Shemini
Eighth
“Faithful to be Holy”
Leviticus 9:1-11:47
2 Samuel 6:1-7:17 (A); 6:1-19 (S)
excerpted from TorahScope, Volume III
Now that our annual remembrance of Passover and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread have been completed, Shemini continues where Tzav (Leviticus 6:1[8]-8:36) finished, with the completion of the consecration and ordination of Aaron and his sons, after seven days of sacrificial offerings. Recall how the final statement in Tzav, reminds the reader of how obedience to the word of the Lord, took place without deviation:
“‘You shall stay at the door of the Tent of Meeting day and night seven days, and keep the LORD’s command, that you don’t die: for so I am commanded.’ Aaron and his sons did all the things which the LORD commanded by Moses” (Leviticus 8:35-36, WMB).
Now as the instructions turn to the first day of the second week, or the eighth day (Leviticus 9:1), our portion focuses more on not only the consequences of taking the Lord’s commands lightly (Leviticus 10), but the imperative for the priesthood—and by extension all of Israel—to be holy by delineating what the Lord considers clean or unclean (Leviticus 11). The Lord was very concerned that Israel be a “holy nation” among the nations of the world (Exodus 19:6). With holiness a theme of this teaching, Moses stated that there was the possibility that the glory of the Lord would appear to Aaron, his sons, and the entire congregation after they followed the Lord’s instructions:
“On the eighth day, Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel; and he said to Aaron, ‘Take a calf from the herd for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without defect, and offer them before the LORD. You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, “Take a male goat for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both a year old, without defect, for a burnt offering; and a bull and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD; and a meal offering mixed with oil: for today the LORD appears to you.”’ They brought what Moses commanded before the Tent of Meeting. All the congregation came near and stood before the LORD. Moses said, ‘This is the thing which the LORD commanded that you should do; and the LORD’s glory shall appear to you’” (Leviticus 9:1-6, WMB).
While Moses suggested that the presence of the Lord might appear—after completing all of the instructions and blessing the people of Israel—the glory of the Lord actually did appear, and the Lord consumed the offerings with a blazing fire:
“Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them; and he came down from offering the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings. Moses and Aaron went into the Tent of Meeting, and came out, and blessed the people; and the LORD’s glory appeared to all the people. Fire came out from before the LORD, and consumed the burnt offering and the fat upon the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted, and fell on their faces” (Leviticus 9:22-24, WMB).
Nadab and Abihu
The response to the appearance of the glory of the Lord should be noted, as the Ancient Israelites shouted, and then fell on their faces in awe—and perhaps also trepidation—of what they had just witnessed. One would think that observing a consuming fire and the presence of the Lord, would be enough to seriously put the fear of Him in the hearts of all the witnesses. Yet as Shemini continues, readers see how Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron’s sons who had been close eyewitnesses to the stupefying event, apparently took their responsibilities somewhat cavalierly. At some point after the glory of the Lord had appeared, Nadab and Abihu did not follow the instructions properly, and instead they are recorded to have offered some sort of strange fire to the Lord. This resulted in their being immediately consumed:
“Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them. Fire came out from before the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘This is what the LORD spoke of, saying, “I will show myself holy to those who come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.”’ Aaron held his peace. Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, ‘Draw near, carry your brothers from before the sanctuary out of the camp.’ So they came near, and carried them in their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had said. Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, ‘Don’t let the hair of your heads go loose, and don’t tear your clothes, so that you don’t die, and so that he will not be angry with all the congregation; but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD has kindled. You shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die; for the anointing oil of the LORD is on you.’ They did according to the word of Moses. Then the LORD said to Aaron, ‘You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. You are to make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean. You are to teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them by Moses’” (Leviticus 10:1-11, WMB).
In reading this account, and attempting to understand why the Lord consumed Nadab and Abihu with fire, one finds that there have been a variety of conclusions by both Jewish and Christian examiners down through the centuries. There is no doubt that Moses’ initial comment, reminding the people of what the Lord said, was, “Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified” (Leviticus 10:3, ESV). This indicated how Nadab and Abihu had not been in a proper frame of mind, to be presenting anything before Him. Some interpretations surmise a prideful heart attitude of these two, who abused their priestly service, and were performing tasks without proper permission or with trying to subvert the position of their father Aaron. Clearly, the fact that Aaron remained silent after witnessing his two sons’ demise, suggests that he was in shock.
After two cousins carried away the smoldering corpses (Leviticus 10:4), two other sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, were commissioned to replace their brothers (Leviticus 10:6). Moses issued some clarifying statements, which would further advocate the importance of taking their priestly responsibilities seriously (Leviticus 10:7). Finally, the Lord spoke directly to Aaron about the need for the Levitical priests to avoid drinking alcohol when they would come to perform their priestly duties—otherwise they would die (Leviticus 10:8-11). This admonition to Aaron, in such close proximity to the preceding events, has drawn many to conclude that Nadab and Abihu were perhaps intoxicated when they offered up the strange fire. This is a logical deduction, especially when it was followed by the requirement to teach God’s people about the distinctions between the holy and profane, and the clean and unclean.
Regardless of what the absolute interpretation of this morbid episode truly is, modern-day followers of the Messiah of Israel should adhere to the admonition to avoid wine or strong drink to the point of intoxication, especially when or if they are involved in the Lord’s service. Several statements by the Apostle Paul in the First Century, regarding the character of elders and deacons, confirm this advice:
“Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18, WMB).
“The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching; not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence; (for how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule his own house take care of God’s assembly?) not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil. Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless” (1 Timothy 3:2-10, WMB).
“For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward, not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain; but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober minded, fair, holy, self-controlled, holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him” (Titus 1:7-9, WMB).
Following Instructions
After the gruesome expiration of two of Aaron’s sons, and the admonitions about what had been done incorrectly, and the priests’ responsibility to teach Israel the differences between the holy and the profane and the clean and the unclean—Moses and Aaron were very concerned about following the Lord’s commands accurately. In fact, after some more specific instructions to Eleazar and Ithamar, there appeared to be a difference of opinion about how to handle the goat sin offering:
“Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons who were left, ‘Take the meal offering that remains of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without yeast beside the altar; for it is most holy; and you shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your portion, and your sons’ portion, of the offerings of the LORD made by fire; for so I am commanded. The waved breast and the heaved thigh you shall eat in a clean place, you, and your sons, and your daughters with you: for they are given as your portion, and your sons’ portion, out of the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the children of Israel. They shall bring the heaved thigh and the waved breast with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD. It shall be yours, and your sons’ with you, as a portion forever, as the LORD has commanded.’ Moses diligently inquired about the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burned. He was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying, ‘Why haven’t you eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, since it is most holy, and he has given it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD? Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You certainly should have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.’ Aaron spoke to Moses, ‘Behold, today they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and such things as these have happened to me. If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been pleasing in the LORD’s sight?’ When Moses heard that, it was pleasing in his sight” (Leviticus 10:12-20, WMB).
Moses and Aaron took their responsibilities seriously. Neither one wanted to offend the Lord, but instead, desired to perform their duties in a manner which would be considered good and proper before Him. This is a great example which each of us, as His people today, needs to seriously be considering! Attention to detail is something modern-day Believers should all take to serious note, as they work out their salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Be aware of this exhortation from the Apostle Paul to the Colossians, and how with each person’s individual actions with others, one should recognize how all which is done, should be unto the Lord:
“Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Yeshua, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, don’t provoke your children, so that they won’t be discouraged. Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Messiah. But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done, and there is no partiality” (Colossians 3:17-25, WMB).
What would be Paul’s specific instruction to us, living in the Twenty-First Century? What diverse groups on the social spectrum, would he admonish to be working unto the Lord?
Clean and Unclean
Our Torah reading concludes with a lengthy chapter, Leviticus 11, on what are commonly referred to as the kosher dietary laws (cf. Deuteronomy 14). It is from this section where there is a significant amount of commentary seen in Judaism, regarding how they are to be implemented and applied in diverse situations. While the attention of readers to Leviticus ch. 11 will be particularly given to those animals considered clean and edible, or unclean and inedible—it has to be recognized how there would be many more discussions to be witnessed in religious history about kashrut or kosher. Above and beyond all of the various details about the different domesticated animals, hoofs and cud chewing, fish scales and fins, different birds, or creeping insects—what the Lord desired most, was a set-apart people who sought to be holy as He is holy:
“For I am the LORD your God. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any kind of creeping thing that moves on the earth. For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. This is the law of the animal, and of the bird, and of every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth, to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the living thing that may be eaten and the living thing that may not be eaten” (Leviticus 11:44-47, WMB).
The basis, for understanding the importance of the kosher dietary laws, is in understanding how eating the way God prescribes, is a matter of being a part of His holy people. While violating the dietary laws is surely not as severe as murder or adultery, not allowing the Lord to have a say on what His people eat—ignoring His Instruction—can be an offense to Him.
Be Ye Holy…
As we reflect upon Shemini this week, the overwhelming theme of the reading, is the Lord’s desire that His faithful followers seek to be holy as His witnesses to the world. Being holy is a critical call placed upon God’s people to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6; 49:6)—a definite theme which has reached its climax via the arrival of Yeshua the Messiah.
However, in order for any of us to be that light to the nations, we must each know the Lord’s instructions to us, keep and obey them, and above all understand their intent. By studying the Torah, today’s Believers can more fully appreciate that the Lord has our best interests in mind, as He wants to see us protected from sin and its devastating consequences (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:11).
Modern-day followers of the Messiah, upon examining Shemini, should be better able to understand that the Lord will use what has been preserved in the Torah, to spur His people to truly seek holiness. As the Apostle Peter exhorted First Century Believers,
“Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober, and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Yeshua the Messiah—as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance, but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior, because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’ [Leviticus 11:44, 45]. If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear” (1 Peter 1:13-17, WMB).
The requirement to seek holiness is not something which has changed. Instead, reminders of how the Lord wants His children to take His instructions seriously, like those commandments seen in Shemini, are found all throughout the remainder of the Bible. The examples of Moses and Aaron wanting to follow the sacrificial system accurately, contrasted to the tragedy of Nadab and Abihu, should make one pause, when considering our individual approaches to the Holy One. We might want to specifically recall the recorded testimony in the Book of Acts, about a couple which deceived the Apostles regarding a sale of property:
“But a certain man named Hananiah, with Shappirah his wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife also being aware of it, then brought a certain part and laid it at the emissaries’ feet. But Peter said, ‘Hananiah, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the land? While you kept it, didn’t it remain your own? After it was sold, wasn’t it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You haven’t lied to men, but to God.’ Hananiah, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard these things. The young men arose and wrapped him up, and they carried him out and buried him. About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in. Peter answered her, ‘Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.’ She said, ‘Yes, for so much.’ But Peter asked her, ‘How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.’ She fell down immediately at his feet and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband” (Acts 5:1-10, WMB).
This tragic incident should serve as a recollection that the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and that He should never be mocked (Galatians 6:7). And so, I pray that this week’s parashah would be a vivid reminder, that as faithful children of God we are to seek holiness according to His ways—so that we may urgently accomplish His tasks, and affect a difference in our sin-cursed world.