Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L
To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/
To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.
Subscribe on Spotify
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
Please consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice!
For comments and inquiries, email itistaught@gmail.com
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.
