Parshas Tzav:
Pasuk(5-6:6)
It says (in Pasuk 5) that the fire on the Mizbayach should be lit continuously and not extinguished, and the Cohen should make sure that the fire stays lit.
It also says (in Pasuk 6) that the fire on the Mizbayach should be permanent, and it should not be extinguished.
The obvious question is why does Pasuk(6:6) repeat the command of not extinguishing the fire on the Mizbayach ?
Comes The Mahari"l Diskin and explains that the command is not repeated.
The first "extinguished" is a command to the Kohanim, to make sure that the fire stays lit. If the Cohanim did not put wood on the fire, and the fire goes out, they were "Oyveir Al Lahv".
However, the second "extinguished" is not a command, yet a guarantee. That the fire on the Altar is an everlasting one and it will never be extinguished. As it says in Pirkei Avos (5:5) that there was a miracle in the Beis Hamikdash, that the rain did not extinguish the fire on the Altar.
Comes Rav Chaim from Volozhin and explains, couldn't Hashem make it that no rain fell by the Mikdash. Why did Hashem need such a miracle?
A person should learn a lesson from this, that one who is doing something that is correct, and others around him are trying to convince him otherwise, he should ignore them. Like the fire on the Altar, it didn't extinguish from the falling rain and stayed lit.
He continues by saying that a lot of people claim that they don't have time to learn Torah, since they have to worry about there Parnasah. This is a mistake, one should have complete trust in Hashem, and then he will have time to learn Torah.
This is what he explains is hinted in the Pasuk, for we know (Taanis 2:b) that rain hints to Parnasah. We also know that Torah is symbolized by fire, just like on the Altar the water did not extinguish the fire, for their was a miracle.
Also by Torah, one must not allow Parnasah to prevent him from learning Torah. This is accomplished by having full faith in Hashem.
Comes the Sefer Hachinuch (Mitzvah 132) and asks that, if there was an everlasting light, why did the Cohen need to light every morning?
He explains that this was done in order to hide the miracle.
The Sefer "Shay Lei Torah" brings down the question, why was the miracle hidden.
Isn't it better to show the world the greatness of Hashem through his miracles?
He answers that the reason why Hashem brings miracles to the world, is in order to show that even, what we call nature, is really a miracle. (Ramban Parshas Bo)
Therefore we can now understand the reasoning of the Chinuch, that the Cohanim are hiding the miracle, in order to strengthen the Emunah in the peoples hearts, to see that even the nature is really a miracle.
There is a Gemarah brought down in Mesachet Berachot (5), Rav Huna had 400 barrels of wine, that went sour, and turned into vinegar. This all happened to him for he acted in a slightly wrong way to someone else. After he realized his mistake(according to his level of holiness it was a mistake), some say that the price of vinegar went up, and others say that his vinegar turned into wine.
On this, Rav Kook(Aein Ha Ayah) brings down a very interesting thought when dealing with miracles. We know that Hashem does not perform miracles without any need for it. Hashem wants, what we call nature, to continue in this world. However, when Hashem wants to do to his dear ones, a miracle, it is preferred that the miracle is as small as possible. Using this he explains the disagreement in the outcome of Rav Hunas wine.
Vinegar turning to wine is a big miracle in "quality".
For it goes out of the realms of nature. Yet in quantity, it is a very small miracle, for only Rav Huna's wine benefits from it.
However, the price of vinegar going up is also a miracle, it is a big miracle in "quantity". Since Hashem has to plan out all different changes in world wide markets, all for Rav Hunah.
Rav Kook holds that he feels that it is better to have less in the quality of the miracle, even though the quantity of the miracle effects more.
We see from here that there is no such thing as chance, things happen in the world because Hashem wants them to happen. At times Hashem may even do global changes in order to benefit Am Yisroel. Let us realize these changes in our everyday lives.
Then the ones who are wise will then understand, that it is really a hidden miracle.
The act of a miracle, shows the greatness of Hashem and the lowness of the receiver.
From the Pasuk(6:4) we learn that clothing which one wears to do dirty jobs (taking out the ashes), one should not wear the same clothing when serving ones master(Hashem).
We learn from this that when one serves Hashem he should wear nicer clothing than usual (Rashi).
In Mesechet Berachos (119:a), we see that for the reason of the above Pasuk, Rav Anan wore black clothing on Erev Shabbos, in order not to worry about getting his clothing dirty, and thus prevent cooking for Shabbos. We also see this by Rabbi Chaninah, he wore nice clothing when Shabbos entered in order to welcome in the Shabbos.
The Shulchan Orach (262:2) writes, L'Halacha one should try to wear nice clothing on Shabbos.
The Mishneh Berurah(262:2:5) writes that Chazal learned from the word "Vehche-Badetoe...", that ones dress on Shabbos should not be like that of weekly dress, and it is best to try to wear all his clothing on Shabbos, clothing which were not worn during the week.
Even if one is alone by himself the whole Shabbos and no one else will see him, he should still wear special clothing on Shabbos, for the nice dressing is not for others to see, but for the Shabbos.
One should wear this dress the whole Shabbos until after Havdalah on Motzai Shabbos. (M.B.)
Some say to wear ones Shabbos dress till he finishes his Melavah Malka. (Kaf Hacaim)
While some say to wear his special Shabbos clothing till one goes to sleep. (a Talmid of the "Terumat Hadeshen", said his Rav would act this way, Piske Teshuvos)
The requirement to wear nice & clean clothing on Shabbos, applies also on Yom Tov.
One should wear nice clothing also on Rosh Chodesh.
When is one required to wear nice clothing?
Comes the Sefer Otzar Dinim Uminhagim (Rav Yehudah D. Eisenstein ), and writes that we have a hint from the words, "Chameish Chalifot Smalot...(Yosef gave as a present to Binyamin)", if we take each letter of the first word we get:
Ches = Chodesh- Rosh Chodesh.
Mem = Moeid - Yom Tov.
Shin = Shabbos.
For each one of these days one should change into nicer and clean clothing, in order to serve Hashem better. For Chameish (Chodesh, Moeid, and Shabbos) one should wear Chalifot(clothing) Smalot(of nice er quality).
One should also remember that what ever someone spends for the Shabbos, he has only to benefit from it.
Good Shabbos.