Parsha Q&A - Shmini
Parshas Shmini
For the week ending 24 Nissan 5756; 12 & 13 April 1996
Parsha Questions
Answers | Contents- On which date was the Mishkan permanently established?
- Which of Aaron's Korbanos atoned for the sin of the golden calf?
- What two Korbanos did Aaron offer for himself?
- What Korbanos did Aaron offer for the Jewish People?
- What was unique about the Chatass that was offered during the induction of the Mishkan?
- When did Aaron bless the Jewish People with the Birkas Kohanim?
- Why did Moshe go into the Ohel Mo'ed with Aaron?
- Why did Nadav and Avihu die?
- Aaron quietly accepted the deaths of Nadav and Avihu. What reward did he receive for doing so?
- What is one forbidden to do while being intoxicated?
- Name the three Chatass goat offerings that were sacrificed on the day of the inauguration of the Mishkan.
- Which he-goat Chatass did Aaron burn completely, and why?
- Why did Hashem choose Moshe, Aaron, Elazar, and Isamar as His messengers to tell the Jewish People the laws of Kashrus?
- How did the Jewish People know which animals were permissible to eat?
- What are the signs of a kosher land animal?
- How many non-kosher animals display only one sign of Kashrus? What are they?
- What are the signs of kosher fish?
- If a fish sheds its fins and scales when out of the water is it kosher?
- Why is a stork called chasida in Hebrew?
- The chagav is a kosher insect. Why don't we eat it?
 Answer Contents |
During the inauguration of the Mishkan, Aaron was commanded
to bring an Eigel - calf - for himself and a second Eigel
for the Jewish People. Both of these were offered to atone
for the sin of the golden calf.
Why did Aaron bring an Eigel as a Chatass - sin offering - for himself, while for the Jewish People he offered an Eigel as an Olah - burnt offering? |
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I Did Not Know That!
When King Ptolmy placed seventy-two elders into separate houses to translate the Torah into Greek, they each miraculously made certain changes in the translation. For example, the Torah (Vayikra 11:6) lists the arneves (hare) among the non-Kosher animals. The elders called it "the short-legged animal", because King Ptolmy's wife was named Arneves.
Recommended Reading List
- Ramban
- 9:17
- Relation of Miluim and Shmini Korbanos to Tamid
- 10:15
- Heaving and Waving
- Sefer Hachinuch
- 149
- Dignity in the House of Hashem
- 150
- Respect for the Service
Answers to this Week's Questions
Questions | ContentsAll references are to the verses and Rashi's commentary, unless otherwise stated
- 9:1 - On the 1st of Nissan.
- 9:2 - The calf offered as a Korban Chatass.
- 9:2 - A calf as a Chatass and a ram for an Olah.
- 9:3,4 - A he-goat as a Chatass, a calf and a lamb for an Olah, an ox and a ram for Shlamim, and a Minchah.
- 9:11 - It's the only example of a Chatass offered on the courtyard Mizbe'ach that was burned.
- 9:22 - When he finished offering the Korbanos, before descending from the Mizbe'ach.
- 9:23 - For one of two reasons: Either to teach Aaron about the service of the incense, or to pray for the Shechina to dwell with Israel.
- 10:2 - For one of two reasons: Either because they decided a law in Moshe's presence, or because they entered the Mishkan after drinking intoxicating wine.
- 10:3 - A portion of the Torah was given solely through Aaron.
- 10:9-11 - One may not give a halachic ruling. Also, a Kohen is forbidden to enter the Ohel Mo'ed, approach the Mizbe'ach, or perform the avoda (sacrificial service).
- 10:16 - The goat offerings of the inauguration ceremony, of Rosh Chodesh, and of Nachshon ben Aminadav.
- 10:16 - The Rosh Chodesh Chatass - either because it became tamei, or because the Kohanim were forbidden to eat from it while in the state of aninus (mourning).
- 11:2 - Because they had all accepted the deaths of Nadav and Avihu in silence.
- 11:2 - Moshe showed them the various animals and pointed out which were permissible to eat and which were not.
- 11:3 - An animal whose hoofs are completely split and who chews its cud.
- 11:4,5,6,7 - Four: Camel, shafan, arneves (hare), and pig.
- 11:9 - Fins and scales.
- 11:12 - Yes.
- 11:19 - Because it acts with chesed (kindness) toward other storks regarding food.
- 11:21 - We have lost the tradition and are not able to identify the kosher chagav.
 Question Contents | Aaron's transgression was one of action since
he performed an action which resulted in the creation of the golden
calf. The atonement for a sin done by action is a Chatass.
The Jewish People's sin, on the other hand, was one of thought,
in that their hearts were drawn after the Eigel. The atonement
for a sin committed by thought is an Olah. |
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Written and Compiled by Rabbi Eliyahu Kane
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
Production Design: Lev Seltzer
HTML Design: Michael Treblow
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