Parshas Shmini
Full Parsha
First Aliya
The 8th Day
On each of the seven days of the inauguration Moshe would disassemble the Mishkan and then reassemble it again on the following day.
On the 8th day, which was the first day of the month of Nissan* Moshe did not disassemble the Mishkan but rather it remained standing.
*Side note: That year, the first of Nissan “took 10 crowns”:
It fell out on a Sunday, having it correspond with the first day of Creation.
The first day the princes of the tribes brought offerings in honor of the altar’s inauguration
The first day that Aaron and his sons officially became Kohanim
The first day of the regular service with the altar
The first day that fire descended from Heaven onto the altar
The first day that the restriction was implemented for offerings to only be eaten on the altar’s grounds
The first day that it was prohibited to bring offerings on altars outside of the Mishkan’s territory.
This was the first day of the first month of the year
The first day that the Shechina rested with the Israelites in the mishkan
The first day that the Kohanim gave their priestly blessing.
On this day, Moshe called upon Aaron, his sons and the elders regarding an offering that Aaron was to make. Moshe wanted the elders to be there while issuing these instructions so they should know that this service of the Kohen Gadol was commanded by G-d and something Aaron decided to do on his own.
Moshe tells Aaron to offer up a young male calf to serve as a sin offering (to atone for the golden calf that Aaron made*) and a ram as a burnt offering. Both animals should be unblemished.
*Side note: this is the only instance of a calf as a sin offering in Torah.
Moshe then says that Aaron should tell the Israelites to bring:
A He goat as a sin offering
An unblemished calf and sheep that are not yet one years old as a burnt offering and
A bull and a ram and a meal offering mixed with oil as a peace offering.
These offerings were special in that they signified the beginning of the Shechina resting in the Mishkan.
So everyone brought the things which Moshe commanded of them to the entrance of the Ohel Moed and Moshe says that G-d’s Glory will appear to them.
Aaron felt embarrassed to approach the altar so Moshe calls him over and tells him to offer up his sin and burnt offering and then the offerings of the nation.
So Aaron approaches the altar and slaughters his sin offering (the calf).
Aaron’s sons then bring the blood to him and Aaron dip[s his finger into it and places it upon the horns of the altar and then pours the rest of the blood onto the altar’s base.
He then burns the fats, kidneys, diaphram and liver of the calf on the altar.
He burns the flesh and hide in a fire outside the camp. This was the only instance of a sin offering whose blood was sprinkled on the outer altar which was entirely burnt.
Aaron then slaughters his burnt offering (ram) and his sons offer him the blood and Aaron throws it all around the altar.
Aaron’s sons prepare the burnt offering for Aaron – all of its pieces including its head and they burn it on the altar.
Aaron washes the internal organs and feet and burns these on the altar.
Aaron then offers up the sin and burnt offerings of the Israelites.
Second Aliya
G-d’s Glory Appears in the Merit of Aaron
After the regular daily Burnt Offering, Aaron brings over the meal offering and scoops it into his three fingers (see earlier in Chumash for more info on this) and burns this on the altar.
He then slaughters the peace offering of the nation – the bull and ram. Aaron’s sons then prepare the blood for him and Aaron throws it all around the altar.
They then placed the visceral fat of these animals as well as their fatty coverings, tails, kidneys, diaphragm and liver upon the breasts and one Kohen performs the waving. This Kohen then gives it to another Kohen in such a way that now the breasts are below. Then all of the fats are burnt on the altar and then Aaron lifts up the breasts and right thigh and performs a waving service before G-d.
Aaron then raises his hands in the direction of the nation and blesses them with the priestly blessing and then descends from the top of the altar.
Moshe and Aaron then enter into the Ohel Moed. There are different commentaries as to why they entered there together.
One idea is that in the Ohel Moed Moshe now teaches Aaron about the procedure for the incense ceremony.
Another explanation is that when Aaron saw that after all of these rituals of the service in the Mishkan the Schina still had not descended, he became distressed and thought it was a sign of G-d being angry with him and he tells Moshe that he was embarrassed to take on the responsibilities of the priesthood and only did so because Moshe asked him too. So both Moshe and Aaron enter into the Ohel Moed to pray for G-d’s mercy, which results in the Shechina descending to the nation.
After this, Moshe and Aaron leave the Ohel Moed and bless the people that the Shechina should rest upon them. They gave the people this particular blessing as the people were feeling ashamed that the Shechina wasn’t resting upon them after all the trouble they went to to build and inaugurate the Mishkan and they felt that maybe it was all for nothing and that they weren’t atoned for the sin of the Golden Calf.
Moshe reassured them that this is not the case and that G-d’s Glory will appear to them, but says that his brother Aaron is more meritorious and important than Moshe and thus it will be that when Aaron performs the ceremonies (and not Moshe) that the Shechina will descend and demonstrate this.
And so it was that the Glory of G-d appeared to the entire nation.
Third AliyaThe Death of Nadav and Avihu
A fire comes down from heaven and consumes the burnt offering on the altar and the nation sings praises and prostrate themselves.
Then Nadav and Avihu, two of Aaron’s sons, become intoxicated with wine. They then each take their respective fire pans and put fire in them and incense upon it and brought it before G-d. This was not an offering which had been commanded to them by G-d.
Nadav and Avihu, in addition to entering the Mishkan while intoxicated, made another grave error – they reasoned that although a fire would descend from heaven to consume the offerings, the Kohanim were still required to light their own fire. This reasoning was actually correct, however their error was that they neglected to consult with Moshe before lighting the fire.
For these mishaps, a fire descended and consumed them and they died.
To indicate that them entering into the Mishkan while intoxicated played a part in their liability to death, the Torah warns the other Kohanim to not ever enter the Mishkan while intoxicated.
Moshe comforts Aaron, saying that he knew that the Mishkan would become sanctified either through Moshe or Aaron and he now sees that it will become sanctified through Aaron’s sons*.
*Side note: Specifically, Moshe then tells Aaron that this is what G-d was talking about when He said (in Shmos 29:43) that He will “meet there with the Children of Israel, and it shall be sanctified through (His) honor” (i..e G-d will be sanctified through those who are close to Him (i.e who He has chosen) and honored before the whole nation.)
In hearing Moshe praise the righteousness of his sons, Aaron became speechless. For this silence, he was rewarded with having the section of Torah dealing with a Kohen who enters the Mishkan while intoxicated being addressed primarily to him and not Moshe (later on in our parsha – Vayikra 10:9).*
*Side note: Usually, G-d would address Moshe even in regards to things pertaining to both Moshe and Aaron and then Moshe would relay the message to Aaron. Not only was Aaron privy to being addressed directly for this, it was primarily Aaron whom G-d addressed (Moshe was allowed to be there too due to his merit, but only as a bystander.
Moshe then calls upon Aaron’s two nephews Mishael and Elizaphan (sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel (Aaron’s father Amram’s brother) and tells them to carry Nadav and Avihu out of the Mishkan to the outside of the camp. This was primarily due to it being inappropriate to have corpses in the Mishkan (rather than about burying them).
So Mishael and Elizaphan do so, wearing the tunics (Kutoness) of the dead (these were not the regular priestly tunics as Mishael and Elizaphan were Levites, not Kohanim).
According to Toras Kohanim, both the souls and bodies of Nadav and Avihu were burnt from the consuming fire from above, however according to the gemara (Sanheidrin 52a – which is the opinion that Rashi quotes), only their souls were consumed, through something like two threads of fire entering their nostrils.
Moshe then tells Aaron and his two sons Elazar and Ithamar that they should not make an outward display of their mourning (by growing out their hair* or tearing their garments) so as not to disrupt the rejoicing of the inauguration.
*Side note: This is the source of the idea that a mourner is forbidden from cutting their hair or even shaving.
Moshe warns them that if they disregard these instructions, they will die and cause G-d to get angry with the entire nation causing everyone to suffer (since the suffering of Torah scholars is everyone’s burden).
Moshe then tells them not to leave the entrance of the Ohel Moed or else they will die, since they have G-d’s anointing oil on them.
They obeyed Moshe.
G-d then speaks to Aaron (see above about this section) and tells him that all Kohanim for future generations to come are forbidden from entering the Mishkan or even near the outer altar* while intoxicated. If they enter while intoxicated with wine (more than 3-5.3 fl oz according to different opinions, which is undiluted), they will incur the death penalty. Intoxication with other alcohol is also forbidden but does not incur the death penalty.
*Side note: The text only explicitly mentions the Ohel Moed here, however Rashi deduces that it includes even the area near the outer altar since when the Chumash discusses the Kohanim washing their hands and feet (which is not done in the Ohel Moed itself) it is described as being in preparation for (and thus likened to) entering the Ohel Moed, so too here is the area near the outer altar likened to entering the Ohel Moed.
Moshe elaborates on this instruction that Kohanim are forbidden from entering the Mishan while intoxicated and says that this is for two reasons:
to make a distinction between the sacred and the profane and the impure and the pure – meaning to say, if a Kohen performs a ritual in the Mishkan while intoxicated, it is invalid.
To teach the Israelites that a person may not render Halachic decisions while intoxicated (however he is not liable for the death penalty if he does so).
Fourth Aliya
The Priestly Portion of the Meal and Peace Offerings on the 8th Day
It was initially decreed that all of Aaron’s four sons die as a punishment* for his involvement with the sin of the golden calf. Moshe’s prayers however successfully annulled half of the decree (so Nadav and Avihu died and Elazar and Ithamar remained alive).
*Side note: In Devraim 9:20 it says that G-d got very angry with Aaron about the golden calf – to the point that he wanted to “destroy” him. Destroying someone means obliterating their children.
Moshe calls over Aaron and his two remaining sons Elazar and Ithamar and tells them that even though they were mourners* they should eat the meal offering that was left over from the fire offering.
*Side note, the biblical term for mourner – onein – is used for seven relatives on the day that their relative dies (son, daughter, mother, father, brother, sister and spouse).
Eating from offerings was usually forbidden to mourners, however an exception was made as this was the eighth day of the inauguration when the princes of each tribe would begin bringing offerings (one prince would bring per day). The meal offering on this first day of the priestly offerings was from the prince Nachshon ben Aminadav of the tribe of Yehudah.
All meal offerings are eaten unleavened however scripture explicitly states that this one was also eaten unleavened even though it was otherwise an unordinary offering.
Every male Kohen receives a portion of meal offerings. Women do not receive their own portions and may not eat from it since meal offerings are considered to be of the highest degree of holiness. For lesser holy offerings however, they may partake from the portions of their father or husband.
Moshe tells them that they should eat the breast from the waving ceremony and the thigh (both from the public peace offering) in a “pure” place with their families. Unlike the holiest offerings (such as meal offerings) which may only be eaten within the Courtyard of the Mishkan (or Temple), lesser holy offerings like peace offerings could be eaten anywhere within the territory of the Israelites. The reason why this territory was considered “pure” is because anyone who had the Tzaraas disease (which renders someone impure) was not allowed into it.
The fats of this peace offering were placed underneath the breast and thigh while their waving ceremony was performed.
Fifth Aliya
Three Sin Offerings
On the eighth day of the inauguration three he-goat sin offerings are made:
The he-goat of the inaugural offering of the day.
Nachson Ben Aminadav (the prince of the tribe of Yehuda)’s offering
The he-goat of the musaf offering of the first of the month.
The first two of these offerings were like regular sin offerings in the sense that the meat of the offering was eaten by the Kohanim.
The third offering however burnt in its entirety on the altar, leaving nothing for the Kohanim to eat. Some say that this was due to the offering coming into contact with something impure. Another opinion says that it was because of Aaron and his sons being in a state of mourning, since for future generations to come, such a mourner (an onein) would be forbidden from eating such a sacrifice. This would exp lain why the first two offerings were not burnt up as such as they were exceptional to that day (for which Moshe gave permission for the Kohanim to officiate in spite of their mourning status).
When this was brought to Moshe’s attention, he turns to Elazar and Ithamar (and not to Aaron directly out of respect for him) and insists on knowing why the offering of the first of the month got burnt up and why the first two did not.
Moshe asks them if maybe the flesh from the sin offering from the first of the month was brought beyond the the Courtyard thus making it forbidden? These Koahnim replied that no, that was not the case. So Moshe responds, “So why then did you not eat it? G-d had given it to you to atone on behalf of the entire nation for the sin of entering the Mishkan or eating a holy offering while in a state of impurity.” The only time a sin offering should not be eaten (and burnt in its entirety) is when it is offered on the outer altar and then its blood is brought to the inner altar. That did not apply in this case.
Moshe had previously (Vayikra 10:12) told them that they should partake of the meal offering which was of the same holy status as this sin offering, so they should have inferred from that that they should partake of this sin offering as well*.
*Side note: They were also told that they should eat from the breast and thigh of the peace offering, however that is of a lesser degree of holiness, so its not mentioned here because they wouldn’t have necessarily inferred from that that they should have eaten from the sin offering, the way they would in having mentioned the meal offering.
Out of respect for their father (since Aaron had stayed quiet and they didn’t want to speak out of turn) as well as out of respect for not talking back to their teacher (Moshe), Elazar* and Ithamar stay silent but Aaron interjects.
*Side note: Otherwise, Elazar was very capable of speaking up. In Bamidbar 31:21 he speaks to all the soldiers of the army in Moshe’s presence or elsewhere in the presence of princes.
Aaron says that it was he and not his sons who sprinkled the blood of the offering, thus making it valid (the sons were not allowed to sprinkle the blood due to their status as oneinim but this did not apply to a Kohen Gadol).
However since Aaron was still an Onein, would it really have been pleasing to G-d if Aaron and his sons were to eat it?
For the other two offerings (the one brought by the prince Nachshon ben Aminadav) and the one brought for the inauguration were time sensitive and exceptional so it makes more sense that they should eat of it. But the sin offering for the first month will recur for generations to come in which Kohanim which are onanim will not be allowed to eat of it. Thus should they really have eaten of it then?
Moshe conceded that Aaron was correct and was not ashamed to admit it.
Sixth Aliya
Laws Regarding the Permissibility and Purity of Animals
G-d relates some laws to Moshe regarding the Kosher status of animals.
He tells Moshe that he should then relate all of this afterwards to Aaron who should then relate it to his sons Elazar and Ithamar who were then to relate it to the entire Israelite nation.
Moshe, Aaron, Elazar and Ithamar were all placed on the same level in regards to relating these laws to the nation as a whole due to their uniform silent acceptance of the death of Nadav and Avihu.
In educating Moshe regarding the various animals, G-d describes the animals as “life forms” (חיה). This is a hint to the idea that the laws of Kosher have to do with separating oneself from impurity. Impurity is related to death. The Midrash (Tanchuma 6) relates a parable concerning a doctor who is treating two patients. To one of them, the doctor gives very specific instructions regarding what he can and can’t eat. To the other, the doctor gives no such restrictions and says he is free to eat whatever he wants. This is because the doctor knows that the first patient has potential to recover, while the second one doesn’t. So too, regarding the laws of Kosher food – the Israelite nation, who only worship the one G-d are destined to “live” and thus must abide by particular standards, while not as much is expected from the other nations of the world who worship idols and many deities.
The way that Moshe would relay all of the information to the Israelites, is that he would hold up the various animals and demonstrate which ones were permissible to eat and which were not.
Animals
Any animal who 1)has split hooves (split all the way through – with each part of the hoof having its own separate toenail)* as well as 2)chews its cud is permitted to be eaten.
*Side note: This is to exclude those animals which although at first appearance have split hooves, the split is actually only in the front and they are connected at their back.
If such a permitted animal were pregnant, even if the fetus were fully formed to the point that it could survive on its own outside of its mother – if this pregnant animal were ritually slaughtered in the proper way, the fetus would be permitted as well, even without it being ritually slaughtered.
Eating impure animals is a violation of 2 commandments: 1) the positive commandment of eating pure animals as well as 2)the negative commandment of not eating impure animals.
An animal must have both of the stipulations (of split hooves and chewing its cud) in order to be permitted. If any animal only has one of these, it is not. The chumash then gives some examples of animals which are not permitted as they only fulfill one of the requirements:
Examples of animals* which chew their cud but don’t have split hooves: Camels, hyraxes and hares.
*Side note: Different translations may translate these and (all of the animals listed) differently – refer directly to a Hebrew Chumash to see the original Hebrew names.
An example of an animal who has split hooves but doesn’t chew its cud is the Pig.
The reason that the Chumash lists these specific animals is to teach us that if we see that even animals that have one out of the two signs of purity are forbidden, all the more so are any animals which have neither of these signs forbidden to eat.
It is only the flesh of these animals that is forbidden however. Their bones, horns or hooves are not.
Usually, only Kohanim are forbidden from touching the carcasses of forbidden dead animals (just as they are forbidden from touching human corpses), however all Israelites are forbidden from touching such animal carcasses during festivals so as not to become impure for when they will need to offer sacrifices for the holiday.
Fish
Only fish and other sea “creepers”* that have both 1)Fins and 2)Scales are permissible to eat.
*Side note: Any time the Chumash mentions creeping things, this means creatures that move close to the ground.
Even if such forbidden creatures are part of a mixture they are forbidden.
Their fins and bones however, are permissible.
Any such creature that breeds in a stagnant body of water (eg. in a ditch or vessel), may be eaten so long as they are still in that body of water. If they are removed, like through straining or the like, they are forbidden.
As for the permitted fish and other sea creatures, even if they lose their fins and/or scales when removed from the water, so long as they had them while in the water, they are permitted to eat.
Fowl
The following birds are forbidden to eat. There are birds that are from within the same species of some of these birds. Even if such similar species birds do not look like the birds listed, they are still forbidden.
The eagle [or the griffin vulture], the kite, the osprey. the kestrel, the vulture, the raven, the ostrich, the jay, and the sparrow hawk, the goshawk, the owl, the gull (a bird that catches fish from the sea) and the “little owl” (which are owl like creatures that cry out at night and have human-like cheeks) and the similar “hibou” (Rashi is unsure as to which of these last two are correct translations of the hebrew כוס and ינשוף, both of which are mentioned in the corresponding verse), the bat, the starling, the magpie, the stork (called in hebrew the חסידה, related to the word “kindness (חסד)” as it shares its food with its fellow birds), the heron, the hoopoe (wild rooster – called in hebrew the דּוּכִיפַת – related to the word כָּפוּת which means “bound”, as its comb is set in place and does not flow freely like other roosters), and the atalef (possibly bat).
Insects
It is forbidden to eat any “creeping creature” (see note above with the fish – this means any creature which crawls close to the ground) which flies. Examples include: flies, wasps, mosquitos and grasshoppers.
However there are some insects which walk on four legs which are permitted – those that have leg like extensions high above their regular legs (near its neck) which they use to hop from the ground. Locusts would be included in this category. They must be called חָגָב – and must be of the species of such locusts that are red, yellow, spotted grey or white.
Rashi elaborates on these “permitted” creatures and says that they must have 4 signs to deem them “pure”
They must have 4 legs.
They must have 4 wings.
They must have those jointed leg like extensions.
They must have wings that cover most of their body.
Rashi says that we no longer have the skills necessary to to identify which of these creatures are pure vs impure so we cannot eat of them.
Only 4 legged such insects are forbidden (so a 5 legged one would thus be permitted).
Impurity Through Touching Carcasses
The Chumash now enumerates animal carcasses which cause a person to become impure through touch. Such an impure person would be forbidden from eating from the Terumah, or from any sacrificial offering or from entering the Mishkan. In order to purify himself, such a person would need to immerse in a mikvah.
If a person not only touches such a carcass but carries it, not only do they have to immerse in a mikvah, their clothes need to be immersed as well.
Animal carcasses which cause impurity are:
Carcasses of animals whose hooves are not completely split (Rashi gives the example of a camel)
Carcasses of pawed animals that walk on four legs (Rashi gives a dog, bear or cat as examples).
Animals within the species of weasel, mouse, toad, hedgehog, chameleon, lizard, snail, and mole.
If anything* falls onto these impure carcasses, that thing becomes impure (and may not come into contact with Terumah). It must be immersed in the mikvah, and after that becomes pure once the sun sets.
*Side note: Chumash gives the following as examples: any wooden vessel, garment, hide, sack or any vessel with which work is done.
Seventh Aliya
Laws of Impurity Regarding Vessels and Animals
Earthenware Vessels
If an impure object enters inside of an earthenware vessel, even if it doesn’t touch the walls of the vessel, the vessel becomes impure.
An earthenware vessel does not get purified through immersion in a mikvah but rather through being “broken”, i.e. unfit for its designated use. It then remains pure even if it is subsequently fixed after. For example, a vessel used for liquid can be purified by making a hole in it large enough for liquid to be poured into it. And then remains pure even after the hole is repaired.
There are six things that we learn in this section of the parsha concerning these laws of impurity as they apply to earthenware vessels:
1)Food only becomes susceptible to impurity from such a vessel (even if it doesn’t actually touch the walls of the vessel) if it had become wet at any time (even if it subsequently dried).
2)There are seven “liquids” which are included in this category: dew, water, wine, oil, blood, milk and honey.
3) If other vessels are contained within this vessel however, they do not become impure, as the initial vessel is only considered a secondary form of impurity (whereas the primary impurity is from the source that made it impure – i.e. the carcass of an animal).
4)Any food found within the vessel that becomes impure takes on the status of impurity but only of the “second degree”. Offspring of the “first degree” of impurity (which is what the vessel is), transmit their impurity to any food or drink. However items which are of the second degree of impurity can only transmit impurity to sacrificial offerings and terumahs.
5)Plants are only susceptible to becoming impure by becoming wet in this manner if they have been detached from the ground. If they are still attached to the ground and are being watered for example, they do not become impure,
6)Food can only transfer impurity to another object if it is at least the volume of a hen’s egg.
A person may still use an impure earthenware vessel (i.e. a stove or an oven) if they don’t wish to break it, however it will have the status of impurity and may not come into contact with sacrificial offerings or terumah.
A spring, cistern or other gathering of water which is connected to the ground cannot become impure, however touching a carcass inside one of these vessels would still render a person impure.
Impurity in Regards to Plants, Animals and Insects
If a carcass falls on a seed that has been planted, the seed remains pure. If however this plant becomes detached from the ground and has been watered (even once -with any of the liquids mentioned above), it may become impure.
If a person touches the meat* of an animal which is of the kosher species but was not killed according to the Torah rules of slaughtering, the person becomes impure until evening.
*Side note: But not its bones, sinews, horns, hooves or hides (unless these things are still connected to the meat of the carcass, in which case they would transmit impurity).
If a person not only touches such a carcass but carries it (at least “one olive” amount of it), then not only do they become impure but their clothes do as well and must be immersed together with the person in a mikvah. After that, the person still remains impure until the evening.
Any creature which crawls on the ground and may not be eaten or fed to others. This would include any bugs which crawl inside of a fruit while it is still attached to the ground as this is considered as if they were crawling on the “ground”. If such a creature began crawling inside of a plant or fruit once it became detached from the ground it would not have this status.
Snakes, worms, wormlike creatures and scorpions may all not be eaten.
While touching such creatures does not have an affect on the soul, eating such creatures creates a “repugnance” to one’s soul, making a person more prone to sinning.
If a person sanctifies themself by not eating such creatures, G-d will sanctify them in Heaven and in the World to Come.
G-d now associates His taking the Israelites out of Egypt with them refraining from eating such “creepy crawlers”. Rashi brings two explanations for this:
1)G-d is saying that He rescued the Israelites from Egypt on condition that they keep His commandments including not eating these creatures or alternatively,
2)Even if they just refrained from eating these creatures that would have been enough of a reason to redeem them.
G-d states that it is imperative that the Israelites become well versed in which animals are pure and which are impure as well as which animals are permissible for them to eat and which are forbidden.