Clear the Ashes, Feed the Fire

“it’s about deciding: this is who I am, this is how I show up, regardless of how I feel”

There’s a misconception that a positive attitude is something you either have or you don’t, like it’s a personality trait. Some people are just “positive people,” and others aren’t. Parashat Tzav challenges that idea. Tzav isn’t emotional. It’s not inspirational on the surface. It’s structured, repetitive, detailed. The same korbanot, the same routines, the same expectations, day in and day out. And that’s exactly the point.

If you look at the ideas behind Resolved: 13 Resolutions for Life, by Orrin Woodward, the whole premise is that growth doesn’t come from random bursts of motivation. It comes from commitment. From making decisions ahead of time about who you’re going to be, and then showing up that way consistently. That’s Tzav. 

The Torah talks about the korban tamid, the daily offering that never stops. It’s routine, constant,  repetitive. Every single day, no matter what. No excuses, no mood swings, no “I’m not feeling it today.” A positive attitude works the same way. It’s not about waking up inspired. It’s about being resolved. It’s about deciding: this is who I am, this is how I show up, regardless of how I feel. A positive attitude isn’t created in big inspirational moments. It’s built in the daily grind. Tzav teaches that even when nothing feels exciting, you keep showing up. You keep doing what’s right. That consistency creates inner stability, and that stability becomes positivity. A positive mindset is not “I feel good,” it’s “I stay committed.”

Another powerful moment in the parasha is removing the ashes from the altar each morning. Why start the day by clearing yesterday’s residue? You can’t build a fire on top of yesterday’s ashes. If you hold onto yesterday’s mistakes, yesterday’s frustrations, yesterday’s negativity, you’re already starting your day weighed down. Tzav is telling us: Every day starts fresh. Clear the ashes. Don’t carry emotional leftovers. Because holding onto yesterday's failures, frustrations, and negativity, blocks a positive outlook. Positivity begins when you stop reliving what has already burned out. One of the biggest blocks to a positive attitude is carrying baggage that doesn’t belong in today.

Then there’s the fire itself, the command that the fire on the altar must always be burning. “A constant fire shall be kept burning on the altar; it shall not go out.”(Vayikra 6:6). Not sometimes. Not when it’s convenient. Always. That fire represents your inner drive and passion, your mindset, your energy, and purpose.  A positive attitude isn’t passive, it requires fuel. If you don’t actively maintain your inner fire, it fades.

So what keeps the fire alive? Gratitude, growth, responsibility, and meaningful action. Positivity is something you feed, not something you wait for. And here’s the truth: fire doesn’t sustain itself. If you don’t feed it, it goes out. A positive attitude is the same thing. It requires effort. It requires intention. You have to actively fuel it, through what you focus on, what you say to yourself, and how you act.

That’s where the idea of “resolution” comes in. Because if you wait to feel positive before you act, you’ll be waiting a long time. But if you act with consistency, with discipline, with purpose, your mindset starts to follow.

That’s the hidden message of Tzav. It’s not telling you to feel different. It’s telling you to live differently. And when you live with consistency, when you clear out what’s holding you back, and when you protect your inner fire, positivity stops being something you chase. It becomes who you are.