Parsha: Emor
Leviticus 21:1-24:23
Haftarah: Ezekiel 44:15-31
Saturday, May 2, 2026
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Jewish Learning by Kimberly D
Leviticus 21:1-24:23
Daily Reading Schedule:
Sunday April 26, 2026: Leviticus 21:1-15
Monday April 27, 2026: Leviticus 21:16-22:16
Tuesday April 28, 2026: Leviticus 22:17-33
Wednesday April 29, 2026: Leviticus 23:1-22
Thursday April 30, 2026: Leviticus 23:23-32
Friday May 1, 2026: Leviticus 23:33-44
Saturday May 2, 2026: All of the above readings Plus Leviticus 24:1-23 AND
maf: Leviticus 24:21-23
Haftarah: Ezekiel 44:15-31
Talmudic References:
Explore key discussions and cross-references from the Talmud that provide profound depth to the themes of today's Parsha study.
1
Nazir
Daf: 40b:5
"And from where do we derive that this shaving of a leper must be performed with a razor? It is as it is taught in a baraita, with regard to the prohibition against a priest shaving his beard in the verse “Neither shall they shave off the corners of their beards” (Leviticus 21:5): One might have thought that a priest should be liable even if he shaved his beard with scissors. The verse states, in the general prohibition issued to all Jewish men: “Neither shall you destroy the corners of your beard” (Leviticus 19:27). This teaches that one is liable only if he shaves in a destructive manner, by uprooting the hairs entirely, which excludes the use of scissors."
2
Sanhedrin
Daf 25a:10
"The baraita continues: With regard to a blemished priest who performs the Temple service, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: He is punished with death at the hand of Heaven, and the Rabbis say: He is liable only for violating a prohibition. The Gemara elaborates: What is the reason for the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi? It is as it is written: “But he shall not come into the curtain and he shall not approach the altar as he has a blemish, that he desecrate not My sacred places” (Leviticus 21:23). And Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi derives the punishment by means of a verbal analogy: The meaning of the term of desecration written with regard to a blemished priest who performs the Temple service is derived from the term of desecration written with regard to an impure priest who partakes of teruma. Just as there, with regard to teruma, he is punished with death at the hand of Heaven, so too here, with regard to a blemished priest who performs the Temple service, he is punished with death at the hand of Heaven."
"Rav Ashi said to him: With regard to your claim, the verse states about blemished animals: “It shall not be accepted” (Leviticus 22:23), and: “But whatsoever has a blemish that you shall not bring; for it shall not be acceptable for you” (Leviticus 22:20), teaching that in no case are blemished animals accepted as offerings, even due to the frontplate."
Menachot
Daf 84a:6
3
Mishnah References:
Explore key discussions and cross-references from the Mishnah that provide profound depth to the themes of today's Parsha study.
01
Mishnah Bekhorot 7:3
"The ḥarum is disqualified from performing the Temple service. What is a ḥarum? It is one who can paint both of his eyes as one, with one brushstroke, because he has a sunken nose. If both of one’s eyes are above or both of his eyes are below; or if one of his eyes is above and one of his eyes is below; or if both eyes are in the proper place but he sees both the room on the ground floor and the upper story as one, at the same time; and likewise those unable to look at the sun; and one whose eyes are different; and one whose eyes tear constantly, these are disqualified from performing the Temple service. And one whose eyelashes have fallen out is disqualified from performing the Temple service due to the appearance of a blemish. Unlike the others listed in this mishna, who are disqualified by Torah law, one with this condition is not disqualified by Torah law. Rather, the Sages issued a decree prohibiting a priest with such a condition to perform the Temple service."
02
Mishnah Menachot 4:2
"Failure to sacrifice one of the bulls, the rams, the sheep, or the goats of the additional offerings brought on Festivals does not prevent the sacrifice of the others. Rabbi Shimon says: If the Temple treasurers had sufficient funds for the numerous bulls that are required to be sacrificed on that day but they did not also have sufficient funds for the accompanying libations, they should rather bring one bull and its libations, and they should not sacrifice all of them without libations."
03
Mishnah Sukkah 2:8
"The mishna continues: Women, slaves, and minors are exempt from the mitzva of sukka. A minor who does not need his mother any longer is obligated in the mitzva. There was an incident where the daughter-in-law of Shammai the Elder gave birth just before Sukkot, and Shammai removed the coat of plaster from the roof, leaving the beams, and roofed with the beams over the bed for the newborn minor."
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