Shemini: the thin line

The climax of the parsha is the death of Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aaron who were consumed by fire. They had been confirmed, by an eight day ritual, into the priesthood. They had been licensed to bring Hashem’s offerings. But it is not only the personnel that must be authorized, it is also the sacrifice itself.... a fatal error. That fire missed, it consumed Nadav and Avihu instead of ( or in addition to) the incense.

The thin line between the permitted and the forbidden continues in the Parsha with the distinction between the Kosher and non kosher animals, the holy and the profane (tamei). The crawlers, like the serpent after the fall, are profane.

The Talmud (Zevachim 101a[1]) has an interesting description of the interaction between Aaron and Moshe about the failure to eat a Chatoth sacrifice after the death of Nadav and Avihu. The talmud turns it into a chalachic argument about the mourning ritual that is won by Aaron and Moshe admits that he had forgotten the detail which would dictate that the Chatoth should not be eaten under these circumstances. Moshe forgot !?! and he is given credit for admitting it.

The thin line.

last year

[1]Forthwith, and when Moses heard that, it was pleasing in his sight.He admitted [his error], and Moses was not ashamed [to excuse himself] by saying, ‘I had not heard it’, but said, ‘I heard it and forgot He admitted [his error], and Moses was not ashamed [to excuse himself] by saying, ‘I had not heard it’, but said, ‘I heard it and forgot

Tzav, Zachor, Megillah

The parsha, Tzav, deals with the initiation of Aaron and his sons into the priesthood. A special status is conferred upon Aaron and his descendants. They are the ministers of the Hashem’s ritual. That status helps them ascend ,in the second temple period, to regency, That dynasty ultimately succumbs to assimilation.


The Megillah tells a story of ascendancy that is ambivalent about assimilation. The story emphasizes the futility of the attempt to assimilate ( Haman refers to the dispersed people), the danger of being different and the triumph of Jewish national pride. The Megillah story is also a reminder that Jews have implacable enemies (hence the relationship to parshath Zachor).


Part of what Jews bring to the word is the idea of the implacable enemy, both the external (Nazi, Amalek) and the internal ( greed, lust). Yet, we live with it and through it.