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Why is the Korban Tamid considered a fundamental Torah (תורה) principle alongside the Shema? The daily offering represents our willingness to give everything to God while recognizing that even our everything means nothing to Him. This paradoxical awareness—total commitment combined with acceptance of our insignificance—creates the only possible foundation for authentic relationship with the infinite Divine.
The shiur begins by examining a challenging Midrash that identifies the verse about bringing the Korban Tamid - one animal in the morning and one in the afternoon - as a fundamental principle of Torah (תורה), alongside the Shema and loving one's neighbor. The speaker questions why this seemingly technical detail about sacrifices would be considered so foundational, especially when it appears in Parshas Tetzaveh among the construction details of the Mishkan, while all other Temple services are detailed in later books. The analysis extends to the troubling concept that Hashem (ה׳) will be sanctified through His honor (v'nikdashti b'chvodi), which Chazal interpret as a foreshadowing of Nadav and Avihu's death. The speaker grapples with why the greatest individuals must die to consecrate the Mishkan, questioning what appears to be divine terrorism to create awe.
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Parshas Tetzaveh - Korban Tamid
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