Crash Cards for Shemini (5762)

by Marc Mangel

• Moses orders Aaron and sons to offer sacrifices 8 days after their anointment.  Nadal and Avihu offer incense not commanded by God and are consumed. The first version of Kashrut is given by God.

• Something that is more obscure is in Ch 10, v 16-20: Moses is angry that Aaron and his other  sons were not eating the purification offering.

• Aaron says:  I am onen — ritually impure in mourning for my sons in Sheol — would HaShem approve of me eating the offering?

• Moses relents and says: Do what you know is right, even if the leader tells you otherwise.

•We learn two things from these passages:  First that anger can cause poor judgment even in a great leader. Second: A great leader admits mistakes