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The concept of ritual impurity is confusing to the gentile mindset. The Torah says that if one is “ritually impure” one can’t participate in the work of worship that happens in God’s house. It seems like God is punishing us for things that are beyond our control.
However, it is not a sin to be ritually impure, and God isn’t out to punish us for things outside our control. Everything God says in the Torah is there to teach us lessons about Himself — and about ourselves in the process.
In the Torah reading שמיני Shemini (“eighth,” Lev. 9:1–11:47), discover the things Heaven says make one fit and unfit to enter God’s Presence. Some of those things are out of our control living in a world under the curse since Eden, so Heaven has to transform us. Focus on what’s in our control.
Heaven is taking each of us and humanity on a journey to a new beginning: from bondage to rest.
What does Shemini mean?
The title for the Parashat Shemini comes from the consecration of the priesthood “on the eighth day” (Lev. 9:1). Eight in Hebrew is שְׁמֹנֶה shemoneh (H8083); eighth is שְׁמִינִי E(H8066). It could be related to the verb שמן shaman, which means fat, plenty. So, shemoneh and shemini communicate something has reached fullness and is going beyond.
What does it mean to be clean or unclean?
Words behind clean and unclean:
- clean = טָהוֹר tahor (H2889): fit to approach the Presence.
- unclean = טָמֵא tamé (H2931): unfit to approach the Presence
- abhorrent = שֶׁקֶץ sheqetz (H8263), detestable thing
Being tahor doesn’t make one holy — set apart by God — but it does keep one holy. Tahor doesn’t block one’s entry toward the Presence.
Being tamé doesn’t make one sinful or wicked but it does blocks entry toward the Presence. However, if one tries to enter God’s Presence while in a state of tamé, this is a sinful and wicked thing to do.
Yeshua illustrated the pervasive problem of tamé and the presumption of approaching God while internally tamé in the parable of the wedding garment and confrontation over paying Roman taxes (Matt. 22:2–21).
There is a lesson to all of us to “make a distinction between the unclean and the clean” (Lev. 11:47)
All of us are called to learn to discriminate between the things that block us from access to God and those that help with access.
Characteristics of tahor food
The first practical application of the distinction between tahor and tamé is in regard to food.
- Land creatures
- Required: Having a cloven or divided hoof and chewing the cud (Lev. 11:3; Deut. 14:6).
- Examples of tahor: Bovines (cattle, bison), sheep, goats, deer family (deer, elk, gazelle, caribou/reindeer, antelope), moose.
- Examples of tamé (in modern times, called treif, which means “torn”): Swine, camels, rabbits, frogs, bears, canines, cats, horse family (horses, donkeys, zebras), elephants, rodents.
- Seafood
- Required: Having both fins and scales (Lev. 11:9; Deut. 14:9).
- Flying animals
- There are no required characteristics, just examples of tamé winged animals (Lev. 11:13-19; Deut. 14:11-18): vulture, osprey, kite, falcon, raven, ostrich, night-hawk, sea-mew, hawk, little owl, cormorant, great owl, horned owl, pelican, carrion-vulture, stork, heron, hoopoe and bat.
- Commentators have noticed that most of these are birds of prey (including fish).
- An exception can be the bat, which except for vampire bats tend to eat insects or fruit. The distinction here is they often live in caves, which at the time were used as graves.
- Generally considered tahor: Chicken, geese, ducks, turkeys, doves/pigeons.
- There are no required characteristics, just examples of tamé winged animals (Lev. 11:13-19; Deut. 14:11-18): vulture, osprey, kite, falcon, raven, ostrich, night-hawk, sea-mew, hawk, little owl, cormorant, great owl, horned owl, pelican, carrion-vulture, stork, heron, hoopoe and bat.
- Insects
- Required: Wings, move in swarms, have four legs, have jointed legs and are hoppers (Lev. 11:22).
- Specific examples given: Locusts, crickets and grasshoppers.
- Sages are divided on whether those are accurate descriptions of the insects allowed.
Shemoneh & shemini ▶︎ New beginnings
| Event | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Eight enter and exit the ark during the Flood (Gen 7:7; 7:13; 1Pet. 3:20). | Rebuild humankind spiritually (trust God) and physically (genetic bottleneck). |
| Abrahamic covenant sign is circumcision on the eighth day (Gen. 17:12; 21:4). | Legacy is a people who trust God’s promises and leading (Gen 15:6; Matt. 3:9). |
| Offerings to the LORD and the priesthood transition to the Tabernacle on the eight day (Ex. 22:30; Lev. 8:35–9:1). | Old ways of doing things are getting refined to focus on the “pattern shown … on the mountain” (Ex. 25:40; Heb. 8:5). |
| The LORD’s pilgrimage appointments (Leviticus 23) | Interval | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Pesakh (Passover) & Matzot (Unleavened Bread) | 14th day of 1st month + 15th–21st days of 1st month = 8 days | Protection from the wrath of God then deliverance from the house of bondage. |
| Shavu’ot (Pentecost) | 7 sevens of days + 1 day = 50 days | Protection during deliverance from bondage and transformation by the Word and Spirit of God: Testimony and transformation on the journey to Sinai and the Land. |
| Sukkot (Tabernacles) & Shemini Atzeret (Convocation of the Eighth [Day]) | 15th–21st days of 7th month + 22nd day = 8 days | The LORD dwelled with Israel between deliverance from the house of bondage and rest in the Land, akin to eternal rest (Psalm 95; Hebrew 3–4). |
What was the Cohenim’s first day on the job?
For Aaron and his son’s, their first day on the job was a day full of sacrifices. They presented a sin offering, a burnt offering and peace offerings to HaShem, under Moses’ watchful eye.
We see at the end of chapter 9 that God acknowledged those gifts with His glory.
However let’s focus on one category of sacrifices, the qorbanot, or the whole burnt offerings.
Leviticus 1–8 describes the process God required for the priesthood to approach toward God’s Presence.
Let’s review from Parashat Vayiqra (Leviticus 1–5):
- The word mostly translated as offering or sacrifice in that section is קָרְבָּן qorban (H7133; plural, qorbanot).
- The root verb קָרַב qarab (H7126) means to go near, so qorban means “the thing that takes one near.”
- The qorbanot allow priests and others of Yisrael to approach to varying degrees toward God’s Presence in the Tabernacle.
I say that to varying degrees, because not every priest was able to approach God to the same degree. For example, the high priest was only allowed to go all the way into God’s presence once a year. The other priests were not accorded this privilege at all.
What does Yeshua say about the qorban?
We previously went through an extensive study of Mark 7, Acts 10 and Romans 14 and what they’re saying about “clean” and “unclean” foods in Leviticus 11.
The “punchline” of Mark 7 is in verses 15, 20–23:
“ ‘[T]here is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man.’ ” (Mark 7:15 NASB)
“ ‘That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.’ ” (Mark 7:20–23 NASB)
With that context of instructions for “clean” being a lesson about internal purity, we look at Mark 7:1–13.
In Mark 7:11, Yeshua cites an example of tradition overruling Torah, before continuing on with the analysis of the how the tradition of nidelat yada’im (cleansing of the hands) was being used as a mark of purity.
- At issue with the qorban example is the offering is intended to bring the heart of the person closer to Heaven, the pattern of which was the Tabernacle/Temple.
- In Yeshua’s example, the vow-keeper should realize that compassion (faith in action) for his parents was part of devotion (faith in action) to God expressed in the vow or oath.
- Tradition later sided with Yeshua when the Mishna was codified.
“The Mishnah (m. Ned. 9.1) discusses ‘opening the way’ to repentance (i.e., allowing a vow to be released if it leads to a conflict with something more important). Corban (Heb ‘korban’), a sacrifice or gift to God. When something had been declared devoted to God, it was generally not permitted for the giver to retract the gift. Rabbinic tradition also allowed release from ‘korban’ when it deprived parents of their due.”
The Jewish Annotated New Testament, Second Edition, ed. Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2017), p. 84.
“R. Eliezer says, ‘They unloose a vow for a person by [reference to] the honor of his father or mother.’ And sages prohibit [declare still binding]. Said R. Sadoq, ‘Before they unloose a vow for him by [reference to] the honor of his father or mother, let them unloose his vow by reference to the honor of the Omnipresent.’ ‘If so, there will be no vows!’ [cp. “make no oath at all” Matt. 5:33–36] But sages concede to R. Eliezer that, in a matter which is between him and his mother or father, they unloose his vow by [reference to] the honor of his father or mother.”
m.Nedarim 9:1 Neuser translation. Matthew 5 comment added.
We conclude with Leviticus 10, which tell us how God judged Aaron’s two oldest sons, Nadab and Abihu.
This incident is behind the instructions in Leviticus 16 for the special day when the King of kings (the high priest over the “royal priesthood”) goes directly into the Presence of God.
“Now the LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they had approached the presence of the LORD and died. The LORD said to Moses: ‘Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, or he will die; for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat.’ ” (Lev. 16:1–2)
- Mitzvot derived from the instructions to Aharon and his sons:
- Priests can’t enter the Tabernacle with unkempt hair (Lev. 10:6).
- Priests can’t enter the Tabernacle with ripped clothing (Lev. 10:6).
- Priests can’t leave the Tabernacle while serving (Lev. 10:7).
- Priests can’t enter the Tabernacle or serve while intoxicated (Lev. 10:9).
- Some have speculated that the warnings about priestly demeanor (Lev. 10:6–9) or “enter[ing] at any time into the holy place inside the veil” were the source of the “unauthorized” (NASB) or “strange” fire Nadab and Abihu presented before the LORD, bringing judgment upon them.
When we read between the lines of these rules that Moses revealed to Aaron, we see that priests have to be really cognizant of where they’re going and Who they are approaching. The priests can’t just show up whenever and however they want.
We read later on how the prophets rebuked the people who showed up to God’s Temple not really caring about what they were offering and how they were offering it.
And the lesson for us today is, how do we approach God and how is it that we approach Him in prayer. When we approach the throne of the Lord, do we approach it with the awe and respect He deserves?
It is a great honor to address the Creator of Heaven and Earth. We see recorded in Hebrews that we can go towards the throne of God with confidence because the way was opened by Yeshua, but confidence means we have permission to go in because of Yeshua’s great work, not because of our selves.
When we bring ourselves close to God, we approach Him on His terms, not our own. We approach Him through His Son, Yeshua. We approach with respect for ourselves and for Him.
We are to approach God and each other with sincerity, transparency, truth, and genuineness.
Summary: Tammy
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