Devar/5771/Tsav
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< Devar | 5771
עברית
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Fire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually; it shall not be extinguished (Lev 6:6)
This is an eternal commandment: One who extinguishes the [fire upon the] altar is punished with lashes, as the verse states: "it shall not go out"; even [just] one coal, and even if he removed it from the altar and it [subsequently] went out, he is lashed. (Laws of Perpetual and Additional Offerings 2:6). That is, it is always forbidden to extinguish the altar's flames. In another place, it says: And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have rebelled against Me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh (Isa 66:24). The term "shall not be extinguished" is used also in this context.
Our verse deals with the commandments concerning the altar. Despite the fact that the altar does not always require a fire -- since there are not always offerings needing to be burnt -- the Torah commands that we ensure the fire remains burning on it at all times. In the second verse, the prophet Isaiah speaks about those rebels and those who trespassed against God, and says that their fire shall never be extinguished. Fire which is desired by God in our verse, as opposed to fire of retribution in the second verse: For, behold, the LORD will come in fire, and His chariots shall be like the whirlwind; to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire (Isa 66:15).
The joyous Purim holiday will be upon us in a few days. On this holiday, there is a commandment to drink wine until one becomes drunk and falls asleep in his drunkenness (Laws of Megilla and Hanukah 2:16). But to our great distress, there are those who see in this command license to be wild and abandon their humanity in drunkenness. From the verses we mentioned above it is possible to understand that the very same instrument can be used for good and evil. Wine of thanksgiving, versus liquor of drunkenness and carousing. By means of excessive drunkenness one leads himself to destruction and abhorrence, while through drinking as commanded he merits the World to come.
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