Sh’mini – שְׁמִינִי (Levicitus 9:1-11:47)

Parsha Sh’mini – שְׁמִינִי Torah Summary:

Aaron and his sons follow Moses’ instructions and offer sacrifices so that God will forgive the people. (9:1-24) Two of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, offer “alien fire” to God. God punishes these two priests by killing them immediately. (10:1-3) God forbids Moses, Aaron, and his surviving sons from mourning but commands the rest of the people to do so. Priests are told not to drink alcohol before entering the sacred Tabernacle and are further instructed about making sacrifices. (10:4-20) Laws are given to distinguish between pure and impure animals, birds, fish, and insects. (11:1-47) Sh’mini – שְׁמִינִי Leviticus is about getting close to the sacred. Getting near the Divine. The book begins with the Mitzvah “when a person sacrifices to Adonai” the Hebrew word for sacrifice can also be read as getting close, getting near. The Torah of Leviticus teaches me that we need to make sacrifices to get close to the Divine, just as we need to make sacrifices as we attempt to get close to people.