“Command [tzav] the children of Israel” – anywhere that command [tzav] is stated, the command is immediately at the time of the action and is practiced throughout the generations. Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira says: Command [tzivui] is everywhere nothing other than exhortation, as it is stated: “Command Joshua and encourage him [and exhort him]” (Deuteronomy 3:28). According to our approach we learned that one encourages only the encouraged and one exhorts only the exhorted.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: Command, everywhere, involves monetary loss,24Monetary loss means that fulfilling the commandment requires spending money. as it is stated: “Command the children of Israel and they shall take to you pure olive oil” (Leviticus 24:2); “command the children of Israel and they shall send out”; “command the children of Israel and they shall give to the Levites” (Numbers 35:2); “command the children of Israel and say to them: My offering” (Numbers 28:2).
Command, everywhere, always involves monetary loss, except for one. Which is that? “Command the children of Israel and say to them that you are coming to the land, Canaan” (Numbers 34:2), which addresses the matter of the division of the land. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says: Command, everywhere, is nothing other than admonition, as it is stated: “God commanded the man…but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil [you shall not eat]” (Genesis 2:16–17).