Tzav

"A continuous fire shall burn upon the altar; it shall not be extinguished." (Vayikra 6:6)

At the heart of the Mizbe’ach was a fire that never went out. Day and night, in times of peace and in times of struggle, the flames burned. Even when Bnei Yisrael traveled in the desert, the fire was covered and protected so it would not be extinguished.

Why was this so important?

Because the Mizbe’ach was not just a place of korbanot—it was a symbol of avodat Hashem. And Hashem was teaching us that our inner fire, our passion for Torah and mitzvot, must never be allowed to die.

There are times in life when we feel inspired, when our avodat Hashem is burning brightly. But then there are times when the flame flickers, when we struggle to feel connected, when we wonder if our efforts even matter.

And the Torah tells us: Lo tichbeh—do not let it go out. Even when it is difficult, even when you feel distant, even when the fire is just embers—keep it alive.

But how do we do that?

The parsha gives us the answer: “Every morning, the Kohen shall kindle wood upon it.” (Vayikra 6:5)

Every morning, new wood had to be placed on the fire. It did not burn on its own—it required effort, consistency, commitment. The fire did not stay strong because of one dramatic spark—it stayed strong because it was fed, little by little, day after day.

And this is the secret to keeping our own fire alive.

We don’t need to feel a sudden burst of inspiration. We just need to keep adding small pieces of wood. One tefillah. One moment of Torah. One act of kindness. One decision to push forward, even when it’s hard.

Because the greatest flames are not the ones that burn the brightest—they are the ones that never go out.

The question is: Are we tending to our fire? Are we adding to it each day, ensuring that it will never be extinguished?

Because if we keep it alive, if we nurture it even in the difficult times, then no matter where we go, no matter what challenges we face—the fire of Torah, the fire of emunah, will always be burning inside us.