Day 3: Leviticus 9:24-10:11 (Study Notes)
Parsha Shmini: Day 3
(Leviticus 9:24-10:11) (Study Notes)
(Leviticus 9:24)
In Leviticus chapter 9 verse 24, we learn that the presence of Hashem appeared as fire that came out from in front of Hashem.
We learn the fire consumed both the burnt offerings and the fat parts of the well-being and sin offerings. We also learn that Hashem appeared to Aaron and the people BECAUSE Aaron and his son’s successfully completed the seven day consecration.
As we have learned previously, this miracle of Hashem’s fire is tied directly to the miracle of Hanukkah.
As we have stated previously, the miracle of Hanukkah was a miracle of consecration lights. The one vile of clean oil was only to last one day. But since the Israelites regained the temple from the Greeks, they would need to consecrate for seven days the priests, the temple and the altar in order that the Israelites could fully regain the temple and its function.
The testing of the one day of oil was a test that would determine if the teshuvah of the faithful Jews (namely the Maccabees and their followers) was accepted. The fact that the one day of oil lasted not only seven days, but eight days proved that the sins were forgiven. The temple and priests were reconsecrated, with a day’s worth of leftover oil to “live on”. (Like Elijah’s wife and her miraculous oil).
This order of events of the fire falling from Hashem is also much like the scene Elijah calling for fire from heaven when he was battling the false profits of Baal.
In that miracle, Hashem comes immediately to Elijah’s calls and burns the mincha-time afternoon burnt offerings despite them being drenched in water. This miracle proves the reality of Hashem as the One True God and debunks the claims of false gods and their false prophets.
Too, this order of events surrounding the appearance of Hashem in fire allows us to understand more clearly what we learned in Leviticus chapter 1.
In our Vayikra study, we learned that when the burnt offerings and sacrifices were first put in place in the wilderness, the fire was to be the first thing placed on the altar. This fire (arguably) was first started by Hashem and his presence, in like manner as we read here in Leviticus 9. After the fire was placed on the altar (by Hashem?), then the wood was placed, then the pieces, the fat, the grain and so on.
This initial fire was never to go out. Like the pillar of fire and smoking pots that appeared to Abraham in Genesis 15, Hashem is the eternal flame. The fire on the altar is fed (at the bare minimum) twice daily with burnt offerings (Often with thanksgiving and well-being burnt offerings added). These offerings alone are enough to keep the lights of Hashem and the glory of His people a glow.
Thus, as we have stated previously, when the offerings are again instated in the third temple, the offerings needn’t be more than Thanksgiving offerings, well-being offerings, and burnt offerings. As we have stated before, prophets such as Zechariah promise that every single person in the entire world will know Hashem, and offer Thanksgiving and praise to Him (The God of the Jewish people) alone. Thus, the sheer number of burnt (thanksgiving) offerings will be enough to keep the fire going for eternity.
(Leviticus 10:1)
In Leviticus chapter 10 verse one we read that just after the fire of Hashem came forth and consumed the burnt offerings and sin offerings, we learn that Aaron’s sons are killed for bringing incense which Hashem had not joined upon them.
We learned that Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu first took their fire pans, then they put fire on them. They laid incense on the fire in the pans and offered it before Hashem. Since the fire of Hashem had come to burn the burnt offerings and the sin offerings, we know that Hashem was outside the tent of meeting at the burnt altar. The fire that Hashem lit was on the burnt offering altar, since it burned the fat parts. Thus, the fire which Aaron’s sons had taken had to come from the burnt offering altar.
This taking a fire from the burnt offering altar is (evidently) not out of the norm. In Mishnah Tamid 6, we can learn that, daily, there would be a priest in the Temple who was chosen to take a coal from the burnt offering altar.
This coal was placed on a gold pan, brought to the tent of meeting, and placed the coal on the incense altar, which is before the LORD in the tent of meeting. The chosen priest then took incense and burned them on the incense altar.
There are several issues with this Talmudic description that go against commands given by Hashem to Moshe. We bring them to light here for consideration, but acknowledge we have no authority to change the rulings of the Sages.
First the coal pans are to be made of bronze or copper, not gold since they were used to remove fire from the burnt offering altar—anything dealing with sin offerings was made of copper (Exodus 27:1-8). Gold was reserved for the inner sanctuary and the holy of holies. The incense altar itself was made of gold overlay (Exodus 30:1-5). Everything of the incense altar was to be of gold. That which was burned on copper was not to mix with that burned on gold.
Thus, the second issue is that no sacrifice or burnt offering is to be burned on the incense altar. If a coal (earthenware material) were taken off of the burnt offering altar, it is likely that fat, guts, and ashes of the sin and burnt offerings was on the coal. Bringing this into the tent of meeting and placing it on the incense altar would break the commands given in Exodus 30:9.
We can understand the issues in Mishnah Tamid 6 by considering the “strange fire” of Aaron’s sons. This fire was “strange” because the sons were using the fire in a manner that it ought not be used: to burn incense.
We must also consider that the fire was a part of Hashem’s presence. Touching it would necessitate that the sons become as Holy as Hashem. This, however, can never happen.
Thus, the issue here of the strange fire is twofold. Not only did Aaron’s sons take a piece of Hashem’s fire off of the burnt offering altar, they also burned incense in a place where incense was not ordained to be burned: outside the tent of meeting, in a copper pan.
To reiterate: In Exodus chapter 30 verses 34 through 37, Hashem had stated that anyone who attempted to make the incense mixture and/or who attempted to burn such incense for their own purpose would perish. We also learn in Exodus chapter 30 verse nine that no burnt offering can be offered on the incense altar.
So since Aaron’s sons burned the incense in a place where the incense ought not be burned, in Hashem’s eyes, they were burning the incense for their own purpose. Granted the purpose was praise. It was still against Mitzvot. Thus, this proves that priests are not exempt from judgment. Indeed they are held to a higher standard than mere men.
Second, with the fire being taken from the burnt offering altar it is possible that pieces of the burnt offerings were in the fire. As such Aaron and his sons could have been offering burnt offerings on a makeshift incense altar. As we learned from Exodus 30, this is a second sin. Both of the sins individually lead to the punishment of death, according to Hashem in Exodus. Thus, immediately, we see this punishment of death meted out when Aaron‘s two sons are killed by Hashem.
(Leviticus 10:3)
As such in Leviticus chapter 10 verse three, Moshe repeats the words of Hashem to Aaron “through those near to me I show myself holy, and gain glory before all the people.”
Though the consequence was severe, we do indeed see the glory of Hashem. For, in the death of the priests, we understand the seriousness of Hashem’s Mitzvot and the importance of keeping His Torah.
Just as Hashem used the plagues in Egypt to bring glory to Himself, so too Hashem uses all types of punishment to reveal His holiness and bring people to magnify and glorify Him alone as God with reverential awe and respect.
Haftara: 2 Samuel 6:1-7:17
The haftara portion for this week in II Samuel chapter 6 directly corresponds to the death of Aaron’s two sons. In II Samuel chapter 6, we learn about two other priests who were killed for not following the commands of Hashem.
We learned that David and the troops of Israel were attempting to move the Ark from Baalim back to Judea. In so doing, the priests, put the Ark on and oxcart. According to Exodus 25 versus 10 through 22 and Numbers chapter 3 versus 27 through 32, carrying the Ark of Hashem on a cart was forbidden. The Ark was only to be carried on the shoulders by the priests using the carrying poles that were continuously attached to the Ark. In Numbers chapter 4, verse 15 more specifically we learn that the Kohathites were responsible for the Ark and moving it.
According to these laws, Uzzah and Ahio should have been carrying the Ark on their shoulders with two other men. Even if these men did not reach out and touch the Ark when the oxen stumbled, Hashem could still remain rightfully angry for the mere fact that He was placed on an oxcart. As with Aaron’s sons, these two men suffered the same fate: they were killed, rightfully so, for breaking the laws of Hashem.
More significantly, however, is the law of holiness. The Ark of Hashem is the place where He sat between the cherubim. Like the animal flesh or the priests' garments, the Ark itself became holy because of the presence of the ultimate holy Hashem. Touching the Ark, therefore like touching the flesh of a holy offering, would make the one who touched it holy. However, no man can ever reach the ultimate holiness of Hashem. Instead, he must die.
Though this sounds fierce, it is what was instigated in the garden of Eden in chapter three. There, we learned that by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam and Havah desired to become like Hashem. But instead of becoming like Hashem, death was introduced to creation. This allows us to understand that man (though created in the image of God), can never be God. Instead, the best we can do is to serve Hashem by loving Him with all of our hearts, all of our soul, all of our might and keeping His Torah, thereby shining His light to the world around us.
For, Hashem does not desire that we become like Him. He desires only that we love Him like a bride loves her husband and that we be His ezer: the perfect complimentary help-mate who will help our Ishi complete His will of righteous shalom on earth. In so doing, our actions can reveal Hashem and draw others close to Him without ever needing to be like Hashem in our entirety.
(Leviticus 10:4)
In Leviticus chapter 10 verse four after Nedab and Abihu were killed, Moshe calls forth Michael and Elzapha. These two priests were two sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron.
The two men (the two cousins of Aaron) were commanded to remove Aaron‘s sons from in front of the sanctuary and take them to a place outside of the camp. These instructions are much like the instructions for what is to be done with the remains of the sin offerings of the priests and of the community. The main difference is that the sons of Aaron are not turned to smoke. But by being removed from the community, Hashem proves that His word does not come back void. Even in death, Aaron‘s sons were cut off from the community.
(Leviticus 10:5)
In Leviticus chapter 10 verse five, we read that the cousins followed Moshe’s orders and carried Aaron’s sons out of the camp by their tunics.
This means that the cousins did not touch the flesh of Aaron’s sons. Since the sons had just been through the seven day consecration, they were still covered with the anointing oil. Like the flesh of animal offerings that are holy, and can make those that touch it Holy, the flesh of Aaron’s sons would likewise be holy.
The fact that the cousins did not touch the flesh of the two sons indicates they recognized and honored the above-stated truth. It also indicates that the priestly garments that were also consecrated in the seven day period we’re taken outside of the camp and left on the sons of Aaron. This too is because of holiness. If anyone were to touch these articles of clothing they would become holy. Thus the clothing needed to be removed from the camp along with the bodies of the two sons.
We can also understand from this that the cousins themselves had not been consecrated along with Aaron and his family. While priests who are not the High Priest could defile themselves for a close family member, the only family members included in this exception are: the priest's father, mother, brother, or unmarried sister (Leviticus 21:1-8). Other members, such as cousins, are excluded.
So, are we to conclude that the cousins had not been anointed as Priests as of this point in time? We do learn that eventually all of the Levites are consecrated and given to Aaron for the service of the Tabernacle (Numbers 8). Yet, perhaps this elevation of all Levites had not yet occurred since the cousins of Aaron's sons cared for Aaron's sons in death.
(Leviticus 10:7)
Indeed, in Leviticus chapter 10 verse seven we read that Moshe commands Aaron and his remaining sons to go into the tent of meeting and again stay there lest they die. Moshe commands that they remain inside of the tent because Hashem’s anointing oil was upon them.
The cousins are not given this command. Did they not yet have the anointing oil? Too, priests (especially the High Priest) cannot defile themselves with a corpse (Leviticus 21:1-8), hence the reason Aaron nor Moshe took the sons out of the camp.
We must remember that all of the events we have discussed thus far in this Parsha study occurred on the eighth day (or the day after the completion of the seven day consecration ceremony), which we learned about in Leviticus chapter 8.
During the seven days, Aaron and his sons were not to leave the tent unless they die. This command of Moshe is not necessarily clear, but it almost indicates that another seven day consecration period was ordained because of the sins of Aaron’s two dead sons. They also could have gone inside simply to receive their due meat portions from the sacrifices.
(Leviticus 10:8-11)
In the Leviticus chapter 10 verse eight through 11, Hashem then commands Aaron and his remaining sons not to drink any wine nor any other intoxicating liquor when they enter the tent of meeting.
This alcohol prohibition is because wine in the Torah can represent the wrath of Hashem (while in other places, wine is sweet and represents salvation). This wrath of Hashem can (and will)s cause reeling and death when the people sin and punishment needs to be meted out.
The priests are therefore to be sober, holy, and are not to do anything profane that would bring the wrath of Hashem nor cause the community to have to drink from Hashem‘s cup of wrath. Instead, the priests are to distinguish between sacred and secular, profane and clean and the unclean.
The fact that the cup of Hashem’s wrath was poured out on Aaron’s two sons lets us know that Aaron’s two sons failed to distinguish between sacred and secular, profane and clean, and therefore brought wrath into the tent of the Israelite people.
(Leviticus 10:11)
In Leviticus chapter 10, verse 11, we read that the priests are also to be sober because they have the duty of teaching all of the laws which Hashem has imparted to the Israelites through Moshe.
Thus we can infer that wine and other intoxicating liquors, cloud judgments and reason. For this reason, in the profits, such as Isaiah and Ezekiel, Hashem often warns against following priests, profits or leaders who prophesy and preach strong drinks for those are the leaders of a people gone astray.
Indeed in Torah, Hashem commands Jews to call a son or daughter who is gone astray, “a wine Bibbler,” whether he or she is a drunkard or not. This command of calling a wayward Israelite, a wine bibbler indicates that sin is the cause of wrath. Wrath we learned throughout Tanakh is often referred to as the cup of wine, or the cup of wrath, of Hashem.
Thus it is fitting that Moshe would command to the priests to stay sober, especially after the sins of Aaron’s two sons. As we’ve learned previously, the Levites have been chosen by Hashem to be the “ram in the bush” for the firstborns of all Israel. Therefore, when the priests sin it is as if the entire community is at fault. Therefore, it is especially important for the priests of Hashem to remain holy as their station requires and to perform teshuvah.
Am Yisrael Chai!
Kimberly Davis