Welcome to our weekly (most of the time anyway we'll blame our absence last week on Passover) look at the Torah Portion of the week. Here we hope to offer you insights and inspiration and a little Hebrew from the Jewish Congregation of Mason City, Iowa. Yes...Jews in Iowa! Let's get started:
This week we read from the Book of Vayikra (Leviticus) 9:1 - 11:47. The portion is called Shemini (eight) because it is named for the third word in the Parsha (portion) as it is the first descriptive word in the passage. Honest, this isn't really confusing at all. Go back and read that sentence and you'll get an insight into how we call each Torah Portion (Parsha) and the names of each Shabbat (Sabbath).
Big Stuff Here!
We start by recognizing that seven days have gone by as Moses and Aaron were instructed to perform the inauguration services. Each day, for those seven days, Moses erected the Tabernacle, performed the entire service himself and disassembled the Tabernacle. Lots of work... All of this climaxed on the eighth (shemini) day when the Aaron and his sons took over the services.
Here we read that Aaron, the High Priest, brings sacrifices for himself and the entire nation. Meanwhile two sons of Aaron, Nadav and Avihu get bold and bring an uninvited incense offering. They are "consumed by a heavenly fire! This is, perhaps the only time when someone did something wrong and was immediately hit by lightning.
Lots of Laws
Aaron and his family the Kohanim (priests) are commanded not to serve while intoxicated. Once the inaugural service is competed, G-d specifies what is kosher when it comes to things to eat. In simple terms we are told that mammals (who have cloven hoofs and chew their cud) are OK. Fish is find to eat as long as they have both fins and scales. Birds can be eaten but the birds must not be predators. Oh, and one other thing...we can eat (but not so much recommended) certain species of locusts. No, really. We often get questions like, "Hey why is it you can't eat pork or other items?" And the answer is found in this Torah Portion.
The parsha (portion) concludes with the laws of spiritual defilement from contact with the carcasses of specific animals.
The Commandments
Most of you are familiar with The Ten Commandments...you know the "Big Ten" and often are surprised to learn that, in fact, there are 613 Commandments in the Torah. There are 248 positive commandments (do this stuff) and 365 negative commandments (don't do this stuff). And, there are three areas of each section: 1) Between a person and G-d; 2) Between a person and others and 3) Between a person and himself. Some can be fulfilled through action, some through action and intent, some just through intent. What? Sure, for example, you want to give charity, but the person refused to take your money. It's the intent.
There are commandments that are obvious: not to kill, not to rob and there are commandments that on the surface don't seem to make sense like not wearing a garment made with wool and linen or to let the entire land of Israel lie fallow every seven years.
Services and Midrash
Heads up! Services at Adas Israel will be on Friday the 20th starting at 7:15pm and our Midrash (study session) will be on Saturday (Shabbat) 21 April starting at 10:00am in the Adas Israel Social Hall. Everybody is welcome to attend either. And, don't worry, we won't try to convert you...that is not our job.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful Shabbat!
Comments