Parashas Shemini

Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Shemini and this Parsha starts out on the Eighth day after the Seven days of the Inauguration period , for the Mishkan , and it was on this day , the First of Nissan , that Aharon would now take over permanently , as Kohein Gadol , after Moshe officiated , the past seven days . The Haftorah for this section is II Shmuel 6 : 1 - 7 : 17 and also deals with how the Ark would be brought to the holy city of Yerushalaim and also the tragedy of Uzzah , just as the tragedy of Aharon's two sons Nadav and Avihu . Aharon was reluctant to take up the position of Kohein Gadol , still feeling unworthy and bad for the incident of the golden calf , but Moshe assured him that this is What HaShem Wants , for him to be Kohein Gadol . Aharon also felt uncomfortable because as he approached the Mizbeach - The Altar , he saw a vision of a calf , thus reminding him of the Chait Ha Eigel . Some of our Sages mention that this vision was the negative force , trying to keep him from serving HaShem , while other Sages feel that it was a vision of what korban would be needed to be brought to start his service . No doubt , he was to bring a young bull for a Chatas - Sin Offering and a ram for an Elevation Offering unblemished , thus to atone first for his part in the Chait Ha Eigel . A man who is to bring Korbanos - Offerings ( where the word ' Karov ' - Closeness ' is within the word " Korbanos " ) and help atone for others , must first cleanse himself . A man who is set to bring Closeness between HaShem and the People , must first take that step of rectifying to bring his own closeness to HaShem , himself . Also to be brought on that first day , to do with the Children of Israel , was to be brought , a he-goat for a Chatas Sin Offering and a calf and sheep for a Peace Offering , so that Atonement could be brought for what the brothers did to Yosef long ago , where they dipped his tunic into goat's blood . The Temple Altar was to bring closeness between HaShem and the Children of Israel , and so that starts with peace among our people , and thus the sin of what was done between brothers , in our people , had to be atoned for , so Peace could be between HaShem and us . 
The Sedra continues with the Offerings and after all had been done for this Inauguration , Moshe and Aharon still waited for HaShem's Fire to Descend , but it didn't . Aharon Blessed the people . Aharon felt it was because of him , that HaShem's Fire Did Not Yet Descend , and Aharon asked Moshe why he was put in the position of Kohein Gadol , if he and his work wasn't accepted . Moshe and Aharon both fell on their faces to HaShem and only when both brothers entreated HaShem , did HaShem's Fire Descend from Before HaShem , and Consume the Elevation Offerings and the fats , on the Mizbeach Altar . Thus showing us that we are to work equally with our fellow Jews in Serving HaShem , Within Creation . The people had much rejoicing , feeling that now HaShem Had Forgiven them for the Chait Ha Eigel , and that now HaShem Would Again , Be In our midst . 
On this day of such great joy , tragedy happened . The Parsha starts out with the words " Vayehi Bayom , " which often in Torah starts out a sad happening . We see this in Bereishis 14:1 , where Avraham is about to go to war against the kings . We see these words also at the beginning of the book of Ruth , just before the famine . We also see these words in the Book of Esther , when introducing Achashveiros and we see it here in this Parsha , which describes the tragic event of the death of Aharon's two sons Nadav and Avihu . 
Aharon's two sons were very holy . In fact all of Aharon's sons were holy . Nadav and Avihu were of great stature and we see this even within their names , for within Nadav's name is the word ' Nedivus ' - which refers to his honorable rank and within Avihu's name is the name ' Av ' like a father of his people . The only thing these two sons of Aharon lacked a bit was the necessary humility . They both boldly decided on their own at the same time , each on their own thoughts , to take their fire-pans , wthout an order from HaShem , or checking with their Rebbe Moshe or their Father Aharon first , and they put their own fire in them , thus discounting HaShem's Fire on the Mizbeach , and they placed Ketores Incense upon them and thus brought an alien fire , discounting HaShem's Fire , on the Mizbeach . They also never wore the Me'iI , which had bells at the bottom , put there for when entering the Holy Place , so the Angels within , would know to leave , thus they entered unprotected , into a Place Frequented by holy beings . A Fire Came Forth From HaShem and Consumed them and they died before HaShem . In mentioning their actions , I already mentioned a few of the wrong things that they did , but there was more . At an earlier time , at Har Sinai , when the Elders stood up higher on the Mountain , when HaShem Came Down , both Nadav and Avihu , yearning for closeness with HaShem , stood higher too , on the Mountain , thus not displaying the necessary humility . HaShem Already then , Had Set them to die , but held out , as at that time , it was not the time to bring tragedy to such a joyous and holy event as HaShem Meeting His people . So their punishment was held out till now , at the time that started the Temple service , the time where Atoning would take place . Also , at the time , of the Chait Ha Eigel , HaShem Was Angry with Aharon , even though he didn't fashion the calf with his own hands and even though he said to the people , " A festival for HaShem Tomorrow , " thus faithfully believing in HaShem and that Moshe would return , HaShem Still Felt Upset with Aharon and told Moshe that He Would remove all his sons , Sending Out Destructive Angels to do this . Moshe Pleaded for his brother and his brother's sons and so HaShem Relented and Agreed To Keep two of Aharon's sons alive . Moshe continued to pray and hoped HaShem Might Relent . But when Nadav and Avihu again did not display the needed and correct humility , and brought their own fire , even though HaShem's fire was already a fact on the Mizbeach , HaShem Punished them by Fire Consuming them .
Aharon was silent . Our Sages debated how this was so , that Aharon could remain silent at such a sad event , at the death of two of his sons . Aharon , being the Kohein Gadol , had to live by certain Laws , even though in mourning , and this included his remaining sons Elazar and Ithamar . But within , Aharon felt the turmoil and self - blame , for he blamed himself and his actions at the Chait Ha Eigel , for his two sons having to die . Even though HaShem Had not Said it was for that reason , Aharon himself felt guilty and blamed himself . Aharon within , questioned the reason for this happening , and HaShem Answered Him in Love , and HaShem Compassionately Let Aharon Know , that Nadav and Avihu , were now in a position they so desired to be , close to HaShem , for Torah States , " I Will Be Sanctified Through those who are nearest Me . " Thus Aharon was silent , seeing From HaShem , that his beloved sons Nadav and Avihu , were very holy and were now ' nearest HaShem . " 
Moshe , summoned Aharon's cousins Mishael and Elzaphan and had them remove the bodies of Nadav and Avihu , with metal rods , for they could not enter The Place of Holiness . 
Because Aharon kept silent , and accepted HaShem's Judgement , HaShem Rewarded Aharon And Spoke to Aharon Directly , that no intoxicating wine was to be drunk when he or his sons come into the Ohel Mo'ed - The Tent of Meeting , lest they die , for Nadav and Avihu , had drunk more than the permitted Revi'is of Wine , before they had entered , another Aveirah that they had done . We read the portion in Acharei Mos , on Yom Kippur , which refers to the death of Aharon's two sons , for the death of the Righteous , can atone for the People . The Torah Continues with instructions of more Offerings .
A dispute occured between Moshe and Aharon , where Moshe questioned why his sons had totally burnt the Rosh Chodesh Offering , instead of partaking of part of it , for Moshe assumed they didn't partake of the offering , because they were onnanim. mourners . Aharon told Moshe that seeing as this was an Inauguration day , it was to be totally burnt and Moshe agreed with him .
The Parsha then focuses on one of our Holiest Laws . That of Kashrus . Kashrus keeps us separate from others , and also guards us from intermixing and thus losing our Jewishness , Chas Ve Shalom . HaShem Commands that only animals that have a totally split hoof right through and that chew the cud , are Kosher . We note that domestic animals and not wild animals are Kosher , for HaShem Wants To Instill In us , a quietude and not a wildness , within our characrters . HaShem Mentions that there are only four animals , that either display one or the other trait , and these four animals are the camel , the hyrax , the hare and the pig ( the pig being like Amalek Edom , that holds up its outer show , its feet - hands to show it might look Kosher , but inside , not chewing the cud , it is totally un Kosher - totally Treifah ) . Scientists once did a check World-wide to try and find if there were any other animals besides these , that displayed one or the other trait , and came to the conclusions , that in the whole World , only these four had one or the other trait . Only HaShem , Who Knows What the trait of any animal is , Could Have Known such a fact , to only Write these four animals , and no other . 
HaShem Then Tells us which Fish are Kosher . Those that have Fins and Scales in the water , in the seas and in the streams . 
HaShem Then Instructs on which Birds are Kosher and Gives us a list of the wild birds , that kill , and thus such traits are not Kosher . Torah Mentions the wild birds that are not Kosher , for the list that are Kosher , would be more . 
HaShem Then Instructs on the Insects that are and are not , And Continues To Teach About other creatures too and contamination , on things touching their carcasses . 
For we are to be a holy people unto The L-RD our G-D , Sanctifying ourselves and becoming holy , For HaShem Is Holy . For it Is HaShem , Who Elevates us from the land of Egypt , that HaShem Is G-D Unto us , And As HaShem Says , " you shall be holy , For I Am Holy . ". So ends the Parsha . 
This Parsha is called " Shemini , " which means " Eighth . " 
This was the final Eighth day , after the preparations of setting up and dismantling the Mishkan every day for the seven preparation days , before-hand , when on the Eighth day , on the First of Nissan , the Mishkan was finally set up to and for Aharon the Kohein Gadol to Do his Avodas HaShem .
The Number Eight , in Judaism , has always referred to Holiness . We are , right now , between Pesach and Shavuos , busy every evening counting the Omer . We count 49 days , which is Seven weeks and then , the day after , that Fiftieth day ( like the Seven years of Shemittah Sabbatical Years and Seven of them counted , makes the next year , that Fifiteth Year , a Yovel Jubilee Year ) , like that supposed - Eighth Day ( that day or year after the Sevens ) , is Shavuot , which was the Holy day on which HaShem Came Down On Har Sinai and Gave us His Beautiful Torah , thus it was and so is the number Eight , a day of Revelation . Between Pesach , after we left Mitzrayim Egypt , a place lowest in Spiritual Purity , a place highest in Spiritual degradation , we needed these Seven Weeks and 49 days ( like the 49 Levels / Gates of Holiness that exist that Moshe climbed ) , to spiritually better ourselves and purify ourselves , as we headed toward the Holy Day of Shavuos , on which we would receive HaShem's Revelation , on that Fiftieth day ( the day after the sevens - which is as the Eighth Day ) , and so , we would have , by then , purified ourselves and climbed Spiritually , to meet HaShem . It is also on the Eighth day , that a Jewish boy is to be given a Bris , Circumcision , to come into the Covenant of HaShem . This is such a Holy Mitzvah , that it is even done on Shabbos , if that turns out to be the Eighth day . Adam Ha Rishon , Was Created circumcised , as HaShem Wants it , and thus this Eighth Day , is a Sweet Continuation , of how it was to be , at the beginning of Creation , for had Adam Ve Chava not sinned , then after that first Shabbos , life and all things would have been Eternal , and Close to and In the Arms Of HaShem . That day after the Shabbos Day , would have been the Eighth Day from Creation's Beginning . The Eternal Shabbos . 
Moshiach , as I have mentioned before , has a Gematriah of Seven , and is to come , if we haven't become worthy yet , at the end of the 6000 years ( 6093 to be exact ) , which matches being at the ' Day in Creation ' of that ' Sixth Day of Creation . ' And after that ( like in the period after ' 6 ' , which is ' 7 , ' Mashiach is to come . Thus the period of Moshiach , is as the period of Sevens . The Spiritual Time that will come after that , is as the Spiritual Time , of the " Eights . " Thus the Spiritual Time of this ' Eight - Period , ' is to be a time of Revelation of HaShem , that Comes After the coming of Mashiach . The Day of the Final Inauguration , at the End of Days , is thus related to this Inauguration in our Parsha , which also took place on the " Shemini " - " Eighth " Day . The Day of HaShem's Revelation . 
Within the word " Shemini " are the words ' Shemi Ni , ' which , in reference to HaShem , would mean ' My Name ( HaShem ) Is My Thanks . ' Thus within this Final Eighth Day , will be HaShem's Revelation and our true and proper Appreciation and Thanks for What HaShem Did , Does and has Always Done , which , at the End of Days , we will truly understand all that HaShem Has Done and Why He Did the Things He Did , and We will then , truly appreciate all HaShem Did , for then we will understand the meaning of what had to be . It will be then , that we will truly appreciate HaShem and His Total Goodness and realize how appreciative and thankful , we should have always been . We can't now fully understand existence . But at the End of Days , we will understnd better and realize how much we should have been thankful to HaShem .
It is so important to thank and bless HaShem . We don't realize how important it is . If we would all Acknowledge and Thank HaShem Only , that alone could bring on the End of Days . It is so important to say our Brochas and Thanks to HaShem every day , every moment and all the time . That ' Thanking of HaShem ' as I mentioned earlier , is within that number " Shemini " - " Eighth , " and thus a pathway to bring HaShem's Revelation . We must always Thank and Bless HaShem . We must always Appreciate HaShem . We must always Follow HaShem Only . That Will Bring in that Final Eighth Day - that Final " Shemini , " that Final Calling of Moshiach , to usher in the End Of Days and the Sweet Closeness of HaShem's Revelation , to Finally live within HaShem's Closest Love and Care .
I wish HaShem With Forever and Sweet and Special and Deepest Love Always , A Very Sweet And Beautiful And Special Shabbos Kodesh With Forever Love , and to all my fellow Jews and all of Creation , a Very Sweet and Beautiful And Special Shabbos Kodesh With Love .