Beth HaDerech; Messianic Jewish Congregation, Toronto, Canada

Leaven in Our Lives – Sidra Tzav

Weekly Sidra: Tzav ( Command) Torah Portion: Vayikra / Leviticus 6:1-8:36 Haftorah: Malachi 3:4-3:24 Behold, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before the coming of the awesome, fearful day of Adonai. He shall reconcile parents with children and children with their parents, so that, when I come, I do not strike the whole land with utter destruction. (Malachi 3:23-24) Shabbat HaGadol ("Great Shabbat" שבת הגדול) is the Shabbat immediately before Passover. There is a special Haftarah reading on this Shabbat of the book of Malachi.  Various reasons are given for the name of this Shabbat.  I will focus on two of them: 1) The Midrash Rabbah states: “When they (the Jewish people) set aside their paschal lamb on that Shabbat, the first-born gentiles gathered near the Israelites and asked them why they were doing this. The following was their response: “This is a Pesach offering to HaShem who will [...]