Parsha Shmini: Leviticus 9:1-11:47

The phrase esh zarah (strange fire) appears in Leviticus 10:1, marking one of the most abrupt and severe transitions in the Torah. After the celebratory inauguration of the Tabernacle, Nadab and Abihu, the eldest sons of Aaron, take their censers and offer an unauthorized incense offering.

The text states they offered "strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them." This act resulted in their immediate death by a divine fire. To understand the gravity of this event, one must analyze the specific nature of this "strange fire" through the lens of Talmudic and Midrashic interpretation, which seeks to identify the exact halakhic (legal) or moral breach committed.

Linguistic and Textual Foundations

The Hebrew term zarah comes from the root Z-R-H, typically used to denote something foreign, alien, or outside of a prescribed boundary. In the context of the Sanctuary, anything zar is that which lacks the necessary sanctification or authorization.…

Parsha Shmini: Day 5

(Leviticus 10:16-20)

(Leviticus 10:16)

In Leviticus chapter 10, verse 16 Moshe asks about the goat of the sin offering, which he commanded to be brought in Leviticus chapter 9 verse three.

As we learned earlier, the male goat is the sin offering for The Chieftains, not an individual Israelite, which would be a female goat or a female lamb. This we can learn about in Leviticus chapter 4, verse 22 through 26.

Moshe discovers upon his asking that the sin offering had already been burned. Moshe gets very upset and we might wonder what the problem is.

Leviticus 10:16-20

וְאֵ֣ת ׀ שְׂעִ֣יר הַֽחַטָּ֗את דָּרֹ֥שׁ דָּרַ֛שׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְהִנֵּ֣ה שֹׂרָ֑ף וַ֠יִּקְצֹ֠ף עַל־אֶלְעָזָ֤ר וְעַל־אִֽיתָמָר֙ בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֔ן הַנּוֹתָרִ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר׃

16 And Moses diligently inquired for the goat of the sin-offering, and, behold, it was burnt; and he was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron that were left, saying:

מַדּ֗וּעַ לֹֽא־אֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־הַחַטָּאת֙ בִּמְק֣וֹם הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ כִּ֛י קֹ֥דֶשׁ קׇֽדָשִׁ֖ים הִ֑וא וְאֹתָ֣הּ ׀ נָתַ֣ן לָכֶ֗ם לָשֵׂאת֙ אֶת־עֲוֺ֣ן הָעֵדָ֔ה לְכַפֵּ֥ר עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃

17 ’Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin-offering in the place of the sanctuary, seeing it is most holy, and He hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?

הֵ֚ן לֹא־הוּבָ֣א אֶת־דָּמָ֔הּ אֶל־הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ פְּנִ֑ימָה אָכ֨וֹל תֹּאכְל֥וּ אֹתָ֛הּ בַּקֹּ֖דֶשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוֵּֽיתִי׃