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Shemini
Friday, March 21, 2014 / "-"

Candle Lighting: 7:21 Havdala: 8:22

Note: The Halachic times listed here are from www.myzmanim.com.

We Are Family!
By Mordechai Blau, 9 th Grade
In this week's Parashah, Parashat Shemini, Moshe tells Aharon to come to the Mizbaech to begin the Avodah in the Mishkan. This is quite puzzling. Why would Moshe need to encourage Ahar on to come to the Mizbaech if he has been preparing for a long time to perform this task? Rashi answers this question by saying that Moshe needed to encourage Aharon, because he was embarrassed. Traditionally, this is further explained by noting that Aharon was involved with the Cheit HaEgel and didn't feel comfortable doing the work in the Mishkan. According to this explanation, the Passuk is telling us a beautiful lesson about Moshe's reassuring his brother and the fact that Aharon was forgiven. Page 1 of 5 A Fuchs Mizrachi Stark High School Publication There also may be another approach to this dilemma. It could be that Aharon wanted to respect Moshe, because before Aharon started working in the Mishkan, Moshe was doing the Avodah. Aharon knew how much this meant to his brother and was hesitant to take this job away from him, even though it was rightfully Aharon's role. In the end both Moshe and Aharon showed greatness and sensitivity towards their siblings. Aharon's greatness was his hesitation and Moshe's greatness was his insistence that his brother fulfill his destiny. We should learn to show the same support and thoughtfulness for our family and friends. Imagine how much greater the world would be!

Moving Forward
By Zach Zlatin, 11
th

" three time defending champions, the New York Yankees in the 2001 World Series. In this weeks Parashah, after seven days of the inauguration of the Mishkan, Aharon and his sons begin to officiate as Kohanim. This inaugural day, the day that the whole nation has been waiting for has finally come. Extreme effort has gone into its building and a feeling of accomplishment can be felt throughout the nation. Bnei Yisrael have worked on the Mishkan for so long and have longed for the start of the offering of Korbanot. The day finally arrived. After seven days of inauguration, today is the first day that the Kohanim will be able to offer Korbanot. Just like Arizona was a baseball loving state and needed a baseball team, Bnei Yisrael loved and needed a Mishkan to serve Hashem. Through hard work and dedication Arizona was granted a team, and Bnei Yisrael had finished the Mishkan. But Bnei Yisrael and the Arizona Diamondbacks both had a hard beginning. To prepare Bnei Yisrael to witness the Divine Presence that will descend onto the Mishkan, Aharon offers various sacrifices. After the offerings, Aharon and then both Aharon and Moshe bless the people. Following which, the Divine Presence visibly descends onto the Mishkan. The Divine Presence in the form of a heavenly fire, comes down and consumes the offerings on the Altar. Nadav and Avihu, Aharon's two eldest sons, bring an unauthorized incense offering. Nadav and Avihu are then consumed by the heavenly fire. This crazy taking of life comes to show us that we should follow Hashem's commandments.

Grade

The day was March 31, 1998. The first game of the inaugural season for the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was midday and it was time for the game to get underway. The baseball was handed to Andy Benes, as Jeff Munn, the public address announcer, bellowed his name. He took the five-ounce ball and held it in his hand. He rotated it over and over feeling each of the 108 stitches that held the cover in place. He could hear the cheers from his friends and family as he began his slow walk from home plate to the pitcher's mound. He stood at the base of the pitcher's mound and looked into the stands. All around him were 50,179 fans watching intently, waiting for him to throw to the plate. "This is the first pitch of the first game of the first season for this team". The thought hadn't hit him yet. He went into his windup, his arm came down as the baseball rolled off his fingers. The thousands of fans watched as the ball zoomed towards the plate. Ball. The first pitch of this historic season was a called ball. Doubts on this new expansion team, let alone this season were created just with this single pitch. It would all depend on this batter to give hope to this baseball loving state. Again, Andy Benes went through his windup and threw the ball. This pitch was hit right up the middle for a single. More uncertainties began to grow. Luckily, Andy Benes forced three groundouts to end the inning. The first inning of the first game didn't seem so bad. After a long and difficult beginning, the Arizona Diamondbacks went just 65 and 97 their first season, finishing last in their division. Surprisingly, 3 years later, this team defeated the

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After this affair, Bnei Yisrael were still able to succeed in being a holy nation and serving Hashem in the Mishkan for many years. We can learn from Bnei Yisraels beginning with the Mishkan and the Diamondbacks quick improvement that even if we fail once, it doesnt mean we should stop trying to reach our goals. Chet Nadav and Avihu was a failure, however, it didnt hold Bnei Yisrael back from worshipping

" Hashem in the Mishkan in the future. We cant ever give up!

What Was Nadav and Avihus Sin?

By Netanel Afek
The tragic death of Nadav and Avihu, Aharons sons, the high-priest-to-be and the second in command, was devastating to the Nation. It was too shocking to take in, the pain too much to endure. Amidst the grief and shock one question pierced the air: What did they do that deserved immediate Death? Many commentators have dealt with this question for centuries. The riddle the Torah put in place is not as easily solved as it may seem. Lets go over the basic facts and try to see if the story can make sense. It was the eighth, and final day of Milluim. This is the day that Hashem promised He will come down into the Mishkan Bnei Yisrael built. This is the day when G-d would forgive the sin of Golden Calf and rest His Presence within them. Moshe and Aharon just finished offering all the sacrifices, Aharon blessed the Nation [Birkat Kohanim according to Rashi and the Pshat in Bamidbar Ch. 6] and finally, a fire came down from Heaven: Nadav and Avihu take their fire pans, put their own fire in them, add Ketoret and offer that to G-d, while Hashem said nothing about bringing any of this. Their punishment is harsh and swift: .' , ; ,' . It is interesting to note that a very similar language is used with consuming Bnei Yisraels offerings and consuming Nadav and Avihu. ; - - , - ,' , . - , - . The entire nation sees the Heavenly fire consuming their offerings. This is the strongest and most imminent presence of G-d in our world as can be seen in many other stories in Tanach1. At this point we read the following: , , - . , -- ,' ; , .

See also Shoftim 6:21, Shoftim 13:20, Melachim 1 18:38 and more.

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" Rashbam learns from this that the two happened at exactly the same time, and the same fire that consumed the offerings consumed Nadav and Avihu. But what specific action was so bad? The commentators offered different approaches: offered an outside fire, did something they werent commanded, entered the Mishkan drunk [based on Smichut Parshiyot], taught in front of their Rebbi, and more. Its difficult to decide because we are dealing with incredibly holy people, and with a case in which the Torah intentionally didnt explicitly tell us what they did, rather told the story in its own unique way. I want to take a different approach I learnt from Rabbi Yonatan Grossman in Gush. In the ones closest to me I shall become Why did Nadav and Avihu bring the Ketoret? Because they saw G-d once, and knew that none can see Him and live. In Shemot 24:10 the Torah describes how Nadav, Avihu and 70 elders see a revelation of G-d. They are overrun with joy and immediately offer Shlamim to share the joy with others. After that, it is difficult for anyone to imagine that others who werent in the same occasion would be able to see G-d as well. What they were not aware of, however, is that the entire Nation saw G-d as fire on top of Har Sinai [Shemot 24:17]. One of the characteristics of the Ketoret is serving as a shield, cloud, or a mystifier between us and G-d. That can be seen in Yom Kippur when the high priest can only go into Kodesh Hakodashim with Ketoret, and in Korachs plague when Aharon had to shield Bnei Yisrael from the deathly presence of G-d amongst them. This teaches us a powerful message. Even though the book of Vayikra deals with Korbanot and the Mishkan, it is definitely not just a book for Kohanim. We are all a Nation of Priests and have the power to get close to Hashem if we want to. We should all seize that opportunity and let nothing get in our way. holy true, the Kohanim and the leaders are the ones who can sanctify my name, but in front of the entire nation I shall reveal my Kavod the glory of G-d, the presence of the Shechina as it appears in a consuming fire, can and should be seen by everyone. The entire Chiddush of the eighth day of Milluim was that the entire nation should see G-d, and not like Nadav and Avihu thought, only by the ones closest to him. As Nadav and Avihu were trying to shield off the Nation from seeing G-d on that very special day, they made one big mistake: the fire of G-d, the revelation to human beings, isnt meant just for Kohanim. As they ran to cover the revealing fire, to shield G-d from Bnei Yisraels gaze or to shield Bnei Yisrael from the powerful presence of G-d, the fire overcame them and they were consumed. This approach analyzes their sin based on G-ds words that are quoted in Moshes comfort to Aharon: , ' - , - , - -

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Shabbat Table Discussion Questions:

By Avi Hartstone, 10 t h Grade
1. 2. 3. Why did Moshe have to tell Aharon that his job is to atone for the nation- shouldn't he know by now? (9: 7) Why would Nadav and Avihu offer incense offerings with strange fire if they weren't commanded to? (10:1) Why does Hashem give Aharon the prohibition of drinking as a Kohen right after his two sons deaths? (10:8-11) Why is it necessary for the Torah to call Elazar and Itamar the remaining sons after it had already listed their names? Shouldnt we know who his remaining sons are since it told us which ones died? (10:12) Why are the laws of Kashrut juxtaposed to Chet Nadav VAvihu? (11:1 - 47)
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