Tzav: Chapter 19

A fire of the altar crouches like a lion

Synopsis

We are told that the priests and people could see that the offering was welcome to God by the appearance of a lion crouching in the fire on the altar. This fire is the angel Uriel. If the sacrifice was unworthy the shape of a dog appeared in the fire instead.

Altar Angels Fire Likenesses Lion Repentance Sacrifice Uriel (Angel)

129. We learned that when Uriel was seen upon the altar in the likeness of a mighty lion that crouches on its prey, the priests and Yisrael saw and were glad, for they knew that their sacrifice was welcome to the Holy King. Another fire, Holy and supernal, came down FROM ABOVE, WHICH IS THE ANGEL URIEL, against the lower fire KINDLED ON THE ALTAR. The man would then go trembling before his Master and completely repent.

129. הָא אִתְּמַר, דִּבְמַדְבְּחָא סַלְּקָא וְאִתְחַזֵּי אוּרִיאֵ"ל, כְּחֵיזוּ דְּחַד אַרְיֵה תַּקִּיפָא, רְבִיעַ עַל טַרְפֵיהּ. וַהֲווֹ חָמָאן כַּהֲנֵי וְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְחַדָּאן, דַּהֲווֹ יַדְעִין דְּאִתְקַבַּל בְּרַעֲוָא קָמֵי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא. וְאֶשָּׁא אָחֳרָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא נָחִית, לְקַבְּלָא אֶשָּׁא תַּתָּאָה, כְּדֵין ב"נ אָזִיל וְאִזְדַּעְזָע קָמֵי מָארֵיהּ, וְתָב בְּתִיּוּבְתָּא שְׁלֵימָתָא.

Angels Levites Offering Sacrifice Uriel (Angel)

130. This is like a king to whom THE PEOPLE sent a gift which was welcome to him. He said to his servant: Go and take this gift which they brought me. So did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to the angel Uriel: 'Go and take the gift which My children offered Me.' How much joy and sweetness was in everything when the priests, the Levites and he who brought the sacrifice were intent upon sacrificing the offering properly, in complete union.

130. לְמַלְכָּא דְּשַׁדְּרוּ לֵיהּ דּוֹרוֹנָא, וְאִתְיְישָׁר קָמֵיהּ, אָמַר לְעַבְדֵיהּ, זִיל וְטוֹל דּוֹרוֹן דָּא, דְּאַיְיתִיאוּ לִי. כַּךְ אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאוּרִיאֵ"ל, זִיל וְקַבִּיל דּוֹרוֹנָא דִּבְנַי מַקְרִיבִין קָמַאי. כַּמָה חֶדְוָוה מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי בְּכֹלָּא, כַּמָה בְּסִימוּתָא בְּכֹלָּא מִשְׁתְּכַח, כַּד כַּהֲנָא וְלֵיוָאָה, וְהַהוּא דְּמַקְרִיב קָרְבְּנָא, מְכַוְּונֵי לְקָרְבָא קָרְבְּנָא כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים.

Altar Fire Flame Lion Offering Sacrifice Uriel (Angel)

131. Come and behold: it is written, "And there came out a fire out from before Hashem, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering..." (Vayikra 9:24). THIS FIRE is Uriel, who came down with the appearance of a scorching flame until he rested on the altar to receive the gift, THE SACRIFICE. He looked like a great lion, crouching on the sacrifice.

131. תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב, וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי יְיָ' וַתֹּאכַל עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֶת הָעוֹלָה וְגוֹ.' דָּא אוּרִיאֵ"ל, דְּנָחִית בְּחֵיזוּ דְּאֶשָּׁא בְּשַׁלְהוֹבָא, עַד דְּנָחִית לְמַדְבְּחָא, לְקַבְּלָא דּוֹרוֹנָא וְאִתְחַזֵּי כְּאַרְיֵה רַבְרְבָא, רְבִיעַ עַל קָרְבְּנָא.

Altar Dogs Klipot (Shells – Negativity) North Offering Sacrifice Shells (Klipot) Smoke Wind

132. When Yisrael were not found worthy, or when he who brought the sacrifice did not do so properly and his sacrifice was not accepted, they saw the smoke rising unevenly. A certain wind from the hole OF THE KLIPOT on the north came to the altar, and they saw the shape of an impudent dog crouching on the offering. They then knew that the sacrifice was not welcome.

132. וְכַד יִשְׂרָאֵל לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ זַכָּאִין, אוֹ הַהוּא דְּמַקְרִיב קָרְבְּנָא לָא קָרִיב כַּדְקָא יָאוּת, וְלָא אִתְקַבָּל קָרְבָּנֵיהּ, הֲווֹ חָמָאן דְּלָא סָלִיק תְּנָנָא בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר, וַהֲוָה קָם חַד רוּחָא מִנוּקְבָּא דְּצָפוֹן, וְעָאל לְמַדְבְּחָא, וַהֲווֹ חָמָאן דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּחַד כַּלְבָּא חֲצִיפָא, רְבִיעַ עַל קָרְבְּנָא. כְּדֵין הֲווֹ יַדְעֵי דְּלָא אִתְקַבָּל בְּרַעֲוָא הַהוּא קָרְבְּנָא.

Altar Dogs Sacrifice

133. This is like a king to whom they sent a gift that was not worthy of being brought before him. The king said: Take away that gift and give it to the dog, because it is not worthy of being brought before me. When the sacrifice is brought and it is not accepted, it is given to the dog. This is why they saw the shape of a dog on the altar.

133. לְמַלְכָּא דְּשַׁדְּרוּ לֵיהּ דּוֹרוֹן, חָמָא לֵיהּ מַלְכָּא דְּלָאו אִיהוּ כְּדַאי לְקָרְבָא קַמֵּיהּ, אָמַר מַלְכָּא, אֲסִיקוּ הַהוּא דּוֹרוֹנָא, וְהָבוּ לֵיהּ לְכַלְבָּא, דְּלָאו אִיהוּ כְּדַאי לְאַעֲלָא קָמַאי. כַּךְ בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקָרְבְּנָא אִתְקְרִיב, וְלָא אִתְקַבָּל בְּרַעֲוָא, דּוֹרוֹנָא לְכַלְבָּא אִתְמְסַר. ובג"כ הֲווֹ חָמָאן, דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּכַלְבָּא ע"ג מַדְבְּחָא.

Aaron Altar Death Death and the Afterlife Egypt Fire Flame Offering Sacrifice Uriel (Angel)

134. Come and behold: It is written, "And there came a fire out from before Hashem, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering" (Vayikra 9:24). Rabbi Yehuda said: This is Uriel, who looks like a scorching flame upon the altar as he crouches on the sacrifice, as we learned. Then all rejoiced, since it was willingly accepted, as written: "And the glory of Hashem appeared to all the people" (Ibid. 23). Were it not for the confusion brought by THE DEATH OF Aaron's sons ON THAT DAY, there would not have been, since the day they left Egypt, a greater satisfaction above and below.

134. ת"ח כְּתִיב וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי יְיָ' וַתֹּאכַל עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֶת הָעוֹלָה. א"ר יְהוּדָה, דָּא אוּרִיאֵ"ל, דְּאִתְחֲזֵי בְּשַׁלְהוֹבִיתָא דְּאֶשָּׁא עַל מַדְבְּחָא, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר רְבִיעַ עַל קָרְבְּנָא. וּכְדֵין חֶדְוָותָא הֲוָה בְּכֹלָּא, דְּהָא אִתְקַבָּל בְּרַעֲוָוא, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, וַיֵּרָא כְבוֹד יְיָ' אֶל כָּל הָעָם. וְאִי לָא הֲוָה עִרְבּוּבְיָא דִּבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן, מִן יוֹמָא דְּנָפְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם, לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח רַעֲוָא הָכִי לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא.

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