Shemini

5 Facts About Parshat Shemini that You (Maybe) Didn’t Know

Published on Wednesday April 11th, 2018

Discover and learn every week, "5 Facts" written on the weekly Parshah that you can share at your Shabbos table.

וַתֵּ֤צֵא אֵשׁ֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַתֹּ֙אכַל֙ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ אֶת־הָעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶת־הַחֲלָבִ֑ים וַיַּ֤רְא כָּל־הָעָם֙ וַיָּרֹ֔נּוּ וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃ (9:24)

Fire came forth from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat parts on the altar. And all the people saw, and shouted, and fell on their faces.

1. What miracle took place when the fire came forth on the altar?

In addition to the miracle of the fire, there was miraculously room for everyone to fall on their hands and knees despite the small space in which they were located. They also received Ruach HaKodesh at that moment and started singing in praise and thanks to Hashem. (Yalkut)

וַיִּקְרָ֣א מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֶל־מִֽישָׁאֵל֙ וְאֶ֣ל אֶלְצָפָ֔ן בְּנֵ֥י עֻזִּיאֵ֖ל דֹּ֣ד אַהֲרֹ֑ן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם קִ֠רְב֞וּ שְׂא֤וּ אֶת־אֲחֵיכֶם֙ מֵאֵ֣ת פְּנֵי־הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ אֶל־מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ (10:4)

Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come forward and carry your kinsmen away from the front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.”

2. How were the dead bodies of Nadav and Avihu retrieved?

There is a dispute on how the dead bodies were retrieved. Some say that they went into the Holy of Holies to get them. Others say that an angel pushed the bodies out of the Holy of Holies. Yet others say that they reached into the Holy of Holies and removed the bodies with iron hooks. (Sifra, Korban Aaron, Ramban, Abarbanel)

וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַיִּיטַ֖ב בְּעֵינָֽיו׃ (פ) (10:20)

And when Moses heard this, he approved.

3. How did Moshe forget laws taught to him by Hashem?

Moshe forgot the laws of mourning after becoming angry. From here we see how terrible anger is. (Vayikra Rabbah, Sifra) In a show of his true humility, Moshe admitted that he was wrong once he heard Aaron’s argument. He also admitted that he was actually taught the same laws by Hashem but that he had forgotten them. (Rashi/Zevachim 101a). Moshe actually made the following public announcement: “I forgot the law and my brother Aaron taught it to me”. (Targum Yonathan, Targum Yerushalmi, Yalkut Reuveni)

דַּבְּר֛וּ אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר זֹ֤את הַֽחַיָּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאכְל֔וּ מִכָּל־הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (11:2)

Speak to the Israelite people thus: These are the creatures that you may eat from among all the land animals:

4. How did Moshe know about all creatures that exist and their Kosher status?

Moshe was shown all the creatures of the world and Hashem pointed out which ones may be eaten and which ones may not. This is alluded by the word “ze/this,” as if to say, “this one yes, this one no.” (Tosafot in Chulin) These signs were given for future generations, since this generation had been shown all the species and therefore didn’t need the signs. (ML original and Yeffe Tohar)

וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֵֽין־ל֜וֹ סְנַפִּ֣יר וְקַשְׂקֶ֗שֶׂת בַּיַּמִּים֙ וּבַנְּחָלִ֔ים מִכֹּל֙ שֶׁ֣רֶץ הַמַּ֔יִם וּמִכֹּ֛ל נֶ֥פֶשׁ הַחַיָּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמָּ֑יִם שֶׁ֥קֶץ הֵ֖ם לָכֶֽם׃ (11:10)

But anything in the seas or in the streams that has no fins and scales, among all the swarming things of the water and among all the other living creatures that are in the water—they are an abomination for you

5. Mermaids are only a legend or are they?

This verse refers to the sirens, otherwise known as mermaids as being in fact, real creatures. These creatures are half human, half fish . (Rashi in Bechorot 8a, Midrash Safra Shemini 3:7, Chidah in his sefer Medaber Kadimot Vol. 4, Yad Ramah 63 “Metiv”