Miracles Happen Every Day: D’var Torah for Parshat Tzav
Over Pesach we will be recalling great historic miracles. But did you know that miracles are actually happening for you every day?
In Parshat Tzav, the Torah introduces us to the concept of the קָרְבַּן שְׁלָמִים, the peace offerings. These were offerings which were brought to thank Hashem for peace in our homes, for peace of mind, and for peace in the world.
And then there is a subset of the קָרְבַּן שְׁלָמִים. It’s called the קָרְבַּן תּוֹדָה, the thanksgiving offering. And here a specific event is mentioned, in which we express hakarat hatov, our indebtedness to Hashem ,for what he performed for us at that specific time.
Now, there’s a fascinating difference at a technical level between the שְׁלָמִים in general ,and the תּוֹדָה. With regard to the קָרְבַּן שְׁלָמִים in general, you would be able to eat the meat of the sacrifice on the day of the offering and the following day. But with regard to the קָרְבַּן תּוֹדָה, the thanksgiving offering, the Torah says
“בְּיוֹם קׇרְבָּנוֹ יֵאָכֵל”
“You must eat it on that day”
“לֹא יַנִּיחַ מִמֶּנּוּ עַד בֹּקֶר”
“You cannot leave any of the meat over until the next morning.”
It must be on that day. But the קָרְבַּן תּוֹדָה actually is one of the שְׁלָמִים – so why this difference? The great Hasidic master, the Imrei Emet, a previous Rebbe of Gur, explained that miracles happen to us every day – and that is what we’re thanking Hashem for when we offer the קָרְבַּן תּוֹדָה. We are saying thank you to Hashem.
We appreciate that tomorrow there will be more miracles. And that’s why the flesh of the קָרְבַּן תּוֹדָה had to be eaten on that day. To make way for the possibility that there will be other reasons why we will thank Hashem the following day – that’s the greatness of Hashem.
We can now understand some words in the great מוֹדִים prayer, which we say every day in our prayers. We say thank you to Hashem:
“וְעַל נִסֶּיךָ שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם עִמָּנוּ”
“For the miracles which are with us every day.”
“וְעַל נִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ וְטוֹבוֹתֶיךָ שֶׁבְּכָל עֵת עֶרֶב וָבֹקֶר וְצָהֳרָיִם” “And for all the wonders and the goodness that you perform for us every evening, morning and afternoon of our lives.”
Whether we recognise it or not, Hashem miraculously sustains us. He gives us life. He gives us opportunities. He’s so extraordinarily wonderful within our entire universe.
So therefore, this Pesach, in addition to reflecting on the great miracles that Hashem performed before our eyes, before and after Egypt, let us also open our eyes to appreciate how kind Hashem is to us on every single day of our lives.
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Kasher V’Sameach.
