Shemini

This week’s Torah portion is another one of those passages whose true significance can
only be seen by taking it back to the Hebrew language, being almost completely hidden
within the English! It is taken from Leviticus 9:1-11:47 titled Shemini/Eighth. It covers the
actual start of the duties of Aaron as he offers the offerings upon the eighth day (upon
completing the seven days of consecration). It is also within this passage, that we read of
the tragic ending of Nadab and Abihu. The parshah then closes out with laws concerning
kosher animals, a fitting close elaborating on the significance of clean and unclean, holy and
profane!

You can’t separate the events of this parshah with that of last week’s (Tzav). They go hand
in hand, this one building upon it. In last week’s notes, we looked at how we now become
the offerings talked about; we are to be living sacrifices. And we are commanded to keep
the fire burning upon the altar – the fire becomes the statement to YHVH that we are still
faithful to Him. The presence of the light marks us as part of His bride!

Leviticus 9:1
Pass: Strong’s #1961 hayah ‫ היה‬to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out; it
indicates that something has occurred or come about, something has happened to
someone, in the perfect form of the verb it can also refer to something coming to pass in the
future! Cognate of #1962 hayyah ‫ היה‬destruction or calamity
*1st reference of this word is Genesis 1:2 – “And the earth was/hayah without form and
void”.  The earth functioned as a womb as YHVH planted seed within it, so now as we
look at this term “hayah” it points towards the fact that something has happened (and it has
the potential to happen again in the future) to a particular individual bringing destruction
and calamity to the womb!
Further connecting these two passages, we see in Leviticus the statement “called
Aaron (light bringer)”. Called: Strong’s #7121 qara’ ‫ קרא‬to call, call out, recite,
read, proclaim; it’s the same term used in Genesis 1:5 – “And YHVH called/qara’ the
light (Aaron) day”. Day: Strong’s #3117 yowm ‫ יום‬day, time year; Word picture: ‫= י‬
He was, is, will be doing something ‫ = ו‬connector, represents the Messiah ‫ = ם‬closed
mem, represents the womb – virtuous womb  He (YHVH) by way of the Messiah
will make the womb virtuous!
To fix this womb YHVH calls the light, births the light in the earth! In Leviticus, we
see this same scenario being played out before us again, to fix the womb of the Bride
Aaron/light is called forth/proclaimed within her!

Eighth: Strong’s #8066 shemiyniy ‫ שמיני‬eighth, from #8082 shamen ‫ שמן‬fat, rich, robust;
from #8080 shaman ‫ שמן‬to be or become fat, grow fat, the overall picture one gets from
these terms is that of richness, strength, and fertility! It is upon this eighth day that the
bride is prepared to receive this light. She is made fertile!
 The number 8 is very significant and goes hand in hand with this thought process.
8 = ‫ ח‬fenced in protected place, letter of life/chai (the place of intimacy where she
will receive this light), this letter is composed of the letter Vav and Zayin
representing the Bride and Groom in unity becoming echad!
The gematria of “shemiyniy” = 410, the same as the name Ararat – the mountain where the
ark of Noah landed containing 8 people!
Ararat: Strong’s #780 ‘Ararat ‫ אררט‬the curse reversed, precipitation of curse
Landed upon the “mountains of Ararat” mountains: Strong’s #2022 har ‫ הר‬hill,
mountain, mount; cognate of #2029 harah ‫ הרה‬to conceive, become pregnant, bear,
be with child
*Ararat becomes the intimate place where the Bride conceives and becomes pregnant after
the curse upon her womb is reversed!

How does one prepare to encounter this light? We find it hinted at within the number 8 as
well! It is on the 8th day that one is to be circumcised! Leviticus 12:3 – “And in the eighth
day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.”

Foreskin: Strong’s #6190 ‘orlah ‫ ערלה‬foreskin, uncircumcised; from #6188 ‘arel ‫ ערל‬to
remain uncircumcised, count uncircumcised, count as foreskin
*’Orlah is a feminine noun! Word Picture: ‘or = light & ‫ = לה‬to her  By choosing to
circumcise, it brings light to her (the Bride)! The feminine gender of this noun hints
at who truly needs this – the Bride! This parshah becomes a shadow picture of the
circumcision of the Bride. It goes hand in hand with last week’s parshah (Tzav)
where we looked at Abraham and how he took the fire in his hand AND the knife
(representing circumcision)! Genesis 22:6 – “And Abraham took the wood of the
burnt offering, and laid [it] upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a
knife and they went both of them together.” Together: Strong’s #3162 yachad ‫יחד‬
union, unitedness, together, alike It is only by taking the knife and circumcising
ourselves that we become conformed into His image (becoming alike) and then
allowed to be united and joined in union with Him! Here we see the Bride taking the
knife as Nadab and Abihu are cut off  those who perverted the fire!

Circumcised: Strong’s #4135 muwl ‫ מול‬to circumcise, let oneself be circumcised, cut, be
cut off; it is the root of #4136 muwl ‫ מול‬in front of, before, in the presence of, it means in
the presence of someone especially YHVH; it also shares the same 3 letter root as #4138
mowledeth ‫ מולדת‬birth, offspring, origin (the end of this word forms the term dath
Strong’s #1881 ‫ דת‬decree, law, edict, regulation  Remember the gematria of knife – the
one used by Abraham – was the same as the phrase luchot eben/tablets of stone)
*By letting oneself be circumcised, it brings you in front of your Groom, into the
presence of YHVH, where something is birthed within you and His laws and decrees
are written upon you!

Nadab & Abihu

Leviticus 10:1-2

Nadab: Strong’s #5070 Nadab ‫ נדב‬generous, spontaneous, liberal; from #5068 nadab ‫נדב‬
to incite, impel, make willing, to offer oneself freely
2 letter root ned )#5067( ‫ נד‬heap, pile; 5 of the 6 times this term is used it refers
to water standing as a heap – Red Sea & Jordan River; from #5110 nuwd ‫ נוד‬to
shake, waver, wander, move to and fro, flutter, to be agitated, term used to describe
Cain as a “vagabond”.
Nadab represents a liberal individual who would incite/goad the people to offer
themselves freely to another husband causing them to become like Cain – a vagabond and
sent away from the presence of YHVH!

Abihu: Strong’s #30 ‘Abihuw’ ‫ אביהוא‬he is my father; from #1 ‘ab ‫ אב‬father, head or
founder of a household, ruler or chief, many times ‘ab is used as counselor or judge
(*remember that Nadab connected to the Jordan River  River of Judgment) & from #1931
huw’ ‫ הוא‬he, it, that
Notice that the end of Abihu’s name is very similar to the terms “tohu” and “bohu” –
translated as “without form and void” in Genesis 1:2 describing the state of the womb,
connecting together for us that this individual Abihu will cause the womb of the Bride to be
found in this same state again if not dealt with! She will be “tohu” and “bohu”! Jeremiah
4:23 – “I beheld the earth, and lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, they had
no light.” This state of the womb goes hand in hand with the absence of the light/Word of
YHVH. In other words the only way to get out of this state is by having the light proclaimed
to her just like in Genesis! Isaiah 55:11 – “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my
mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it
shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
Sent: Strong’s #7971 shalach ‫ שלח‬to send, send away, let go, to be divorced  He sends
His word/light to the void womb of the one who had been sent away and divorced and it
will not leave her in the same state which she was found!
*Tying these two names together (Nadab & Abhu) it paints the picture of an insolent
individual blatantly rebelling against YHVH and causing the people to do the same
before the Judge, causing them to cross the Jordan/River of Judgment in an
unworthy state, the results being they are made to wander!

It is no coincidence that directly after crossing the Jordan River in Joshua 5, Joshua is
commanded by YHVH to circumcise the children of Israel (Joshua 5:2 – “At that time YHVH
said unto Joshua, make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel.”) –
the same pattern seen here! Directly after Nadab and Abihu choose to cross this boundary,
YHVH circumcises the camp by cutting them off on the 8th day!

Strange: Strong’s #2114 zuwr ‫ זור‬to be strange, be a stranger, the basic meaning of this
word is to turn aside, to go astray or be wayward, used to describe one turning aside to a
strange woman/prostitute/harlot.
 Shares the same 2 letter root ‫ זר‬as zer ‫ – זרע‬seed! First YHVH shares with us the
importance of keeping the fire lit upon our altars, but this is not the end of the
instructions. Building upon this, we see now that not only are we to keep the fire
burning, but also there are requirements concerning the type of fire! It must be the
fire of the seed/Word of YHVH, not this strange fire that would cause one to play the
harlot, having strange seed within them!
*The term strange “zuwr” has a similar sound as the word for “sharp” (sharp knives Joshua
was commanded to use). Sharp: Strong’s #6697 tsuwr ‫ צור‬rocky, cliff, rock  The same
term used to describe the rock that was struck to bring forth living waters! When one plays
the harlot, you don’t know the tsuwr/the living rock who brought forth living waters. And
the only way to know Him is by taking the sharp knife!

This strange fire was taken upon their censers: Strong’s #4289 machtah ‫ מחתה‬fire-holder,
censer, firepan, snuff dish, tray, an implement or vessel in which burning coals are taken
away and carried; from #4288 mechittah destruction, ruin, terror, a breaking; from #2846
chathah ‫ חתה‬to take hold of, seize, take away, pile up, snatch up (coals).
*Gematria of machtah = 453, same as “nephesh chayah” – breath of life! The very
vessel that should have held the breath of life/light of YHVH instead now brings
destruction and terror because of the wrong seed and the wrong fire! The very fire
that was meant to cleanse the womb and show the Bride’s commitment to her
Groom, now condemns her as the harlot and judges her (the punishment of playing
the harlot if one was the daughter of a priest was to be burned with fire!).

An interesting command is given to Aaron and his sons upon the death of these two that
helps us to understand the statement their actions made to YHVH.
Leviticus 10:6
Uncover: Strong’s #6544 para’ ‫ פרע‬to let go, let loose, ignore, let alone, term that describes
the letting down of the hair/uncovering the head of the adulterous woman in Numbers 5 as
she prepares to partake of the bitter waters.

Rend: Strong’s #6533 param ‫ פרם‬to tear, rend garment, to rip; used only 3 times (twice
concerning the prohibition of rending the Priestly garments) once as a command
concerning a leper who must rend his garments (he must also uncover/para’ his head) –
Lev. 13:45

Wrath: Strong’s #7107 qatsaph ‫ קצף‬to be displeased, to be angry, fret oneself, be wroth;
cognate of #7110 qetseph ‫ קצף‬wrath, anger, word refers to anger aroused by someone’s
failure to do a duty – for example it describes a wife who showed contempt to her husband
by not doing her duties.

Not only do these commands inform us of how Aaron was to conduct himself during this
time, but they also give us insight into exactly what type of sin was committed by Nadab
and Abihu! They played the adulterous woman, allowing their head to be uncovered/hair
let down. In the process, they became as one infected with leprosy (sin), hence the reason
they had to be put out from the presence of YHVH and the camp of Israel! Their actions
caused the wrath of YHVH because they chose to be adulterous instead of fulfilling the
duties of the Bride unto Him. And today, as the Bride, this is exactly how we are prohibited
to behave! By doing so, we as well will incur the wrath of our Groom!

*The word sin in Hebrew paints a very power word picture that goes hand in hand with
what we have just looked at: Sin: Strong’s #2398 chata’ ‫ חטא‬to sin, miss, miss the way, go
wrong, incur guilt; within the 2 letter ‫ חט‬we are give the word picture of ‫( ח‬fenced off,
intimate place) ‫( ט‬inverted letter picturing a perverted womb) = sin is one coming into the
intimate place with a perverted womb!

The Solution

Leviticus 10:2 – “And Aaron held his peace”

The solution to this compromised position of the Bride is solved 2 ways, by the
circumcision of her flesh (cutting off of Nadab and Abihu) which would bring the light to
her – and the arrival of this light!
Aaron: Strong’s #175 ‘Aharown ‫ אהרון‬light bringer
Cognate of #727 ‘arown ‫ ארון‬chest, ark (Ark of the Covenant), his name has the
added letter HEY = breath; becomes a picture of the Messiah, the light bringer who
would come as the living breath of YHVH encased in the ark, offering the Bride the
nephesh chayah! *Remember that the temple was built in the form of a man laid out
on the earth. The Ark of the Covenant represents the nose. Aaron then represents
the temple man/Messiah who has had the breath of life breathed into Him!

Peace: Strong’s #1826 damam ‫ דמם‬to be silent, still, wait, to die

‫ = דמ‬dam – blood (#1111)
‫ = ם‬womb (closed womb – virtuous womb)
From this we see that the Messiah would die, shedding his blood/dam, to cause the Bride
who had been compromised to be made virtuous again! Just like the pattern shown in
Genesis when the light is birthed into the womb that had been devastated!

In closing, it is interesting to note that this is the 26th Torah portion of the year. 26 is the
gematria of the divine name YHVH ‫ יהוה‬reminding us of who we belong to and to whom
our fires should be burning! The Tabernacle was built for the purpose of meeting with
Him, not for offering strange fire. And so with the understanding that now our own bodies
have become His tabernacle, we heed the warnings given to Aaron keeping ourselves
virtuous and allowing the knife of His Torah to cut off and circumcise in order to bring His
light to us!!