Below is a collection of Parashat Shemini resources created by The Lookstein Center staff or contributed to the site by Jewish educators.

This is a growing collection. Check back soon or write to us at content@lookstein.org if you didn’t find what you’re looking for. 

Return to Sefer Vayikra Resources
Parasha Points
  • On the eighth day of the installation of the kohanim (priests), there is a unique procedure. God’s appearance in the Mishkan (Tabernacle) in the form of a fire consuming the offerings on the mizbeah (altar) brings great joy, but that joy is accompanied by the tragedy of the deaths of Nadav and Avihu, Aaron’s elder sons, who had done something improper at that moment. Aaron grieves silently for his sons.
  • Moses and Aaron disagree on a detail of the processing of the sacrifices. After hearing Aaron’s position, Moses concedes.
  • The kohanim are instructed not to perform any of their sacred duties after drinking alcohol.
  • Benei Yisrael is to be sanctified through restrictions on their consumption of beings from the animal kingdom.
Major Mitzvot
  • Very few land animals are permissible for consumption; only those that have split hooves and that chew their cud are acceptable – both conditions are necessary. 
  • Sea creatures must have fins and scales to be permissible for consumption. 
  • Not all birds are acceptable for consumption. The Torah lists the forbidden ones, all of which are birds of prey.
  • Four types of grasshoppers are permissible to eat. All other insects and reptiles are forbidden.
  • Animals that are forbidden to eat generate impurity, both for people and for objects.
Educational Themes
  • You are what you eat.
  • Learning to restrain fulfillment of our desires is part of becoming sanctified people. 
  • The closer we get to God, the more careful we need to be about how we conduct ourselves.
Notable Quotes
  • What Nadav and Avihu did just prior to their death – 
    ויקריבו אש זרה לפני ה’ אשר לא צוה אותם
  • The sanctity of Israel is linked with God’s uniqueness –
     והייתם קדושים כי קדוש אני

DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Question #1: In Parashat Shemini, we learn about which animals, fish, and birds are kosher. After the rules are started, the next verse explains that we are commanded to eat kosher food to be holy because God is holy. How can eating become holy? Doesn’t everyone just have to eat?

Look inside the text (Vayikra 11:45),

כִּי אֲנִי יְהֹוָה הַמַּעֲלֶה אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לִהְיֹת לָכֶם לֵאלֹקים וִהְיִיתֶם קְדשִׁים כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אָנִי

Because I am the God who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God: you should be holy, because I am holy.

Question #2: Is it always okay to be spontaneous, or are there times when you have to be sure to obey the rules and laws? If you see a sign, “danger, don’t cross or enter,” but you’re very curious, can you ignore the sign? In Parshat Shemini, the inauguration of the Tabernacle, a day that the nation had anticipated with great excitement turned to tragedy.

Look inside the text (Vayikra 10:2),

 וַיִּקְחוּ בְנֵי אַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא אִישׁ מַחְתָּתוֹ וַיִּתְּנוּ בָהֵן אֵשׁ וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלֶיהָ קְטֹרֶת וַיַּקְרִיבוּ לִפְנֵי ה’ אֵשׁ זָרָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא צִוָּה אֹתָם:  וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָֹה וַתֹּאכַל אוֹתָם וַיָּמֻתוּ לִפְנֵי ה – Nadav and Avihu, Aaron’s sons were punished severely because they do something which God had not commanded. As priests, they had to be exacting in their performance of all their duties before the nation. There were very specific laws and procedures for service in the Tabernacle and to disobey it would be dangerous.

Question #3: Given his position as Kohen Gadol (High Priest), Aaron was denied the opportunity to manifest the mourning for his sons, and the Rabbis commend him for his silent strength through the ordeal. How much of their private lives are public figures expected to sacrifice for the benefit of their constituents? Is the public standing of a leader enhanced or diminished in displaying human emotion or weakness?

Question #4: While the Torah does not advocate vegetarianism, the laws of kashrut suggest a preference for non-predatory animals, that is, animals that prey on others are forbidden to eat. What responsibility do humans have for the animal kingdom? If humans are supposed to avoid eating predators, why is it appropriate for humans themselves to be predators? Does Judaism condone hunting for sport?