Glossary of Terms Used in the Tzav Weekly Torah Portion

Donation

“Tarum (“raise” but also “donate”) the Creator.” To advance toward the goal, we must engage in the uniqueness, importance, and greatness of the upper force. We must see that there is none else besides Him, He is the only operator in reality, we are in it, and we are totally operated upon. To the extent that we acquire His qualities, we become independent. That is, we take on ourselves the actions we can carry out correctly, and we begin to do them by ourselves until we become like Him, until we can do everything He does.

This is how we begin to recognize and understand that degree, the whole of reality, the purpose, the beginning and the end, the cause and the consequence, the whole process we are going through. Thus, we become as great, wise, strong, and united as the Creator. This is true for each of us, and for all of us together.

Once we have corrected ourselves and achieved the completion of correction, and all of us together have become completely like Him, another development awaits us. We need to correct ourselves and acquire power and wisdom to perform another, very special work after the end of correction, after the Third Temple. But for now, our perception is inadequate to comprehend the reality we will discover at that time.

The Inauguration of the Tabernacle

The “inauguration of the tabernacle” is like a housewarming. We conclude the building of a certain stage of the work, from which we can begin to correct ourselves. The tabernacle is the place of correction.

Oil

The light of Hochma (wisdom) is called “oil.” “Oil for lighting” means that the light of Hochma is illuminating us. It cannot illuminate without the light of Hassadim, without the special Kli (tool/vessel) intended for it. Oil, salt, and water are forces designed to correct our desires. They ease the desires, and the right combination between them helps us bring our desires closer to correction.

Spiritual Punishment

Through punishment, we draw nearer to something good. If we know what punishment is, we learn from it. If children do not learn what is permitted and what is forbidden, they will not know how to behave properly in the world. Punishment is a boundary. We have to experience boundaries or we become disoriented. Boundaries provide a sense of grip and understanding. Without boundaries, we cannot know where we are.