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Consuming Fire of Loving-kindness
Zohar, parashat Tzav p. 27a; translation and commentary by Simcha Treister
Rabbi Acha opened his discourse with the verse: "And the
fire on the Altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out; and the
priest shall add wood to make it flare up every morning" (Lev. 6:5);
What is the reason that there always has to be fire on the
Altar and why should it be made to flare up every morning [when the sefira
of chesed rules]? And why should it be the priest that is commanded to
make fire?
Fire in every place it burns represents Judgment. The
priest is from the right side [of the tree of the sefirot, the side of
chesed], which is far removed from Judgment [the left side of the tree].
Fire is connected with anger [as the word "furious" attests]. A priest is never
involved with harsh judgement, yet here [it is written that it is the priest
who] must cause judgment [i.e. the consuming fire] to blaze up for the world, as
is written: "...and the priest shall kindle upon it...." (Lev. 6:5)  | | " A person who comes to sin...sets his own bones ablaze with the fire of his evil inclination...." | | |
The answer is as we have learnt - that a person who comes
to sin before his Master sets his own bones ablaze with the fire of his evil
inclination. The evil inclination is rooted in the impure spirit, which dwells
upon a person who sins.
For example, according to the Sages, allowing oneself to become
furious is compared to idolatry. A furious person is consumed by his burning
anger to the point where he looses touch with reality.
Sometimes it is known and recognizable from the type of
sacrifice that is required to be brought, as to which aspect it repairs.
A person must sacrifice an offering akin [to his sin]. Just as
an impure spirit dwells on the person, so now he must burn an animal from the
side of that spirit, in the flames of the Altar. | | " This impure spirit...does not burn out or remove itself from him other than in the flames of the Altar...." | | |
This impure spirit - whether of the sinner himself or of
the [supernal] source from which it came - does not burn out or remove itself
other than in the flames of the Altar. The flames burn out the impure spirit and
all kinds of evil in the world [because it is a fire that consumes fire. As he
tends the Altar,] the priest [who comes from the side of chesed] should
have in mind to prepare a fire that will consume all kinds of evil in the world. | | " There is a fire that eats fire...." | | |
Now the reason that [the fire of the Altar] should not go
out is so that its power and force should not be weakened in order that it
should [still be able to] break the power of that other evil force [and drive it
out] from the world. Thus the phrase: "...do not extinguish." (ibid.)
This represents the continual conscious struggle to recognize
the holy and pure, keeping the flame of this consciousness always burning - even
in the darkest moments.
The priest had to set up the fire on the Altar and make it
flare up in the early morning each day, because that is specifically the time
when his side [of the tree of sefirot, the side of chesed] reigns
and is ascendant in the world. This is done in order to perfume the world, and
the judgments will be subjugated and will not awaken in the world.
And this is what we have learned that there is a fire that
eats fire. The higher fire eats the "other" fire. The fire of the Altar consumes
the "other" fire. Thus, this fire must never be extinguished and it is precisely
the priest [from the side of chesed] who must tend it daily.
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