Tzav in a Nutshell
Leviticus 6:1–8:36
G‑d instructs Moses to command Aaron and his sons regarding their duties and rights as kohanim ("priests") who offer the korbanot (animal and meal offerings) in the Sanctuary.
The fire on the altar must be kept burning at all times. In it are burned the wholly consumed ascending offering; veins of fat from the peace, sin and guilt offerings; and the "handful" separated from the meal offering.
The kohanim eat the meat of the sin and guilt offerings, and the remainder of the meal offering. The peace offering is eaten by the one who brought it, except for specified portions given to the kohen. The holy meat of the offerings must be eaten by ritually pure persons, in their designated holy place and within their specified time.
Aaron and his sons remain within the Sanctuary compound for seven days, during which Moses initiates them into the priesthood.
Summary of the Passover Torah Readings
On the FIRST DAY OF PASSOVER we read from the book of Exodus (12:21-51) of the bringing of the Passover Offering in Egypt, the Plague of the Firstborn at the stroke of midnight, and how "On this very day, G‑d took the Children of Israel out of Egypt."
The reading for the SECOND DAY OF PASSOVER, Leviticus 22:26-23:44, includes: a list of the moadim — the "appointed times" on the Jewish calendar for festive celebration of our bond with G‑d; the mitzvah to Count the Omer (the 49-day "countdown" to the festival of Shavuot which begins on the 2nd night of Passover); and the obligation to journey to the Holy Temple to "to see and be seen before the face of G‑d" on the three annual pilgrimage festivals — Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot.
Shabbat HaGadol
The haftorah for Shabbat Hagadol is from the Book of Malachi, who lived at the beginning of the Second Temple era. He foretells of the time of Moshiach, and rebukes the Jewish people for putting the wicked on a pedestal, for not serving G‑d, especially for not tithing, and ends with a proclamation about the Redemption.
When and Why We Read This Haftorah?
Many communities, including Chabad, read this haftorah only when Shabbat Hagadol falls on Erev Pesach. Others read it on every Shabbat Hagadol, whether or not it falls on Erev Pesach.
We read this haftorah now because it speaks of giving tithes, and on Erev Pesach of the fourth and seventh years of the Sabbatical cycle, one is obligated to give whatever tithes are left in his possession. Another reason is that it tells about the future Redemption. Since Pesach is the holiday of Redemption and the most opportune time for the coming of Moshiach, we read about the Redemption before Passover, most appropriately the prophecy of Elijah the Prophet heralding Moshiach's coming
First Day of Passover Haftarah in a Nutshell
Joshua 3:5-7; 5:2:15; 6:1; 6:27
The haftarah for today mentions the Paschal sacrifice, echoing the Torah portion which describes the preparations and the sacrifice done in Egypt under Moses' leadership.
After thirty days of mourning Moses' passing, Joshua tells the people to prepare themselves for the crossing of the river Jordan, he tells the priests to carry the Ark of the Covenant in front of the people. G‑d tells Joshua that He will show his greatness to the people of Israel "that they may know that as I was with Moses, so will I be with you".
G‑d tells Joshua to circumcise the Jewish men who had not yet been circumcised due to the desert weather, he does so, reminding them of the previous generation of men, who had gone out of Egypt, who had all been circumcised before partaking of the Passover offering. Joshua reminds the people of past events, how they had to wait for that generation to die in the desert as they would not be able to enter the land of Israel. Once everyone was circumcised they waited for all the men to recover.
G‑d tells Joshua "this day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you", referring to a vision of the star of blood which the Egyptians had said was over the Jewish people at the time of the Exodus, not knowing that it was the blood of the circumcision. Joshua calls the place Gilgal. There the people of Israel make camp and offer the Passover sacrifice, two days later G‑d stop sending the manna and the people eat the produce of the land.
Joshua sees a sword-holding man on the outskirts of Jericho and asks him on whose side he is on. "And he said, No, but I am the the captain of the host of the L-rd; I have now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and prostrated himself, and said to him, What does my lord say to his servant? And the captain of the Lord's host said to Joshua, Remove your shoe from your foot; for the place upon which you stand is holy. And Joshua did so."
The haftorah ends with a message that the city of Jericho was under siege and that G‑d was with Joshua.
Second Day of Passover Haftarah in a Nutshell
II Kings 23:1-9, 21-25
The haftarah for the second day of Passover begins after King Josiah learns of a historic Torah scroll that had been discovered in the Holy Temple. It chronicles the public reading of the scroll and the national movement toward return to G‑d that ensued.
Full of newfound inspiration, King Josiah had the idolatrous artifacts and priests removed from the Temple, and destroyed the other shrines that had been erected in Judea.
The king then encouraged the people to celebrate Passover as commanded in the Torah, something that had been neglected for generations.
The haftarah concludes by telling us that "there never was a king before [Josiah] who returned to G‑d with all his heart and all his soul and all his might, [to follow what was] written in the Torah of Moses, and there never afterwards arose another one like him."
