Parshas HaTamid, which is contained in the “Korbonos” section of Shachris (the morning daily prayers) is from Parshas Pinchas. The Parshas HaTamid as it is written in Parshas Pinchas (Bamidbar 28:1-8), concludes with the pasuk: “and the other lamb shall you present at dusk; as the meal-offering of the morning, and as the drink-offering thereof, you shall present it, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Hashem.” (Bamidbar 28:8). However, after quoting the eight pesukim from Parshas Pinchas, the Parshas HaTamid that we recite daily, concludes with one additional pasuk from Parshas Vayikra: “He is to slaughter it on the north side of the Mizbayach before Hashem, and Aharon’s sons, the Kohanim, are to dash its blood upon the Mizbayach all around.” (Vayikra 1:11).
This last pasuk, from this week’s parsha, is not even referring to the Korban HaTamid! It therefore seems very strange that it is appended to our daily recital of Parshas HaTamid. It is true that the Korban Tamid, as well as other “Kodshei Kodashim” offerings, are all slaughtered on the north side of the Mizbayach. But why do we append this pasuk to Parshas HaTamid?
The Mishna Berurah explains that this pasuk is appended to our daily recital of the Parshas HaTamid based on the teaching of a Medrash. The Medrash states that the Ribono shel Olam invokes Heaven and Earth as His witnesses that “Whenever this particular pasuk is recited—whether by Jew or Gentile, man or woman, freeman or slave—I will remember Akeidas Yitzchak.” In other words, mention of this pasuk is our way of sneaking in, so to speak, another remembrance of Akeidas Yitzchak. This also seems strange because this pasuk seems to have nothing to do with Akeidas Yitzchak! What is the connection between this pasuk and Akeidas Yitzchak?
The Maharal Diskin makes a very interesting point: In Biblical times, when they slaughtered an animal for a korbn, it was slaughtered on top of the Mizbayach, rather than the later-prevalent practice to slaughter the animal on the side of the Mizbayach. Why?
Avraham put his son Yitzchak on top of the Mizbayach, as was common practice, in order to offer him as a korbon. Yitzchak wanted to be bound on the Mizbayach because he was afraid that he would jerk and invalidate himself as a korbon. That is why it is called Akeidas Yitzchak (the Binding of Yitzchak). Avraham Avinu bound Yitzchak to the Mizbayach, and was about to slaughter him when the malach came forth and said, “Do not send forth your hand against the lad, do not do anything to him....” (Bereshis 22:12). We might think that at that point Avraham would say to his son, “Okay, Yitzchak, let’s untie the ropes. Let’s get out of here.” But no, Avraham Avinu leaves him bound. Why does Avraham leave him bound? The Maharal Diskin explains: Avraham traveled all the way to Har Hamoria. He had to offer some kind of korbon. So he looked up and saw that a ram was caught by its horns in the thicket. Okay, so now Avraham had his ram – so why was Yitzchak STILL bound on the Mizbayach? It was because Avraham was not yet sure that this animal was kosher for a korbon. “Maybe it has a mum (blemish). Maybe it is a ba’al mum,” he feared. After all, it was caught up in the thorns! Avraham Avinu was afraid to unbind Yitzchak because he was not sure that the ram would be an acceptable substitute offering. Therefore, what does he do? He slaughters the ram ON THE NORTH SIDE of the Mizbayach.
That is why from that day forward, all the major korbonos – the Olah, the Chatas, and the Asham – are slaughtered on the north side of the Mizbayach. This reenacts what Avraham Avinu did. He was the first person to slaughter an animal on the north side of the Mizbayach rather than on the Mizbayach itself. Therefore, when we recite the pasuk “He slaughtered it on the northern side of the Mizbayach...” we are once again invoking the merit and the memory of Akeidas Yitzchak. This is why we say it as part of the daily Parshas HaTamid, as the Mishna Berura indicates.
