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This parasha
is called Shemini and begins in Leviticus 9:1-11:47. It is the first
day of Nissan here and the eight day of the inauguration service.
On that day the Tabernacle was erected permanently and the Kohanim
assumed their new role. We see in these passages something happening
that reminds us somewhat of the incident at Mount Carmel with Elijah.
When Aaron had finished the sin offering, the burnt offering, and
the peace offering, he and Moses went into the Tabernacle and came
back out to bless all the people. It was then the beauty of YHVH appeared
to all the people. Just like at Mount Carmel, a fire came down from
Heaven and consumed all the burnt offering and the fat. The fire burned
from the top to bottom, not from the bottom upward as in a normal
fire. When the people saw this, they shouted and fell down upon their
faces. Just when the joy of the inauguration service had reached its
peak, tragedy struck. Aaron's two oldest son's lives were taken for
an inappropriate offering. This was the same two sons Moses had described
as outstanding sons of the nation. Most people seem to agree this
happened because they had drunk too much wine and were inebriated.
A few people think it was because they offered incense when YHVH had
not called for one. Either way, YHVH warned Aaron right afterwards
about drinking and performing offerings. Since YHVH has a reason for
everything he says and does, I personally believe they were drunk
when this happened. You will notice that Aaron's other sons, nor himself
were called to remove their bodies when this happened. The cousins
were summoned to carry out their bodies.
 Why,
because the other sons and Aaron were Priests and as such were not
to touch dead people. So the job then fell to the son's cousins. Moses
told Aaron and his other sons not to uncover their heads, nor to tear
their robes in grief, but stay in the Tabernacle and let all Israel
mourn for the sons. You know Aaron was terribly grieved, yet he obeyed
what was told him, even in his grief. On the day a close relative
dies, the mourner is known as an onen. The laws governing his status
are more stringent on that day than the following days. Although the
High Priest is to perform his normal services, the other Kohanim are
forbidden to do so, here we see the period of the Tabernacle's inauguration
was an exception to this rule. We see another exception here also,
that is the eating of some of the offerings by Aaron and his sons.
There were three offerings that had been performed that day. Two were
never to be repeated again and the other was the offering of Rosh
Kodesh (new month offering). Aaron reasoned that the two offerings
which would never be done again, they should eat of, but not the Rosh
Kodesh offering, which would be done every month. Normally, the mourner,
if he was a Kohanim, would not partake of any of the offerings. Aaron
had to explain his reasoning for not eating the meat to Moses, who
at first thought they had done the wrong thing. After Aaron had explained
YHVH had only wanted them to eat the offerings which would never be
offered again, but not the other one, Moses agreed with him. The other
two offerings which were never to be repeated, was the special offering
of the tribal leaders and the second was the inauguration offering
of the Tabernacle. Next we begin to see the kosher laws explained
in chapter 11. The Bible pretty much makes this clear on what you
can and cannot eat. If the animal has a cloven hoof and chews its
cud, go for the gusto, or the t-boneJ. Pigs do not qualify for eating.
They are great demon holders howeverJ.
As
a matter of fact, you are not to even touch the meat of a pig that's
died. I love pork chops, as do a lot of people. Before I knew better,
I ate them for years along with ham and smoked pork chops and sausage.
I use to be in the grocery store with Chuck after beginning to eat
kosher and I'd go just feel the pork chops in remembrance of the old
days, basically just being funny. Then I read where you aren't to
even touch them, so I quit that. Even if there were a paper between
them and my hands, I thought it best to leave them beJ. Most things
have an equivalent of the item made in turkey that you can easily
substitute for the pork. There is turkey bacon, turkey ham, turkey
baloney, turkey pepperoni, etc. I'm still waiting on those turkey
pork chops to show up howeverJ. Then we get into the fish category.
Pretty simple here also, the fish are to have fins and scales to be
eatable. All the rest are bottom feeders. Put that shrimp down boy
and no more catfish, not to mention those pus filled lobsters! The
fowl that is not eatable has been listed for you, for the most part.
Any bird that eats flesh is forbidden for you to eat. You are not
to eat flying insects that creeps which have four legs. Yet if they
have legs above their feet in which to leap upon the earth, they are
ok. You can eat locust or grasshoppers, that is, if you really desire
a grasshopper sandwich. I'll just keep my banana and mayo sandwich
thank youJ. By the way, forget about touching dead four footed animals
like a cat or a dog, it will make you unclean until evening. The passage
here in 11:29 also lists some more unclean things. One is frogs. So
you may want to give up eating frog legs.
Also,
if you catch a mouse, don't touch the dead mouse, it's unclean. Better
to throw away the trap and the mouse in it, than touch an unclean
animal with the thought you're being thrifty by saving the trap for
another use, like I use to doJ. Then there's the matter of snails.
As you know, there are people who do eat these creatures. How I don't
know, but they do. They're becoming unclean with every spoonful! Even
if these unclean creatures die and fall into things, the thing they
touch is unclean. There are the creeping things that are unclean such
as snakes and worms. This also includes such things as beetles, scorpions,
and centipedes. Even animals that are clean, make you unclean, if
you touch one that has died, that's to say it was out in the fields
and either died of old age or disease, etc. Of course the Priests
had to touch the dead animal, but then it was killed in a kosher manner
for a purpose. So why does YHVH have us not eating certain foods?
It's part of the process of being set apart in this world from unbelievers.
When you stick to a kosher diet, not only are you healthier, but "you
are setting yourself apart" and demonstrating a difference in clean
and unclean. You are being an example to the rest of the world. So
let me ask you this, what is on your dinner plate?
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