An interesting dichotomy exists between our Parshah this week and the special maftir of Parah. In the Parshah, the tragic death of Aaron’s sons is followed by an instruction to Aaron not to mourn. Indeed much of our mourning practice is learnt from what G-d tells Aaron not to do, with the inference that a normal mourner should do these things. In Aaron’s case his grief over the death of his sons is not to intrude on the rejoicing over the inauguration of the Tabernacle. Religious celebration overcomes mourning. In Parshat Parah, however, we seem to have the opposite scenario. A person who is defiled by touching a dead body is not allowed to enter the Temple or to take part in religious ceremonies, until he is purified by the ashes of the Red Heifer. From the end of Deuteronomy, we learn that he is also not allowed to consume holy foods. Here mourning seems to trump religious expression An simple answer to this seeming paradox lies in the distinction between public and private mourning. A normal mourner must mourn and is prohibited from religious celebration. Aaron, however, who is engaged in public celebration is not allowed to let his private grief interfere with public rejoicing. This attitude exists in Halakhah today. A Yom Tov either cuts short shivah or sheloshim, or postpones them till after the festival. The public rejoicing of the festival trumps private grief. How are we to understand this concept? An answer lies in the continuation of Moses’ command to Aaron not to mourn: ‘the whole house of Israel will mourn the conflagration G-d has made’. Aaron is not alone in his grief, but, in the proper time, will be comforted by the whole people. The Jewish experience of grief and mourning is not a solitary one. The mourner is comforted in his grief by the community that joins with him in his experience. While they are not going through his immediate pain, they can by the presence and solidarity lessen his trauma and isolation. In a very real way, therefore, the whole community shares in the mourning over every death. This however cannot be expected to occur when the community is commanded by the Torah to rejoice. They cannot abandon the festival celebrations in order to share in the grief of the mourner. And so essential to the Jewish notion of mourning is communal solidarity, that , therefore, the mourner himself is not allowed to mourn. Without the support of the community, mourning cannot take place; a Jewish mourner is never alone.
ALIYAH BY ALIYAH SYNOPSIS
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Rishon |
The eighth day of the inauguration of the Priesthood. |
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Sheni |
The climax: G-d Presence is symbolised by a spontaneous fire on the altar. |
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Shelishi |
Nadav and Avihu offer a strange fire and our killed. Aaron keeps silent. Instructions concerning priests. |
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Revii |
Instructions concerning the left over offerings. |
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Hamishi |
Moses is angry they haven‘t eaten the sin offering but is corrected by Aaron. |
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Shishi |
Kosher and non-kosher animals. |
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Shevi’i |
Laws of purity and impurity. |
| Maftir | The ritual of the Red Heifer |
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Haftorah |
Ezekiel: 36;16-38: G-d will redeem Israel for His sake even though we are not worthy. |
Sidra Statistics
Parshat Shemini
· has 91 verses;
· is the 3rd in Leviticus, 26th in the Torah
· 4th longest in Leviticus 40th longest in the Torah
· has 6 pos + 11 neg = 17 mitzvot.
PAST PARSHAH PUZZLE
Stay put or die!
The instruction to the Priests not to leave the Tabernacle during the seven days of consecration.
PARSHAH PUZZLE
Kosher outside but not within.
WEEKLY HALAKHA
A red Heifer has to be spotless in order to be kosher for the ceremony.
