There is a beautiful Chasam Sofer on the beginning of the Parshah that discusses the Terumas Hadeshen. Rashi says Tza v means ziruz. The Chasam Sofer, who was a posek, looks at it like a halacha and says in the Bais Hamikdash there was a goral for who would do the avodah. Terumas Hadeshen was different in that whoever ran up would get the z’chus. He goes on to explain why an avodah that seems to be the least significant like taking ash off the mizbaiach and the fact that not the whole avodah was done in Bigdei Kehuna is the one that has a Zirus that is a part of it.
He is makdim by explaining that Avraham Avinu introduced Shacharis, Yitzchak Avinu introduced Minchah and Yaakov Avinu introduced Maariv. Yaakov is also considered the chosen of the Avos. Yet we find that Maariv is a rishus.
The Chovos Halevavos brings from Maseches Yevamos 109. The Gemara says someone who is only going to keep the Torah, meaning only what he is obligated to do, is missing the whole message of being someone who does Ratzon Hashem. The nekuda is that there has to be something more. From this the Chasam Sofer explains that the burning of the aivarim overnight in the Bais Hamikdash was not an avodah, no one had to do anything. However, the kohanim who weren’t even required to be there as they could have gone to sleep, would make sure that the meat was turned over with pitchforks, in order that it would be burned thru and thru. The whole night was an opportunity to do something that they were not obligated to do. That has a special chavivus because they went beyond their obligation. So in the morning the deshen (ash) is taken away, that the Torah is saying, should be done b’derech z’rizus.
Maariv is a rishus, as it is k’neged the aivarim that were burned overnight. It is a klal gadol, that you can never show love by doing something you must do. You have to do something that is above what you must or have to do.
With this we can explain something else. It says that when the Terumas Hadeshen was taken to the side of the mizbaiach and dropped down, it miraculously disappeared into the floor of the Mishkan or the Bais Hamikdash. This is a Nais that seems to be purposeless. Yet we see that it occurred in the Bayis Sheini when a lot of the other miracles had stopped.
If Terumas Hadeshen is performed to show ahava, to show love, Hakadosh Baruch Hu reciprocated. Those ashes that came with this avoda of love, became part of the floor of the Mishkan and part of the floor of the Bais Hamikdash and became kodesh. That miracle was also something that was not needed mitzad the Ribbono Shel Olam from Klal Yisrael, but nevertheless this accepting of the ashes shows the love that Hakadosh Baruch Hu was mekabeil this small offering of Terumas Hadeshen, and that is where the chashivus comes from.
