| Dear Yeshiva Family:
This week's parshah begins (6:2) with Hashem telling Moshe Rabbeinu "Command Aharon and his sons about the laws of the Korban Olah. Rashi explains that "the language of 'command' can only be meant to express 'urging on', and the Torah must especially urge on a person in a situation where he stands to lose money". This is understood by many meforshim to mean that unlike other korbanos, the Olah is completely burned on the mizbeach, or altar, whereas the other korbanos have portions that go to the Kohanim. Therefore, to encourage and motivate the same feelings of inspired service during the offering of the olah which inherently causes a loss of money, as opposed to other korbanos from which the Kohanim enjoy some benefit, the Torah chooses a slightly stronger language, that of 'command' instead of the usual daber - speak or emor - say.
Many meforshim (see Ramban, Ohr Hachayim etc.) ask why this is considered a loss for the Kohanim, when they still get the animal's skins, and that itself is worth money. Additionally, why is this called a loss? Granted, there is none of the usual gain that the Kohanim would get from the other korbanos, but it still does not "put them in the red". The answer to both of these questions could be that loss and gain are all based on a person's perception. If one is used to reaping a benefit from a certain activity, and one time this activity does not net him that benefit, he will chalk up any effort involved in that activity as a loss. Therefore, if generally a korban provides two benefits—the first being food, the kohen's portion of the korban; and the second being the side benefit of the animal's skin -- and this time, with a Korban Olah, it provides only the side benefit of the animal's skin, he will view this reduced benefit not only as a lack of gain, but actually as a loss.
We can further question that if the Torah uses the word Tzav for commandments which cause a loss of money, why does the Torah not use this term for the mitzvah to burn chometz, where there is also a financial loss? Here, too, we can explain that the difference is that there the actual mitzvah is to destroy and cause a financial loss by burning the chometz. There is no need to speak in stronger terms, for sometimes the nature of the mitzvah is to lose, and that's that. One goes into the mitzvah knowing it is going to cost him and he is prepared for that eventuality, whereas, by the Korban Olah, the nature of the mitzvah is to give a present to Hashem, and generally, such mitzvos are not supposed to cause a loss to the Kohanim, just as they don't cause a loss by the other korbanos. So, when the outcome goes against expectations and does cause a loss, it hurts much more. Put simpler, if a loss is expected, then it is just a part of life, but if it is unexpected, then it hurts, and it requires stronger wording to caution us to be careful in performing this mitzvah!
One can learn from this a great lesson as to how to set expectations when going through life. If one has expectations for something, e.g. when he goes to renew his license at the DMV, he can expect a two-hour line, and if he gets there and there is only an hour and a half line, he feels elated that he just gained a half an hour and life is great! But if he goes to a local small grocery store and is forced to stand in a half-hour line, he walks out irritated from the wasted time! The initial expectation was the cause of these different reactions to very similar circumstances. Standing in line can be frustrating or just something you need to do. This is true regarding nearly everything in life. If one expects something not to be perfect, then when it turns out to be less than perfect, there is no negative reaction. Whereas only if things were supposed to be perfect, and it is not so, does a person get agitated and sometimes react improperly. This lesson can help us tremendously in life to learn how to set our expectations.
This understanding can also benefit our relationships and our daily lives in so many ways. When people have realistic and healthy expectations in a marriage, remembering that each person is a human being and not a utopian spouse, then many things that the spouse does in a less-than-perfect marriage will nevertheless still be treated as a successful marriage. And in some cases, we might even be ecstatic, just as we would be if the line in the DMV we were standing in was half an hour shorter than normal; and our reaction to regular human failings, would not be anger, but understanding, as we expected the normal human imperfections.
Helen Keller once said, "I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his early adult life. Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound."
This is a similar idea. We grow up expecting perfection and therefore 20-20 vision is not a cause for joy. However, if we can lower our expectations, then any amount of the gift of sight is bound to give us limitless joy.
The question is, practically, how can one lower his overall expectations in life, so that anything above the expectations is viewed as a gain, and anything below the expectations is not seen as a loss? The trick is to go through life with Emunah, faith in Hashem. If one knows and trusts in Hashem, knowing that Hashem can change anything and that nothing is in our control, this enables us to not set expectations, for Hashem can always change anything. By inculcating this insight, we can avoid disappointment and anger in life.
Lowering our expectations, and then appreciating when things go right, is a sure way to exponentially improve our mood and happiness throughout our lives. May Hashem continue to light our lives with joy and happiness so we can serve Him in the best way possible! Rabbi Moshe Revah Rosh HaYeshiva, HTC - Beis HaMidrash LaTorah moshe.revah@htc.edu | 
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