tzavah

Tzavah is a Hebrew term meaning “command” or “he commanded.” It derives from the root צ-ו-ה (ts-v-h). In Biblical Hebrew, the verb form צָוָה (tzavah) is the third-person masculine singular perfect of צווה, used to indicate that someone, often God, issued a command. The noun form can denote a commandment or an instruction, though the more common word for a formal commandment is mitzvah.

In the Torah, Parashat Tzav is the named weekly portion associated with the root tzav and is traditionally read in Leviticus. The parashah focuses on the laws concerning offerings, particularly the burnt offering (olah) and the meal offering (minchah), and it includes the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests, along with instructions about the ongoing service at the altar. The name reflects the opening commands that frame these regulations.

In rabbinic and modern Hebrew usage, tzavah appears primarily in contexts that echo the sense of issuing commands or orders, often in contrast with more specific legal terminology like mitzvah, which denotes a commandment as a religious obligation. The term is most commonly encountered in biblical, liturgical, and scholarly discussions of divine instruction and priestly service, rather than in everyday speech.