Parsha: Shemini
Leviticus 9:1-11:47
Haftarah for Ashkenazim: II Samuel 6:1-7:17
Haftarah for Sephardim: II Samuel 6:1-19
Saturday, April 11, 2026
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Jewish Learning by Kimberly D
Leviticus 9:1-11:47
Daily Reading Schedule:
This Parsha is not officially read until the Shabbat after Pesach. Since there are other Torah Portions that we read for the Chag, if you would like to get a head start on your weekend, below is a suggeted schedule. Otherwise, you can wait until after Chag.
Sunday March 29, 2026: Leviticus 9:1-16
Monday March 30, 2026: Leviticus 9:17-23
Tuesday March 31, 2026: Leviticus 9:24-10:11
CHAG PESACH SAMEACH!
Wednesday April 8, 2026: Leviticus 10:12-15
Thursday April 9, 2026: Leviticus 10:16-20
Friday April 10, 2026: Leviticus 11:1-32
Saturday April 11, 2026: All of the above Plus Leviticus 11:33-47 AND
maf: Leviticus 11:45-47
Haftarah for Ashkenazim: II Samuel 6:1-7:17
Haftarah for Sephardim: II Samuel 6:1-19
Talmudic References:
Explore key discussions and cross-references from the Talmud that provide profound depth to the themes of today's Parsha study.
1
Menachot
Daf: 59a:11
"In the phrase “it is a meal offering,” the term “meal offering” serves to include in the obligation of frankincense the meal offering of the eighth day of the inauguration of the Tabernacle in the wilderness. With regard to that offering the verse states: “And a meal offering mixed with oil” (Leviticus 9:4), but it does not mention frankincense. Therefore, the term “meal offering” written in the context of the omer meal offering serves to apply the requirement of frankincense to the meal offering of the eighth day of inauguration. And the term “it is” in the same phrase serves to exclude the two loaves sacrificed on Shavuot, to indicate that they will require neither oil nor frankincense."
2
Moed Katan
Daf: 52a:15
"Having been granted permission to speak, Rabbi Tarfon answered and said: With regard to the death of Aaron’s sons it says: “But let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning that the Lord has kindled” (Leviticus 10:6). Are these matters not inferred a fortiori: If, with regard to Nadav and Avihu, who had performed only one mitzva that is explicitly mentioned in the Bible, as it is written: “And the sons of Aaron brought the blood to him” (Leviticus 9:9), this was nevertheless stated about them, then with regard to the sons of Rabbi Yishmael, who were well known for their performance of many mitzvot, all the more so should the entire Jewish people bewail their death."
"The Gemara asks: And from where does the one who derives that burning means this kind of death from the sons of Aaron derive that their bodies were not burned? The Gemara answers: He derives it from that which is written: “And fire came out from before the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord” (Leviticus 10:2). The term “and they died” indicates that it was similar to a natural death, in which the body remains intact."
Sanhedrin
Daf: 28b:13
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 Nazir 6:1
"Three types of actions are prohibited for a nazirite: The contraction of ritual impurity from a corpse, and the shaving of one’s hair, and eating or drinking any substances that emerge from the vine. The mishna adds: And all products that emerge from the vine combine with one another to the amount that renders a nazirite liable to receive lashes. And he is liable only if he eats an olive-bulk of the grapes. An initial version of the mishna says that a nazirite is liable to receive lashes only if he drinks a quarter-log of wine. Rabbi Akiva says: Even if he soaked his bread in wine and the two together contain enough to combine to the amount of an olive-bulk, he is liable."
02
Mishnah Chullin 3:6
"The signs that indicate that a domesticated animal and an undomesticated animal are kosher were stated in the Torah, and the signs of a kosher bird were not explicitly stated. But the Sages stated certain signs in a bird: Any bird that claws its prey and eats it is non-kosher. Any bird that has an extra digit behind the leg slightly elevated above the other digits, and a crop, which is a sack alongside the gullet in which food is stored prior to digestion, and for which the yellowish membrane inside its gizzard can be peeled, is kosher. Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Tzadok, says: Any bird that splits the digits of its feet when standing on a string, placing two digits on one side of the string and two on the other, is non-kosher."
03
Mishnah Berakhot 6:3
"And over a food item whose growth is not from the ground, one recites: By whose word all things came to be. And over vinegar, wine that fermented and spoiled, and over novelot, dates that spoiled, and over locusts, one recites: By whose word all things came to be. So too, over milk, and over cheese, and over eggs, one recites: By whose word all things came to be. Rabbi Yehuda says: Over any food item that is a type resulting from a curse, one does not recite a blessing over it at all. None of the items listed exist under normal conditions, and they come about as the result of a curse."
Parsha Study Notes, Questions & Comments:
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