In the list of sacrifices that appears in our parasha we find a series of repetitious phrases.
“The burnt offering of the Sabbath in its Sabbath” (28:10)
“And a tenth and a tenth of fine flour” (28:13)
“This is the burnt-offering, month by month” (28:14)
“A tenth and a tenth you shall offer” (28:21, 28)
and so forth.
These repetitions do not all serve the same purpose. Repeating the words “Sabbath in its Sabbath” or “month by month” teaches the need to repeat the same sacrifice every single Sabbath or on a monthly basis. Repeating the words “a tenth” indicates the amount that must be brought – two times one tenth. The Torah could have chosen to say “every Shabbat” instead of “Sabbath in its Sabbath,” but this can be explained as a literary device. The expression “a tenth and a tenth,” however, really should have been written as “two tenths” and it is not at all clear why emphasis is put on each tenth separately.
From a literary perspective we can explain that the Torah is making use of a rhetorical device whose purpose is to cause sounds or words to reverberate so that we will become sensitive to them, by hearing the word repeated over and over again. Listening to these words we become persuaded and internalize the message.
The effect and meaning of textual repetition, whether when we speak or when we listen, becomes similar to a repeated ritual, and leads to a hidden, inner psychological process.
What is the goal of this repetition and where does it lead us? The verses themselves emphasize both times and amounts. While reading the verses describing the sacrifice, there is a clear sense that the Torah wants us to act carefully – we are commanded to keep a regular schedule and bring specific quantities. The Torah wants us to be concerned with measurement and accuracy. The point is to emphasize the principle of consistency and the seriousness of the action.
What does the Torah gain from emphasizing these issues within the institution of sacrifices? In truth, a sense of consistency may be considered the primary objective of sacrifice. A sacrifice is not supposed to be brought because of some spiritual illumination, but from a routine and rhythm of commitment that is expressed by means of the ongoing, regular spiritual service.
There is another aspect to this repetition, which relates to the sense of movement or progress that it creates. The same voice that dictates a regular routine also dictates a sense of progress, of movement over time. That same recurring voice also documents a change in background and an advance or a development. Time has passed; now we are here. Times may have changed, but we continue with our routine. From this perspective, the music of repetition playing in our ears points not only to consistency, but also to change and transformation. These two realities appear somewhat contradictory. Our parasha and its discussion of sacrifices obligates us to examine the relationship between consistency and change. Let us say a few words about this relationship:
Consistency that stands in opposition to change: There are times when striving for consistency limits any possibility for change. One example from the realm of Jewish law is the case of a kohen – a priest – whose wife has been raped. By persisting in the belief that the rape never occurred, the couple would be permitted to remain together (according to Torah law, a woman who is married to a kohen becomes forbidden to him if she is raped, but the law does not apply if the husband does not believe that the rape took place). Nevertheless, the woman who was raped has suffered a severe trauma and she cannot pretend that the situation is as it was before. Insisting on continuity will not allow the woman to process her sensitive situation and heal, since normal routine only allows for thinking within the existing framework and does not allow to move beyond it. Consistency protects against change in other situations, as well. If someone prays three times a day, recites blessings before eating, and is accustomed to eating kosher, then it will be very difficult to give up these habits and forget them.
Change that uproots consistency: The opposite is true, as well. Change is perceived as an opportunity to overcome inertia and to offer release from its bonds. The change may be a turning point that takes place due to some external drive that breaks the routine – a sudden insight, a crisis, or some other unusual event.
Both of the above examples view change and consistency as contradictory concepts.
There are, however, also situations where consistency brings about change. If someone is chronically ill, for example, and refuses to take prescribed medicine, his condition is likely to worsen. Most difficulties tend to intensify, rather than diminish, over time.
Sometimes consistency overcomes change. It is possible that refusing to recognize a problem allows an individual to continue with normal life. This, of course, depends on the specific situation.
And then there are times that change encourages consistency. Anyone who has gotten slapped (metaphorically, of course) in their lives, knows that that experience can enforce behavior for many years.
The important teaching of our parasha regarding the tension between consistency and regularity on the one hand and change and transformation on the other, I learned by accident. I visited a friend who was in mourning for her father who had passed away after a lengthy illness. As time went on, his condition worsened and he needed regular treatments that required a hospital visit three times a week for half a day at a time. My friend described how for four consecutive years his friends accompanied her father to treatment. They never missed an appointment and he did not go to the hospital alone even once. They arranged to take turns and devoted themselves to his care three full mornings every week.
I thought about her story and about the devotion and persistence of her father’s friends, and I understood something very significant. Consistency can serve as the very definition of change. To get out of one’s routine as a matter of routine describes an unbelievable ability to create an unconventional habit that constantly reawakens the strength of goodness in all worlds.
In consistency such as this we find sacrifice. Sabbath by Sabbath, month after month and even a tenth and a tenth.