D'var for Shmini

In this week’s parsha, Shmini, an eight-day ceremony is finished. During the ceremony, the priests were ordained and the Tabernacle was consecrated. Aaron makes the last sacrifices, blessed the people of Israel, and then the Presence of God appeared to all of them.

Then, in one of the more confusing sections of the Torah, Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, offer a sacrifice of “alien fire.” This was not commanded by God, so God let the fire of the altar consume them. They died, and when Moses told Aaron this, Aaron said nothing. Moses also told Aaron and his other two remaining sons not to mourn Nadav and Avihu. They are commanded not to enter the Tent of Meeting while intoxicated. 

A bit later, God then explains laws of Kashrut and purity.

D'var for Tzav

In this week’s parsha, Tzav, God tells Moses about the ritual component of the sacrifices that Aaron and the priests will be performing in the Mishcan. (I’m sparing you - and myself - the gorey details of some of these.) The first described is the burnt offering, which was left burning, the priests continually adding wood every morning. The meal offering was only partially burned on the altar, and the rest of it was eaten by the priests. The sin offering was also eaten by a priest after being slaughtered at the same place as the burnt offering. The guilt offering was also slaughtered in the same place, and the priest ate it’s meat as well. The peace offering was made up of meat alongside “unleavened cakes” or “wafers with oil.” The meat had to be eaten on the day it was offered, or, in special cases, within two days. Meat that had come into contact with anything that was unclean had to be burned, and was not eaten.

God then instructs Moses to bring all of the Israelites together. In front of everybody, Moses washed Aaron and his sons, and then put the priestly vestments onto Aaron. Moses anoints and consecrates Aaron, his sons, and the Tabernacle. Aaron and his sons sacrificed a bull and two rams.