ויקרא, פרק ו׳, פסוק ב׳

The Book of Leviticus opens by addressing the Israelites, who bring the offerings, but the focus now shifts directly to the priests, the ones who actually perform the service [רמב״ן, שד״ל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Addressing Aaron personally serves to rectify his absence from the beginning of the book. Moses had argued before God that if Aaron's sons were desired for the priesthood, their father should not be rejected because of his involvement in the Golden Calf. Consequently, Aaron now becomes the focal point of the instruction [רא״ש, חזקוני, כלי יקר, צאינה וראינה].

The command conveys a sense of urgency and hastening, applicable both to that immediate moment and to all future generations. Following the teachings of Rabbi Shimon, commentators note that such urgency is particularly necessary in situations involving a lack of profit or financial loss [רש״י, מזרחי]. The primary approach among commentators is that this lack of reward relates directly to the completely burnt offering. Because this offering is entirely consumed by fire, the priests receive no portion of the meat, retaining only the hide. This absence of material benefit might naturally lead to laziness, making a special urging essential [אור החיים, כלי יקר, חנוכת התורה, דברי דוד, פרדס יוסף, ברכת אשר]. Other perspectives suggest the loss is experienced in different ways, such as the loss of sleep and productive time required to guard the fire throughout the night [אור החיים, פענח רזא], the financial burden of providing the vast amounts of wood needed for the flames [אור החיים], or the wear and tear on expensive priestly garments that inevitably get dirty during the removal of ashes [פרדס יוסף].

The completely burnt offering is considered the most elevated and chosen of all sacrifices. Unlike other offerings, it does not atone for physical sins, but rather for sinful thoughts and improper intentions of the heart, which typically prey upon a person during the night [רבנו בחיי, תולדות יצחק, כלי יקר, צאינה וראינה]. Symbolically, the instruction carries a profound warning against pride. A person who arrogantly elevates himself above others will ultimately face judgment by fire [פני דוד, צרור המור, פרדס יוסף, צאינה וראינה]. Conversely, engaging in the study of the laws of this offering is spiritually equated to physically bringing the sacrifice oneself [פענח רזא, כלי יקר, צאינה וראינה].

From a legal perspective, a uniform rule applies to whatever is placed upon the altar. Even if an offering becomes invalidated, provided the disqualification occurs after it has already entered the sacred courtyard, it is not removed once placed on the altar. However, this rule strictly excludes offerings that were fundamentally invalid before they were ever dedicated; even if these are mistakenly placed on the altar, they must be taken down [רש״י, מזרחי, תורה תמימה, ברטנורא, מלבי״ם, כלי יקר].

While the slaughtering of the animal and the sprinkling of its blood must be completed during the day, the burning of its limbs and fats continues on the altar's hearth throughout the entire night until morning [רמב״ן, רש״י, הטור הארוך, תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This transition from night to morning carries a historical and spiritual resonance. The night symbolizes the long, dark exile where the Israelites endure suffering, while the morning represents the end of that exile and the dawning light of redemption [אור החיים, תיבת גמא, כלי יקר].

Maintaining this fire imposes a positive duty on the priests. They are required to arrange a sufficiently large quantity of wood during the day to ensure the fire burns continuously through the night without extinguishing [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The altar did not hold just a single bonfire, but rather several distinct arrangements of fire. There was a large fire for burning the offerings, a second from which coals were taken to burn incense inside the Sanctuary, and a third dedicated solely to maintaining a continuous flame [רמב״ן, אור החיים, תורה תמימה, רלב״ג, פרדס יוסף]. Despite the massive, unrelenting heat of these fires, the altar, which was coated in only a thin layer of copper, was never damaged or melted, standing as a constant miracle [צאינה וראינה, כלי יקר].