Torah Portion: Tzav

“והרים את הדשן…” (ויקרא ו ג)

It is a positive commandment that the kohen separate the ash from the Altar daily, and this is called Terumas Ha-deshen, which was performed every day, as it is written, The Kohen shall don his fitted linen Tunic, and… he shall separate the ash (Vayikra 6:3).

Among the roots of the mitzvah is the idea we have written above: to raise the glory of the Temple and to increase its splendor to the best of our ability, for the reason discussed there. And it is a beautification for the Altar to remove the ash from the place that is fit to have a fire burning. Also, the fire burns better when there is no ash beneath it.

This mitzvah applies when the Holy Temple stands, to kohanim. One who transgressed this and did not remove the ash in accord with the mitzvah, violated a positive commandment.