Parshas Terumah - The quiet fire

The quiet fire

In addition to the animals and birds that were sacrificed in the temple, there where also incense offerings. They were each brought on different Altars (Mizbechos). One Altar was in the Azara – outer courtyard, the other was in the Kodesh – inner chamber. The Altar in the courtyard was for animals, birds and the like. The Altar in the Kodesh was used for incense offerings.

R’ Aba[1] is quoted in the Zohar[2] saying:

‘Just as there were Altars in the Temple, there are also Altars in man. They mirror each other[3]’.

Rabbi Yitzchok Arma (1400-1465) – the Baal Hakeido[4] takes this a step further. He says that the Alter of man is his heart[5].

The Alter Rebbe explains that the two Alters of the person represent two distinct levels within one’s heart[6].

“The inner Alter was made of gold – it symbolizes the ‘awesome love’ one can attain… The outer Alter [made of stone and earth] personifies a more elementary love of G-d”.

One can ask, if the outer Alter represents the lower level of love, why was the fire much larger then the fire on the inner Alter?

The Alter Rebbe explains:

“The calm fire is much deeper, the flaming fire denotes a lower level, its flames represent a struggle with the ‘beastly’ animalistic drives, attempting to burn it out - with a love for G-d”[7].

Bigger is not always better.

What does the small fire represent?

The Alter Rebbe explains[8]:

"After one has calmed his 'animal' he can then go deeper. He goes to works on connecting to G-d in a more meaningful way. This concept is represented by the incense offerings. Just as the smell of the incense open the depths of his mind, so too the ‘spiritual incense’ is offered when the Jew becomes divinely inspired to serve G-d with his innermost soul. This then inspires an even deeper level of relationship with G-d”[9].

The Alter Rebbe illustrates this with the following parable[10]:

"When a child is still distant from his father, he cries out "father, father" - yet, when he is close to his father and is being embraced by his father, he says nothing - it is quiet. This is similar to the Amida prayer where one stands quietly.





[1] There were a number of Tannaim that had the name Abba. One was Abba Shaul. He lived two generations after the destruction of the Temple. A second was Abba Shaul ben Batnit. He lived in the latter period of the second Temple. A third was Abba Yose ben Hanin also living before the Temple was destroyed. It is not clear whether any of these are the Abba mentioned in the Zohar.


[2] Tzav 30a-b.


[3] Rav Abba connects the inner Alter of man to his faith in G-d.


[4] He wrote a fascinating commentary on the Chumash titled ‘Akeidas Yitzchok’. In this sefer he connects every passage throughout the Chumash to the Akeidas Yitzchok – the binding of Issac to the Alter by his father Avraham.


This thought regarding the Alter in man’s heart is found in in Parshas Tzav of that sefer.


[5] The Talmud (Brochos 26b) says that the three daily prayers correspond to three of the daily offerings in the Temple. Rabbi Arma says that this would fit well with his idea - that the Alter of man is his heart – because ‘prayer without intent (heart) is almost worthless’. Cf. discussion on the comment of the Akida by the Rama – Rabbi Moshe Isserles (1520-1572) in Toras Haola section 1 Ch. 24.


[6] Lekutei Torah Hazinu 78d, he bases this concept on the Zohar, the Zohar only discusses two levels in the person – not directly connecting them to the two levels of ones heart.


[7] This idea is alluded to in the above-mentioned Zohar.


[8] Sefer Hamamorim 5564 pg. 67


[9] The Alter Rebbe is comparing ‘sacrifices’ to man’s service of G-d, (similar to the Talmud ibid that “prayer is in the place of the sacrifice”).


[10] Lekutei Torah ibid 79b-c