2014-2015 CYCLE
P185 Parash 26 Sh’mini (eighth) Vayikra/Leviticus 9:1 –11:47
Synopsis
– On the eighth day following "seven days of inauguration," Aharon and his sons
begin to officiate as Cohanim (priests); a fire issues forth from Yehovah to
consume the offerings on the Altar and the Divine Presence comes to dwell in the
Sanctuary. Aharon's two elder sons, Nadav and Avihu, offer a "strange
fire before Yehovah, which He commanded them not" and die before Yehovah. Aharon
is silent in face of his tragedy. Moshe and Aharon subsequently disagree as to a
point of law regarding the offerings, but Moshe concedes to Aharon that Aharon
is in the right.
Yehovah
commands the kosher laws,
identifying the animal species permissible and forbidden for
consumption. Land animals may be eaten only if they have split hooves and also
chew their cud; fish must have fins and scales; a list of non-kosher birds is
given, and a list of kosher insects (four types of locusts).
Also
in Shemini are some of the laws of ritual purity, including the purifying power
of the mikvah (a pool of water meeting specified qualifications) and the
wellspring. Thus the people of Israel are enjoined to "differentiate between the
impure and the pure."
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