Sedra of the Week: Shemini
Rabbi Zvi Solomons looks ahead to this week's portion of the Torah
This week’s parsha contains two fascinating passages, which shed considerable light on our responsibilities as Jews today.
The first is the odd behaviour of Aaron’s older two sons Nadav and Abihu, who offer “strange fire” to God right after the Almighty has consumed Aaron’s offering.
The sons’ offering is voluntary, not commanded, and God’s response is sudden and violent.
This has given rise to two conflicting opinions of the nature of their offering, either it was arrogant and presumptuous, or it was very holy indeed.
The juxtaposition of the first passage of next week’s parsha (prohibiting service of God whilst drunk) adds another implication, that the sons of Aaron were inebriated.
Shortly after this, there is the passage which details kosher and unclean animals birds and fish.
Rabbi Shimshon Rafael Hirsch ties these two portions together, indicating that submission to the almighty despite the dictates of our personal sentiments should always take precedence, and that this is how we Jews should conduct ourselves, although it may be considered in opposition to the zeitgeist.
Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev puts a similar point more succinctly. Just as Moses’ sister Miriam arranged for his mother to feed him and care for him, so God wishes us to follow his rules and feed ourselves accordingly.
Yocheved fed Moses food appropriate for his calling, to be the highest level of prophet.
God wishes us likewise to abstain from impure foods, so that we too can succeed in our mission to be a Nation of Priests and a Holy People.
So much for those who would rationalise our dietary laws, or try to explain how much more healthy they are.
Spiritual requirements, not health, are the primary motives, and scientific thought cannot encompass the real rationale.
Zvi Solomons is rabbi of JCoB.org, the Jewish Community of Berkshire, based in Reading.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
