Purity and Danger in the Sanctuary and the Home
PARASHAT SH’MINI (“eighth,” referring to the eighth day of ordination) describes the ritual on the day after Aaron’s ordination ceremony. In the previous two parashot, Leviticus 1–7 presented rules for the sacrificial service, while Leviticus 8 described the priestly ordination of Aaron and his sons. In this parashah, Aaron begins to officiate as chief priest.
This parashah includes a strange story of the fire from God which kills Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s oldest sons (10:1–7). It concludes with dietary laws and with the demand that Israel be holy—for God is holy (11:45). In this parashah, the theme of holiness expands from the sanctuary to the priests and to the people.
Contemporary readers are often troubled by the descriptions of the sacrificial service. Nevertheless, sacrifice was an integral part of society in the ancient Near East. Every major city in antiquity had its temple where specially ordained priests conducted animal sacrifices. As elsewhere in antiquity, Leviticus also demands that no one can eat meat unless a portion of it is offered first as a sacrifice to God. The sacrificial altar is God’s dining table.
This parashah says practically nothing about women. Many temples in the ancient world included women as priests, but ancient Israel seems to have recognized only males in this role (see T’tzaveh, Another View; and at 9:1). Although the priestly laws in the Bible mostly concern men, priests’ daughters—and presumably wives—were able to partake of some of the offerings, as 10:14 indicates (see also 22:12–13).
Of special relevance to women are the dietary laws in Leviticus. These apply to all Israelites. However, because women were responsible for food preparation, they were responsible for applying these laws (see at Leviticus 11).
—Lisbeth S. Fried
Outline—
I. RITUAL OFFERINGS BEGIN (9:1–24)
A. Ritual of purgation for Aaron the priest and his household (vv. 1–14)
B. Ritual of purgation for the people (vv. 15–21)
C. Conclusion: appearance of the presence of God (vv. 22–24)
II. THE STRANGE FIRE OF NADAB AND ABIHU (10:1–7)
III. LAWS FOR AARON THE PRIEST AND HIS HOUSEHOLD (10:8–20)
IV. DIETARY LAWS FOR THE ISRAELITE PEOPLE (11:1–47)
A. Laws regarding animals that walk on land (vv. 1–8)
B. Laws regarding animals that live in water (vv. 9–12)
C. Laws regarding animals that fly in the air (vv. 13–19)
D. Laws regarding animals that swarm in the air (vv. 20–23)
E. Laws regarding carcasses of non-edible animals (vv. 24–28)
F. More laws regarding forbidden foods (vv. 29–43)
G. Summary statement and rationale: you shall be holy (vv. 44–47)