Fins and Scales

 Parshat Shemini
(Leviticus 9:1-11:47)

Shemini begins on the eighth day of the ordination ceremonies of the High Priests, Aaron and his sons.  Moses directs Aaron to bring a sin offering and a burnt offering, followed by a sacrifice of well-being.  At the conclusion of these sacrifices, Moses and Aaron enter the Tent of Meeting.  When they come out, they bless the people and the Presence of God appears to all.

Nadab and Abihu, Aaron's sons, put fire and incense in their fire pans and offer alien fire to God.  A fire comes forth from God and both die instantly.  Moses explains God's actions to Aaron, saying that the deaths of Nadab and Abihu demonstrate specifically the responsibility of priests to do only that which God commanded.  Aaron has no response.  Moses calls on Aaron's nephews to remove the bodies, but cautions relatives and the congregation not to mourn for Nadab and Abihu.

God commands Aaron and his sons not to drink intoxicants, for they must be able to carry out their duties of sacrifice and teaching.

Moses tells Aaron and his two remaining sons, Elazar and Itamar, where the various offerings are to be eaten.  Then he inquires about the goat of the sin offering and is told that it has been totally consumed by fire.  It had been comanded that a portion of this offering was to be eaten by the priests.  Moses is angry that Aaron and his sons had not eaten their portion of the offering, but Aaron responds that it would be unsuitable for the preists to eat the offering in fiew of the events of hte day.

God now speaks to Moses and Aaron regarding the laws of kashrut.  The Israelites are permitted to eat any mammal which has a split hoof and chews its cud.  Swine are specifically forbidden.  The Israelites may eat any fish which has both fins and scales.  A list of forbidden birds is given.  Four-legged insects are forbidden unless they have a pair of jointed legs with which they can leap.  A description of the laws of ritual defilement regarding animal carcasses is given.

The portion ends with an affirmation of the special relationship between God and the children of Israel.

Synopsis courtesy of Teaching Torah, by Sorel Goldberg Loeb and Barbara Binder Kadden

For your Shabbat Table:

• This parsha gives additional rules for the priests.  What special characteristics do you think a High Priest should have?
• One of the additional rules for the priests was against intoxicants.  Why do you think it would be important to have a "clear head" as a priest?
• This parsha explains the rules of kashrut, keeping kosher.  WHile it gives all of the rules, nowhere in this section does it explain WHY we should keep kosher.  Is it important to know reasons for what you are asked to do?  What are some examples of things you do because you know it is the right or good thing to do?

And now.. this week's parsha cartoon!

Becoming Priestly

Parshat Tzav
Leviticus 6:1 - 8:36

Tzav repeats the description and procedure for the sacrifices discussed in the previous portion. Directed to Aaron and his sons, the procedures for the sacrifices and the explanation of the priestly portions are given in detail. The priests are here commanded to keep the fire on the altar burning perpetually.

God commands Moses to prepare Aaron, the Tabernacle, and Aaron's sons for the new priesthood. This includes washing Aaron and his sons, dressing them in ritual garments, and anointing Aaron and the Tabernacle with oil. During this ordination ceremony, a sin offering and a burnt offering are brought. Then a ram of ordination is slaughtered. Some of the blood is put on the right ear, thumb, and big toe of Aaron and his sons. Then Moses dashes the blood against each side of the altar. Specified parts of the ram, along with one cake of unleavened bread, one cake of oil bread, and one wafer are placed in the palms of Aaron and of his sons. This is a wave offering, which is then burned with the burnt offering.

Moses takes the best of the ram as a wave offering before God. Moses takes anointing oil and some blood from the altar and sprinkles it upon Aaron and his sons. He then directs Aaron and his sons to boil the flesh of the ram and eat it with the unleavened bread at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Moses explains that the period of ordination will last seven days and all that has been sacrificed and done that day is to be repeated on each of the following seven days.

Synopsis courtesy of Teaching Torah, by Sorel Goldberg Loeb and Barbara Binder Kadden

For your Shabbat table:

• Although many people think that a mitzvah is a good deed, the word really means "commandment." The title of this week's parsha is Tzav, which has the same root in Hebrew as the word mitzvah. List the things that you do that you consider to be mitzvot. Are there any modern observances that you keep, not only because they are good deeds, but because they are God's commandments?
• Part of this week's parsha talks about the special attired reserved for the priests. When is a dress code important?
• How does wearing a costume make you feel? Think of other times that you get dressed up and why you dress up for those occasions. How does dressing up for a holiday or going to services make you feel different or change your attitude about what you are doing?
• During this portion, the priests are commanded to keep the fire on the altar burning perpetually. Keeping the fire burning was a big task - can you think of anything you have to take care of like that? Why are you willing to make such an effort?
• The priests understood that every part of their job was dignified. What are some things that you have to do that you don't want to because you think they are gross or dirty? What are some household tasks that causes people in your family to complain when it is their turn to do it? What are some new ways you can approach that chore with a different attitude?
• In order to officially become a priest, Aaron and his sons (and all future priests) had to go through an ordination ceremony that lasted seven days. Have you ever been part of a group that had a special ceremony and code of behavior? Was there anything special you had to learn?

And now.. this week's parsha in cartoon form 

All Sacrifices All the Time

Parshat Vayikra
Leviticus 1:1 - 5:26

Vayikra, the third book of the Torah, begins with God instructing Moses to describe the various sacrifices to the Israelites. The five types of sacrifies are: a burnt offering (olah), the meal offering (mincha), the sacrifice of well-being (zevach shelamim), the sin offering (chatat), and the guilt offering (asham).

Olah, literally meaning "that which goes up," is characterized by burning the entire animal upon the altar except for the hide. The mincha offering consists of unleavened choice flour. A portion of it was to be burned on the altar and the remainder given to Aaron and his sons. All mincha offerings must contain salt.

An unblemished cow, sheep, or goat could serve as the offering for the sacrifice of zevach shelamim. An ordinance states that all the fat on the sacrificial animal belonged to God. Additionally, a prohibition against eating any fat or blood is included here.

These three types of sacrifices are voluntary and not brought for atonement. The chatat and the asham are both obligatory upon guilty individuals.

The chatat is to be brought by an individual or community which, unintentionally, commits a sin regarding any of the commandments. The specific offering to be brought was determined by one's economic condition. An anointed priest and the community are both directed to sacrifice unblemished bulls for the chatat. A chieftain sometimes referred to as a tribal chief is to bring a goat. A person from among the populace is to offer a goat or a sheep.

Four additional transgressions are described as requiring a chatat offering: (1) failure to come forward to testify, (2) touching an unclean animal or carcass, (3) coming in contact with human uncleaness, and (4) failure to fulfill an oath. For these transgressions, the offering, depending on the financial means of the transgressor, can be: a female sheep, a goat, two birds, or choice flour.

The asham offering is to be brought by an individual who had sinned by committing robbery or fraud. The penalty for such a crime is to restore the owner the item stolen, plus an additional one-fifth of its value, and then to bring a ram or its equivalent in money as a sacrifice. The asham also applies to the individual who has unwittingly sinned regarding God's sacred things.

The text describes the procedures for the people and the priests to follow for each of these sacrifices and the part of the sacrifice which is to go to Aaron and his sons.

Synopsis courtesy of Teaching Torah, by Sorel Goldberg Loeb and Barbara Binder Kadden

For your Shabbat table:

• All of the sacrifices described in this parsha are sacrifices that were performed only through the time in which we had both of the Holy Temples in Jerusalem - once the second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE, Jews could no longer perform these sacrifices. The rabbis decreed that prayer, Torah study and acts of loving kindness replace sacrifices. When have you participated in prayer? In Torah Study? In acts of loving kindness? How do these things move you closer to God?
• Some of the offerings were given when the Israelites did not do their best, or when they made a big mistake - giving the animal to God was a way of saying they would do better next time. Think of a time when you hurt someone’s feelings or did something wrong. What did you do in order to ask for forgiveness? Did you have to give something back? Did you have to replace something? How did you earn forgiveness?
• There is an old saying "Finders keepers, losers weepers." According to this Torah portion who would be doing the "weeping" if a person did not attempt to return an item that s/he found? Why?
• Do you pray to God? What kinds of things do you tell God in your prayers?
• While it is possible to pray anywhere, what advantages do you think there are to attending services at a synagogue?
• Since a synagogue service has a fixed order of prayers, how is it possible to use your own words and thoughts to talk to God?
• When do you feel thankful to God? What do you do when you feel that way?

Your weekly animated bit of Torah:

Wrapping up Exodus

 

Pekudei (Exodus 38:21 - 40:38)

Pekudei begins with an account of the materials used in the making of the Tabernacle. Bezalel and Oholiab create robes for the priests and special vestments for Aaron: the ephod, the breastplate, the robe for the ephod, and the frontlet, according to the pattern and the command of God to Moses.

When Moses sees that the work of the Tabernacle is complete, he blesses the congregation. Then God tells Moses to erect the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting on the first day of the first month and to place in it all of its specially crafted furnishings. Moses then anoints Aaron and his four sons as God commanded him.

When Moses has finished the work, the cloud of God fills the Tabernacle. When the cloud is lifted from the Tabernacle, it is a signal to the Israelites to break camp and begin to travel. But if the cloud is not lifted, they would not set out. Throughout the journeys of the Israelites, a cloud of Adonai is present by day and a fire by night.

Synopses are courtesy of Teaching Torah, by Sorel Goldberg Loeb and Barbara Binder Kadden

For your Shabbat table:

• During the exodus from Egypt and the subsequent wandering in the desert, God often appears to the Israelites as a cloud - this happens again during Pekudei when a "cloud of God" fills the Tabernacle. What do you think a cloud of God would look like? When you try to imagine God, what does God look like?
• In this parsha we see the beautiful clothing worn by the priests, described in great detail.  When might you wear fancy clothes?  How do you make you feel?  Why do you think the priests had a special uniform?

Take a look at this week's Torah cartoon: