (miluim) of Aaron and his sons: Moses himself serves as the officiant, dressing Aaron in the sacred garments, anointing him and the Tabernacle, and offering the inaugural sacrifices whose blood is placed on the priests' right ear, thumb, and big toe.

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1 of 7

The Perpetual Burnt Offering

תורת העולה

Leviticus 6:1–6:6

God instructs the priests regarding the burnt offering (olah) that remains on the altar's fire all night until morning. The fire must burn continually — it may never go out. Each morning the priest dons his linen garments, removes the ashes from the altar and places them beside it, then changes clothes and carries the ashes outside the camp to a ritually clean place.

2 of 7

The Fire and the Meal Offering

האש ותורת המנחה

Leviticus 6:7–6:16

The fire on the altar shall burn perpetually — 'it shall not go out.' The laws of the meal offering are then detailed from the priestly perspective: the priest takes a handful of flour with oil and all the frankincense and burns it as a memorial portion. The remainder is eaten by Aaron and his sons as unleavened bread in a holy place — the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting. It is most holy, like the sin and guilt offerings.

3 of 7

The High Priest's Daily Offering and the Sin Offering

מנחת הכהן הגדול וחטאת

Leviticus 6:17–7:10

Aaron and every future High Priest must bring a daily meal offering — a tenth of an ephah of fine flour, half in the morning and half in the evening, prepared on a griddle and entirely burned. The laws of the sin offering are then specified: it is slaughtered in the same place as the burnt offering and is most holy. The priest who performs the rite eats it in a holy place. Any earthen vessel it touches must be broken; copper vessels must be scoured. If the blood is brought inside the sanctuary, the meat is not eaten but burned entirely.

4 of 7

The Guilt Offering and the Peace Offering

האשם והשלמים

Leviticus 7:11–7:38

The guilt offering follows the same rules as the sin offering regarding the priests' portions. The peace offering (shelamim) has three categories: thanksgiving (todah), which must be eaten the same day with unleavened breads; votive or freewill offerings, which may be eaten over two days. Sacrificial meat that becomes impure must be burned. The Torah then states the permanent prohibition: anyone who eats forbidden fat or blood shall be cut off. The breast of the peace offering is waved and given to all the priests; the right thigh goes to the officiating priest.

5 of 7

The Ordination Begins

תחילת המילואים

Leviticus 8:1–8:13

God commands Moses to gather Aaron, his sons, the garments, anointing oil, and the sacrificial animals before the entire congregation at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Moses washes Aaron with water, then dresses him layer by layer: the tunic, the sash, the robe, the Ephod with its decorative band, the Breastplate with the Urim and Thummim, the turban, and the golden Head-plate. Moses anoints the Tabernacle and everything in it, sprinkles oil on the altar seven times, and pours anointing oil on Aaron's head. He then dresses Aaron's sons in their priestly tunics, sashes, and turbans.

6 of 7

The Inaugural Sacrifices

קרבנות המילואים

Leviticus 8:14–8:29

Moses officiates over three offerings. First, a bull is brought as a sin offering — Aaron and his sons lay their hands on its head, and Moses places its blood on the altar's horns and pours the rest at the base. Second, a ram is offered as a burnt offering, completely consumed on the altar. Third, the 'ram of ordination' is brought — Moses places its blood on the right ear, right thumb, and right big toe of Aaron and each of his sons. The fat, right thigh, and three types of bread are waved before God and then burned on the altar.

7 of 7

Seven Days of Consecration

שבעת ימי המילואים

Leviticus 8:30–8:36

Moses sprinkles anointing oil mixed with blood from the altar on Aaron, his sons, and their garments, sanctifying them. He instructs them to cook the ordination meat at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and eat it there with the bread. They must not leave the entrance for seven days, staying day and night to keep God's charge, so they will not die. Aaron and his sons do everything that God commanded through Moses.

Prophetic Reading

Haftarah הפטרה

Jeremiah 7:21–8:3

ירמיהו

Jeremiah declares that God desires obedience over sacrifice — 'I did not command your fathers about burnt offerings' — offering a prophetic counterpoint to the parsha's detailed sacrificial procedures.

Full Text

Parshat Tzav

Leviticus 6:1–8:36 · 97 verses

First Aliyah

ראשוןLeviticus 6:1–6:11

Chapter 6

פרק 6

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1 וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר

2 צַו אֶֽת אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת בָּנָיו לֵאמֹר זֹאת תּוֹרַת הָעֹלָה הִוא הָעֹלָה עַל מוֹקְדָהֿ*(בספרי תימן מוֹקְדָהֿ במ״ם רגילה) עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ כׇּל הַלַּיְלָה עַד הַבֹּקֶר וְאֵשׁ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ תּוּקַד בּֽוֹ

3 וְלָבַשׁ הַכֹּהֵן מִדּוֹ בַד וּמִֽכְנְסֵי בַד יִלְבַּשׁ עַל בְּשָׂרוֹ וְהֵרִים אֶת הַדֶּשֶׁן אֲשֶׁר תֹּאכַל הָאֵשׁ אֶת הָעֹלָה עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְשָׂמוֹ אֵצֶל הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ

4 וּפָשַׁט אֶת בְּגָדָיו וְלָבַשׁ בְּגָדִים אֲחֵרִים וְהוֹצִיא אֶת הַדֶּשֶׁן אֶל מִחוּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶה אֶל מָקוֹם טָהֽוֹר

5 וְהָאֵשׁ עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ תּֽוּקַד בּוֹ לֹא תִכְבֶּה וּבִעֵר עָלֶיהָ הַכֹּהֵן עֵצִים בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר וְעָרַךְ עָלֶיהָ הָֽעֹלָה וְהִקְטִיר עָלֶיהָ חֶלְבֵי הַשְּׁלָמִֽים

6 אֵשׁ תָּמִיד תּוּקַד עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא תִכְבֶּֽה

7 וְזֹאת תּוֹרַת הַמִּנְחָה הַקְרֵב אֹתָהּ בְּנֵֽי אַהֲרֹן לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אֶל פְּנֵי הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ

8 וְהֵרִים מִמֶּנּוּ בְּקֻמְצוֹ מִסֹּלֶת הַמִּנְחָה וּמִשַּׁמְנָהּ וְאֵת כׇּל הַלְּבֹנָה אֲשֶׁר עַל הַמִּנְחָה וְהִקְטִיר הַמִּזְבֵּחַ רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ אַזְכָּרָתָהּ לַיהֹוָֽה

9 וְהַנּוֹתֶרֶת מִמֶּנָּה יֹאכְלוּ אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו מַצּוֹת תֵּֽאָכֵל בְּמָקוֹם קָדֹשׁ בַּחֲצַר אֹֽהֶל מוֹעֵד יֹאכְלֽוּהָ

10 לֹא תֵאָפֶה חָמֵץ חֶלְקָם נָתַתִּי אֹתָהּ מֵאִשָּׁי קֹדֶשׁ קׇֽדָשִׁים הִוא כַּחַטָּאת וְכָאָשָֽׁם

11 כׇּל זָכָר בִּבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן יֹֽאכְלֶנָּה חׇק עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם מֵאִשֵּׁי יְהֹוָה כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יִגַּע בָּהֶם יִקְדָּֽשׁ

1 GOD spoke to Moses, saying:

2 Command Aaron and his sons thus: This is the ritual of the burnt offering: The burnt offering itself shall remain where it is burned upon the altar all night until morning, while the fire on the altar is kept going on it.

3 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.

4 He shall then take off his vestments and put on other vestments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a pure place.

5 The fire on the altar shall be kept burning, not to go out: every morning the priest shall feed wood to it, lay out the burnt offering on it, and turn into smoke the fat parts of the offerings of well-being.

6 A perpetual fire shall be kept burning on the altar, not to go out.

7 And this is the ritual of the grain offering: Aaron’s sons shall present it before GOD, in front of the altar.

8 A handful of the choice flour and oil of the grain offering shall be taken from it, with all the frankincense that is on the grain offering, and this token portion shall be turned into smoke on the altar as a pleasing odor to GOD.

9 What is left of it shall be eaten by Aaron and his sons; it shall be eaten as unleavened cakes, in the sacred precinct; they shall eat it in the enclosure of the Tent of Meeting.

10 It shall not be baked with leaven; I have given it as their portion from My offerings by fire; it is most holy, like the purgation offering and the reparation offering.

11 Only the males among Aaron’s descendants may eat of it, as their due for all time throughout the ages from GOD’s offerings by fire. Anything that touches these shall become holy.

1 וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר

1 GOD spoke to Moses, saying:

4 He shall then take off his vestments and put on other vestments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a pure place.

6 אֵשׁ תָּמִיד תּוּקַד עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא תִכְבֶּֽה

6 A perpetual fire shall be kept burning on the altar, not to go out.

7 וְזֹאת תּוֹרַת הַמִּנְחָה הַקְרֵב אֹתָהּ בְּנֵֽי אַהֲרֹן לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אֶל פְּנֵי הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ

7 And this is the ritual of the grain offering: Aaron’s sons shall present it before GOD, in front of the altar.

9 What is left of it shall be eaten by Aaron and his sons; it shall be eaten as unleavened cakes, in the sacred precinct; they shall eat it in the enclosure of the Tent of Meeting.

10 לֹא תֵאָפֶה חָמֵץ חֶלְקָם נָתַתִּי אֹתָהּ מֵאִשָּׁי קֹדֶשׁ קׇֽדָשִׁים הִוא כַּחַטָּאת וְכָאָשָֽׁם

10 It shall not be baked with leaven; I have given it as their portion from My offerings by fire; it is most holy, like the purgation offering and the reparation offering.

11 Only the males among Aaron’s descendants may eat of it, as their due for all time throughout the ages from GOD’s offerings by fire. Anything that touches these shall become holy.

Second Aliyah

שניLeviticus 6:12–7:10

Chapter 6

פרק 6

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12 וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר

13 זֶה קׇרְבַּן אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו אֲשֶׁר יַקְרִיבוּ לַֽיהֹוָה בְּיוֹם הִמָּשַׁח אֹתוֹ עֲשִׂירִת הָאֵפָה סֹלֶת מִנְחָה תָּמִיד מַחֲצִיתָהּ בַּבֹּקֶר וּמַחֲצִיתָהּ בָּעָֽרֶב

14 עַֽל מַחֲבַת בַּשֶּׁמֶן תֵּעָשֶׂה מֻרְבֶּכֶת תְּבִיאֶנָּה תֻּפִינֵי מִנְחַת פִּתִּים תַּקְרִיב רֵֽיחַ נִיחֹחַ לַיהֹוָֽה

15 וְהַכֹּהֵן הַמָּשִׁיחַ תַּחְתָּיו מִבָּנָיו יַעֲשֶׂה אֹתָהּ חׇק עוֹלָם לַיהֹוָה כָּלִיל תׇּקְטָֽר

16 וְכׇל מִנְחַת כֹּהֵן כָּלִיל תִּהְיֶה לֹא תֵאָכֵֽל

17 וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר

18 דַּבֵּר אֶֽל אַהֲרֹן וְאֶל בָּנָיו לֵאמֹר זֹאת תּוֹרַת הַֽחַטָּאת בִּמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר תִּשָּׁחֵט הָעֹלָה תִּשָּׁחֵט הַֽחַטָּאת לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה קֹדֶשׁ קׇֽדָשִׁים הִֽוא

19 הַכֹּהֵן הַֽמְחַטֵּא אֹתָהּ יֹאכְלֶנָּה בְּמָקוֹם קָדֹשׁ תֵּֽאָכֵל בַּחֲצַר אֹהֶל מוֹעֵֽד

20 כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יִגַּע בִּבְשָׂרָהּ יִקְדָּשׁ וַאֲשֶׁר יִזֶּה מִדָּמָהּ עַל הַבֶּגֶד אֲשֶׁר יִזֶּה עָלֶיהָ תְּכַבֵּס בְּמָקוֹם קָדֹֽשׁ

21 וּכְלִי חֶרֶשׂ אֲשֶׁר תְּבֻשַּׁל בּוֹ יִשָּׁבֵר וְאִם בִּכְלִי נְחֹשֶׁת בֻּשָּׁלָה וּמֹרַק וְשֻׁטַּף בַּמָּֽיִם

22 כׇּל זָכָר בַּכֹּהֲנִים יֹאכַל אֹתָהּ קֹדֶשׁ קׇֽדָשִׁים הִֽוא

23 וְכׇל חַטָּאת אֲשֶׁר יוּבָא מִדָּמָהּ אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לְכַפֵּר בַּקֹּדֶשׁ לֹא תֵאָכֵל בָּאֵשׁ תִּשָּׂרֵֽף

12 GOD spoke to Moses, saying:

13 This is the offering that Aaron and his sons shall offer to GOD on the occasion of his anointment: a tenth of an ephah of choice flour as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half of it in the evening,

14 Shall be prepared with oil on a griddle. You shall bring it well soaked, and offer it as a grain offering of baked uncertain. slices, of pleasing odor to GOD.

15 And so shall the priest, anointed from among his sons to succeed him, prepare it; it is GOD’s—a law for all time—to be turned entirely into smoke.

16 So, too, every grain offering of a priest shall be a whole offering: it shall not be eaten.

17 GOD spoke to Moses, saying:

18 Speak to Aaron and his sons thus: This is the ritual of the purgation offering: the purgation offering shall be slaughtered before GOD, at the spot where the burnt offering is slaughtered: it is most holy.

19 The priest who offers it as a purgation offering shall eat of it; it shall be eaten in the sacred precinct, in the enclosure of the Tent of Meeting.

20 Anything that touches its flesh shall become holy; and if any of its blood is spattered upon a garment, you shall wash the bespattered part in the sacred precinct.

21 An earthen vessel in which it was boiled shall be broken; if it was boiled in a copper vessel, [the vessel] shall be scoured and rinsed with water.

22 Only the males in the priestly line may eat of it: it is most holy.

23 But no purgation offering may be eaten from which any blood is brought into the Tent of Meeting for expiation in the sanctuary; any such shall be consumed in fire.

12 וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר

12 GOD spoke to Moses, saying:

14 Shall be prepared with oil on a griddle. You shall bring it well soaked, and offer it as a grain offering of baked uncertain. slices, of pleasing odor to GOD.

15 וְהַכֹּהֵן הַמָּשִׁיחַ תַּחְתָּיו מִבָּנָיו יַעֲשֶׂה אֹתָהּ חׇק עוֹלָם לַיהֹוָה כָּלִיל תׇּקְטָֽר

15 And so shall the priest, anointed from among his sons to succeed him, prepare it; it is GOD’s—a law for all time—to be turned entirely into smoke.

16 וְכׇל מִנְחַת כֹּהֵן כָּלִיל תִּהְיֶה לֹא תֵאָכֵֽל

16 So, too, every grain offering of a priest shall be a whole offering: it shall not be eaten.

17 וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר

17 GOD spoke to Moses, saying:

19 הַכֹּהֵן הַֽמְחַטֵּא אֹתָהּ יֹאכְלֶנָּה בְּמָקוֹם קָדֹשׁ תֵּֽאָכֵל בַּחֲצַר אֹהֶל מוֹעֵֽד

19 The priest who offers it as a purgation offering shall eat of it; it shall be eaten in the sacred precinct, in the enclosure of the Tent of Meeting.

20 Anything that touches its flesh shall become holy; and if any of its blood is spattered upon a garment, you shall wash the bespattered part in the sacred precinct.

21 An earthen vessel in which it was boiled shall be broken; if it was boiled in a copper vessel, [the vessel] shall be scoured and rinsed with water.

22 כׇּל זָכָר בַּכֹּהֲנִים יֹאכַל אֹתָהּ קֹדֶשׁ קׇֽדָשִׁים הִֽוא

22 Only the males in the priestly line may eat of it: it is most holy.

23 But no purgation offering may be eaten from which any blood is brought into the Tent of Meeting for expiation in the sanctuary; any such shall be consumed in fire.

Chapter 7

פרק 7

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1 וְזֹאת תּוֹרַת הָאָשָׁם קֹדֶשׁ קׇֽדָשִׁים הֽוּא

2 בִּמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁחֲטוּ אֶת הָעֹלָה יִשְׁחֲטוּ אֶת הָאָשָׁם וְאֶת דָּמוֹ יִזְרֹק עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ סָבִֽיב

3 וְאֵת כׇּל חֶלְבּוֹ יַקְרִיב מִמֶּנּוּ אֵת הָֽאַלְיָה וְאֶת הַחֵלֶב הַֽמְכַסֶּה אֶת הַקֶּֽרֶב

4 וְאֵת שְׁתֵּי הַכְּלָיֹת וְאֶת הַחֵלֶב אֲשֶׁר עֲלֵיהֶן אֲשֶׁר עַל הַכְּסָלִים וְאֶת הַיֹּתֶרֶת עַל הַכָּבֵד עַל הַכְּלָיֹת יְסִירֶֽנָּה

5 וְהִקְטִיר אֹתָם הַכֹּהֵן הַמִּזְבֵּחָה אִשֶּׁה לַיהֹוָה אָשָׁם הֽוּא

6 כׇּל זָכָר בַּכֹּהֲנִים יֹאכְלֶנּוּ בְּמָקוֹם קָדוֹשׁ יֵאָכֵל קֹדֶשׁ קׇֽדָשִׁים הֽוּא

7 כַּֽחַטָּאת כָּֽאָשָׁם תּוֹרָה אַחַת לָהֶם הַכֹּהֵן אֲשֶׁר יְכַפֶּר בּוֹ לוֹ יִהְיֶֽה

8 וְהַכֹּהֵן הַמַּקְרִיב אֶת עֹלַת אִישׁ עוֹר הָֽעֹלָה אֲשֶׁר הִקְרִיב לַכֹּהֵן לוֹ יִהְיֶֽה

9 וְכׇל מִנְחָה אֲשֶׁר תֵּֽאָפֶה בַּתַּנּוּר וְכׇל נַעֲשָׂה בַמַּרְחֶשֶׁת וְעַֽל מַחֲבַת לַכֹּהֵן הַמַּקְרִיב אֹתָהּ לוֹ תִֽהְיֶֽה

10 וְכׇל מִנְחָה בְלוּלָֽה בַשֶּׁמֶן וַחֲרֵבָה לְכׇל בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן תִּהְיֶה אִישׁ כְּאָחִֽיו

1 This is the ritual of the reparation offering: it is most holy.

2 The reparation offering shall be slaughtered at the spot where the burnt offering is slaughtered, and the blood shall be dashed on all sides of the altar.

3 All its fat shall be offered: the broad tail; the fat that covers the entrails;

4 The two kidneys and the fat that is on them at the loins; and the protuberance on the liver, which shall be removed with the kidneys.

5 The priest shall turn them into smoke on the altar as an offering by fire to GOD; it is a reparation offering.

6 Only the males in the priestly line may eat of it; it shall be eaten in the sacred precinct: it is most holy.

7 The reparation offering is like the purgation offering. The same rule applies to both: it shall belong to the priest who makes expiation thereby.

8 So, too, the priest who offers another person’s burnt offering shall keep the skin of that burnt offering.

9 Further, any grain offering that is baked in an oven, and any that is prepared in a pan or on a griddle, shall belong to the priest who offers it.

10 But every other grain offering, with oil mixed in or dry, shall go to the sons of Aaron all alike.