Shmini

📜 The Story

Parshat Shmini opens on a very special day, the eighth day after seven days of training Aharon and his sons for their new job as Kohanim. On this great day, the Mishkan was finally ready to open. Moshe told Aharon and the people exactly which offerings to bring, and everyone gathered with excitement to see Hashem's presence come to rest among them.

Aharon and his sons brought the offerings just as Moshe taught them. When they finished, Moshe and Aharon blessed the people, and then something amazing happened. A fire came down from before Hashem and consumed the offering on the altar in front of everyone. The people saw this wonder, and they shouted with joy and fell on their faces in awe.

But the joy of that day was mixed with sadness. Aharon's two oldest sons, Nadav and Avihu, brought a fire that Hashem had not commanded them to bring. A fire went out from before Hashem and they passed away. Aharon, their father, responded with quiet acceptance of Hashem's judgment, the Torah tells us that Aharon was silent.

After this, Hashem gave the Kohanim an important rule, not to drink wine before serving in the Mishkan, so they would always serve with a clear and focused mind. Hashem also taught Moshe and Aharon the laws of which animals are kosher to eat. A land animal is kosher if it has fully split hooves and chews its cud, like a cow or a sheep. A fish is kosher if it has fins and scales. The Torah also lists birds that are not kosher, and some kosher insects.

The parsha also teaches the laws of tumah, how touching certain dead creatures can make a person or object impure, and how to become pure again. Shmini ends with a famous and powerful verse, Be holy, for I am holy, Hashem's message that by keeping these mitzvot, His people bring holiness into their everyday lives.