During the time that the Holy Temple stood in Jerusalem there lived a poor farmer in the far northern Galilee. His house stood on a small rocky plot sparsely dotted with stones and thorns. He toiled for years, but the land yielded little. One day he said to himself, "I have no luck here. I will travel to the south and work on a large farm. If G-d grants me success, I will return home with my earnings."
He set out and found work on a wealthy man's estate. For three years he worked diligently, saving every coin he earned. At the end of the third year, he prepared for his triumphant return home. He approached his employer: "I have worked well for you these years and now I wish to go home. Please give me my wages so that I may return to my family."
But the landlord replied, "I have no money to pay you."
"Then pay me in produce," said the farmer.
"I have no produce," said the landlord.
"Then pay me in land."
"I have no land."
"Then pay me in cattle."
"I have no cattle."
"Then pay me in pillows and blankets."
"I have none," said the landlord.
Disappointed, the farmer slung his pack over his shoulder and trudged home to the Galilee where it is cold.
Winter passed. Spring came. The farmer was busy with his work when he saw a caravan approaching. There were three donkeys all loaded with gifts. The landlord himself was leading the procession. He ran to greet him. The wealthy landlord unloaded the donkeys, which were laden with food, wine, cakes and sweets for the family.
"Here are your wages," said the landlord. "When you asked for your pay, I had no money because I had invested it all in merchandise. I had no produce because I had leased out my fields. I had no land because I had rented it to others. I had no cattle because I had lent them out to someone. I had no pillows and blankets because I had vowed to consecrate all my possessions to the Beit Hamikdash and had nothing left to give you. But then I regretted my vow and asked the Sages to annul it. Now I have come to pay you in full."
The farmer was overjoyed and thanked the landlord for his honesty and integrity.
And the priest shall put on his linen garment (Lev. 6:3)
Rashi comments, "His garment (mado) should befit his stature (midato). The service of the high priest who performs his duties while wearing the garment of an ordinary priest is invalid." A person must always behave in a manner befitting his stature. The higher up one is on the ladder, the more is required of him. (Yalkut Eliezer)
And he shall take off his garments and put on other garments (Lev. 6:4)
"The clothes worn to 'cook the pot' are not also worn to 'pour the wine,'" comments Rashi. It was forbidden for a priest to perform his other duties wearing the same clothes he had worn to remove the ashes from the altar; he was first required to change into cleaner and more elaborate garments. From this we learn that we change out of our weekday clothes and don our finest and most beautiful garments in honor of the holy day. (Gemara Shabbat, and Maharsha)
He shall carry the ashes outside the camp, to a clean place (Lev. 6:4)
Even though the ashes which remained after the sacrifices were burnt were only a waste product of Israel, they too were worthy of being kept in a pure, clean place. (Beit Yaakov)
And every meal offering which is mixed with oil, or dry...to one as much as the other (Lev. 7:10)
The meal offering mixed with oil was voluntary, but the dry one was brought by a person who had committed a transgression. The Torah says, "to one as much as the other." One must treat both individuals with the same respect, love and spirit of brotherhood, regardless of the reason why the offering was brought. (Rabbi Yitzchak of Vorka)
