Parshat Tzav: The Aish Tamid

(1) The LORD 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 clean 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.

לא תכבה, “where it will not go out.” Even while the Israelites were journeying through the desert, G-d’s honour demanded that precautions be taken that this flame be kept going. According to Rabbi Yehudah in the Sifra. they used a kind of metal dome fixed above it to ensure that it was kept going.

(3) But we still need to say what is the idea of the commandment to light a fire on the altar, besides the fire that is needed there for the sacrifice. [And we shall say] (And it appears) on the level of the simple understanding that it is like the matter that we wrote about the commandment of the bread of display (Sefer HaChinukh 97); that man is blessed, according to his deeds in which he is involved, in accordance with the will of his Creator. And through this approach, we said that blessing is found in all ordinary bread as a result of our involvement in the commandment of holy bread. [It is] as if you would say metaphorically that the blessing spreads in its type [of object]. And so too is the involvement in the commandment of the daily fire; that a person will be blessed in the matter of fire that he has.

(4) And what is the fire that he has? It is a person’s nature – since of the four elements in a person, fire is the head of those four; as with it does a man strengthen himself and move to act. And therefore, he needs more blessing in it; and the matter of blessing is completeness – meaning to say a thing in which there is no lack, nor excess. And the fire in a person requires this blessing, such that a man will have what he needs: Not less, since his strength will weaken; and not more, since he will be burnt through it, in the way of people that die from too much of a supplement of it – and that is a burning fever. And the sons of Aharon increased fire without being commanded, and [so] fire was also increased in them, and they were burnt – as according to the actions of people does their punishment come, or does the blessing of God rest [in him] (upon them).

Ben Azzai was sitting and expounding, and fire was blazing around him. They [his disciples] came and told Rabbi Akiva, "Rabbi Ben Azzai is sitting and expounding, and fire is blazing around him." [Akiva] went to him and said, "I heard that you were sitting and expounding, and fire was blazing around you!" [Ben Azzai] replied, "Yes." [Akiva] said to him, "Perhaps you are engaged in the chambers of the Chariot [the secrets of Ezekiel's vision of the Chariot]?!" [Ben Azzai] replied, "No, I am sitting and stringing words of Torah, from Torah to the Prophets, and from Prophets to the Writings, and the words are as joyous as on the day they were given from Sinai, and as sweet (sonorous, fragrant) as the essence [ikar] of what was given. And the essence that was given [that day] on Sinai, were they not [originally] given in fire?!" and the mountain burned with fire (Deut. 4:11).

Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai was sitting engaged in Torah study when an old man (Likely Eliyahu haNavi from context) stood behind the wall and called to him: “Rabbi! Rabbi! Holy light! Arise and kindle the lamp. That is, the mitzvah lamp of the holy Shechinah. The Torah says ‘Let a continual fire burn upon the altar, let it not be extinguished’ (Vayikra 6:6). And it is also written, ‘To kindle a continual lamp’ (Shemot 27:20). The Shechinah is certainly called the “lamp of Hashem.” It is the source of Adam HaRishon’s light, that is, his soul. Arise and light it!” So Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai stood on his feet and then paused for a moment and said, “Master of All the Worlds, You are the ruler over kings and the revealer of secrets. Let it be Your will to arrange the words in my mouth in accordance with the pasuk, “And I will be with your mouth” (Shemot 4:12), so that I will not come before You in shame.”