Published March 25, 2010
Numbers in [square brackets] are the Mitzva-counts of Sefer HaChinuch AND Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvot. A=ASEI (positive mitzva); L=LAV (prohibition) - Rambam counts positives (248) and prohibitions (365) separately. X:Y is the perek and pasuk from which the mitzva is counted.
[P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate start of a parsha p’tucha or s’tuma respectively. X:Y is Perek:Pasuk of the beginning of the parsha; (Z) is the number of p’sukim in the parsha
Kohen - First Aliya 16 p’sukim - 9:1-16
[S> 9:1 (31)] On the 8th day, Aharon was commanded to offer the first set of sacrifices (not counting the korbanot that were brought during the previous preparatory week). Specifically, “personal” korbanot - an EIGEL (calf) as a CHATAT and an AYIL (ram) as an OLAH.
Then the People offer a goat as a CHATAT and a calf and a lamb as OLOT. Then a bull and ram as SH’LAMIM.
Ponder this… It is “obvious” that the CHATAT of a calf is an atonement for the Sin of the Golden Calf and/or an indication that G-d has forgiven the people for the Golden Calf. In one context the Golden Calf was called “the calf that Aharon made”. Therefore, the calf on the Eighth Day is his CHATAT. The calf of the people is an OLAH, rather than a CHATAT. OLAH is brought for thoughts of certain sins; CHATAT is for acts. Those of Bnei Yisrael who DID whatever we will call it, the EIGEL, were killed. The rest of us were “guilty” of indecision, fence-sitting, confusion - “sins” of thought. Our calf was an Olah. Aharon’s OLAH was a ram, reminding us of Akeidat Yitzchak. No sin associated with that. (Olah is not always about sin.) Our CHATAT was a goat, reminding us of our former collective sin of the selling of Yosef and deception of Yaakov with the help of goat’s blood.
Levi - Second Aliya - 7 p’sukim - 9:17-23
The Torah continues the details of the opening set of sacrifices, the accompanying Mincha, Sh’lamim, what parts go on the Mizbei’ach. This short Aliya concludes with Aharon raising his hand(s) to the people and blessing them.
Shlishi - Third Aliya - 12 p’sukim - 9:24-10:11
A Divine Fire descended and consumed everything on the Mizbei’ach. The people reacted to this miracle with praise to G-d and reverence for Him.
Then Nadav and Avihu, two sons of Aharon (who had been assisting Aharon), took censers with fire and offered incense before G-d. The fire was their own, not that of the Mizbei’ach. A Divine Fire struck them dead, killing them from within, leaving them outwardly unmarked.
Moshe’s words of consolation to Aharon are met with Aharon’s silence. Moshe calls two cousins, Misha’el and Eltzafan, sons of Uziel, to remove the bodies.
(Almost in reaction to the tragedy,) the Torah next sets down several rules (mitzvot) for kohanim, to save them from endangering their lives. Kohanim may not enter the Mikdash with long hair (a monthly trim was required) [149,L163 10:6], nor with torn garments [150,L164 10:6]. They may not leave the Mikdash while performing their sacred work [151,L165 10:7].
[P> 10:8 (4)] Furthermore, kohanim may not enter the Mikdash while under the influence of wine [152,L73 10:8]. Violations of any of the above would be a show of disrespect to G-d. [Some commentators infer from this last prohibition that Nadav and Avihu had drunk wine before they entered the Mishkan. Others offer different reasons for their deaths.]
MitzvaWatch
Mitzva #152 is an example (there are others) of a mitzva that has a specific context and application from the Torah, but the scope of the mitzva is much wider. The Written Word forbids a Kohen from doing sacred service while having recently drunk wine. Sefer HaChinuch gives a second definition for mitzva, based on the Oral Law. Namely, a halachic authority may not render a decision (psak) while under the influence of alcohol. (It seems that this prohibition does not apply to divrei Torah and the like - only to halachic decisions.) This prohibition is NOT a case of Rabbinic extension of the scope of Torah Law (there are plenty examples of that); it is part of the Oral Law on the D’Oraita level.
R’vi’i - Fourth Aliya - 4 p’sukim - 10:12-15
[P> 10:12 (9)] Moshe next commands Aharon, Elazar, and Itamar to eat the Minachot and parts of the various offerings of the day. (Some was to be eaten only by them, in the area of the Mishkan; other parts could be taken “home” and shared with their families.) This was an unusual command, since generally, kohanim who have suffered a close loss would not eat of the sacred foods on the day of the burial. Moshe tells them that he was thus commanded to tell them.
Chamishi 5th Aliya - 5 p’sukim - 10:16-20
When Moshe realizes that the CHATA’OT (sin offerings) were burned, he gets angry with Elazar and Itamar (and Aharon, says Rashi, but to avoid a brother- brother confrontation and shaming Aharon, Moshe addresses his nephews) for not eating of the korbanot, as they were instructed to do. Aharon defends his sons’ behavior by explaining that the loss of their brothers would make a “business as usual” attitude unacceptable in G-d’s eyes. Moshe accepts Aharon’s words.
Shishi - Sixth Aliya - 32 p’sukim - 11:1-32
[P> 11:1 (28)] Two and a half sedras devoted to sacred meat (i.e. korbanot), and now we have the presentation of the animals we may and may not eat.
There is a “neat” parallel among the beginning of the book of Vayikra, the story of No’ach immediately after the Flood, and the first Order of Mishna. In each, our first “use” of animals is a korbanot to HaShem, and then we get permission to use them for personal benefits. In Mishna, Z’vachim, about animal sacrifices comes first in Seder Kodashim. Then (after Menachot) comes Masechet Chulin with the laws of ritual slaughter, meat in milk, and various other mitzvot relating to our use of animals.
There is a positive mitzva to check the signs of kashrut of a mammal to determine its kashrut status [153, A149 11:2]. It is forbidden to eat of animals that lack one of the signs of kashrut (split hoof and cud chewing), and of course, those that lack both] [154,L172 11:4]. The Torah names three animals that chew their cud but do not have split hooves - the camel, shafan, arnevet, and one that has a split hoof but is not a ruminent - the pig. We may not eat their meat, and handling their carcasses renders one TAMEI, ritually unclean.
One is required to examine fish for scales and fins [155,A152 11:9]. It is forbidden to eat non- kosher fish [156,L172 11:11].
With birds, the Torah lists 20 kinds of birds (not species, families, genus, etc. - but kinds) that are not kosher [157,L174 11:13]. All the rest of the birds are kosher. How do know if a particular bird is in one of the forbidden families or or not? Usually, the answer is TRADITION. We eat chicken etc. because we have an unbroken tradition.
Finally, the Torah specifies four types (8 families) of locust that we may eat. Checking their identities is a mitzva [158,A151 11:21]. All other insects are not permitted to us. We have lost the ability of identifying kosher locust, so we don’t eat any of them. [Some Yemenites have the necessary traditions to identify the kosher varieties.]
[S> 11:29 (10)] Next the Torah deals with the ritual impurity of creeping things [159, A97 11:21].
Sh’VII - Seventh Aliya - 15 p’sukim - 11:33-47
Minding the laws of “purity” of food and drink is a mitzva [160,A98 11:34].
[S> 11:39 (9)] Once again, the Torah presents the rules of the carcass of animals and the resulting ritual impurity from contact of various types [161,A96 11:39]. The Torah reiterates the prohibition of eating “creepy things” [162, L176 11:41], as well as worms and insects that infest fruits and vegetables [163,L178 11:41], seafood and other life-forms that inhabit the water [164,L179 11:43], and maggots that develop in rotting food material [165,L177 11:44].
All of the above is meant to elevate the Jew’s soul to the sanctity that G-d wanted us to attain. For us, there is a direct link between body and soul, the spiritual and the mundane. The laws of kashrut bring the point home.
Haftara 40 p’sukim
Shmuel Bet 6:1-7:17
...story of Uza who touched the Aron to prevent it from slipping (as he perceived it) and was struck dead as a result… Parallels Nadav & Avihu… Rabbi Jacobs z"l says that both sedra and haftara contain very joyous celebrations that were “marred” by the deaths of people with noble motives. Uzza’s father was Avinadav, a combination of the names Avihu and Nadav.
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