Weekly Torah Lesson
Parasha: Shemini – Eighth
Torah: vaYikra 9:1 – 11:47
** This week’s lesson could be one of the most important concepts found in the Torah. I will attempt to show you some of the different ways that the Torah has been applied in the past in order to give you a better idea of how to apply it to your life today.
The issue of these first verses is how the “Ark of the Covenant” is to be transported. Here is what the Torah states:
*** ““You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, that the ark may be carried by them.” (Ex 25:14 )
** In the book of Shemot we learn that the only way that the Ark can be moved is that it must be carried on the shoulders of the priests.
** As this next passage begins, the Philistines have captured the Ark from Israel and attempted to keep it in the pagan temple of Dagon, one of several Philistine idols. While the Ark was in this temple, the statue of Dagon kept falling over and breaking. Then the people were struck with two plagues. The first plague was hemorrhoids and the second was an infestation of rats. The Philistines finally figured out the cause of their maladies and decided that the Ark had to go back to Israel. Here is how the Scriptures describes the event.
*** “1 Now the ark of Avinu was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of Avinu? Tell us how we should send it to its place.” 3 So they said, “If you send away the ark of the Elohim of Israel, do not send it empty; but by all means return it to Him with a trespass offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you.” 4 Then they said, “What is the trespass offering which we shall return to Him?” They answered, “Five golden tumors and five golden rats, according to the number of the leaders of the Philistines. For the same plague was on all of you and on your leaders. 5 “Therefore you shall make images of your tumors and images of your rats that ravage the land, and you shall give glory to Avinu of Israel; perhaps He will lighten His hand from you, from your demon idols, and from your land. 6 “Why then do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He did mighty things among them, did they not let the people go, that they might depart? 7 “Now therefore, make a new cart, take two milk cows which have never been yoked, and hitch the cows to the cart; and take their calves home, away from them. 8 “Then take the ark of Avinu and set it on the cart; and put the articles of gold which you are returning to Him as a trespass offering in a chest by its side. Then send it away, and let it go. 9 “And watch: if it goes up the road to its own territory, to Beth Shemesh, then He has done us this great evil. But if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that struck us — it happened to us by chance.” 10 Then the men did so; they took two milk cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. 11 And they set the ark of Avinu on the cart, and the chest with the gold rats and the images of their tumors. 12 Then the cows headed straight for the road to Beth Shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right hand or the left. And the leaders of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh. 13 Now the people of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it. 14 Then the cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there; a large stone was there. So they split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to Avinu. 15 The Levites took down the ark of Avinu and the chest that was with it, in which were the articles of gold, and put them on the large stone. Then the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices the same day to Avinu.” (1Sa 6:1-15 )
** Notice that the Philistines who handled the Ark were not punished. The Torah concerning the moving of the Ark didn’t apply to them. When the Ark came into Israel, the Levites (had to be priests) were summoned to remove the Ark from the wagon.
** The next passage picks up the story about twenty years later.
*** 1 Again David gathered all the choice men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah to bring up from there the ark of Avinu, whose name is called by the Name,Avinu Tzaviot, who dwells between the cherubim. 3 So they set the ark of Avinu on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.
** Using a cart, old or new, is a clear violation of the Torah. Also, the lineage of Uzzah and Ahio isn’t mentioned.
*** 4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of Avinu; and Ahio went before the ark. 5 Then David and all the house of Israel played music before Avinu on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals. 6 And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of Avinu and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 Then the anger of Avinu was aroused against Uzzah, and Avinu struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of Avinu. 8 And David became angry because of Avinu’s outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day. 9 David was afraid of Avinu that day; and he said, “How can the ark of Avinu come to me?” 10 So David would not move the ark of Avinu with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11 The ark of Avinu remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And Avinu blessed Obed-Edom and all his household. 12 Now it was told King David, saying, “Avinu has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark ofAvinu.” So David went and brought up the ark of Avinu from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness. 13 And so it was, when bearing the ark of Avinu had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep. 14 Then David danced before Avinu with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Avinu with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.” (2Sa 6:1-15 )
** It looks like David has learned his lesson.
** Here is another example of “sloppy execution of the Torah”.
*** “1 Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before Avinu, which He had not commanded them. 2 So fire went out from Avinu and devoured them, and they died before Avinu. 3 And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what Avinu spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.’ ” So Aaron held his peace.” (Le 10:1-3 )
** Here is the final example which shows a different ending than the previous examples.
*** “16 Then Moses made careful inquiry about the goat of the sin offering, and there it was — burned up. And he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying, 17 “Why have you not eaten the sin offering in a holy place, since it is most holy, and Avinu has given it to you to bear the guilt of the congregation, to make atonement for them before Avinu? 18 “See! Its blood was not brought inside the holy place; indeed you should have eaten it in a holy place, as I commanded.” 19 And Aaron said to Moses, “Look, this day they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before Avinu, and such things have befallen me! If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been accepted in the sight of Avinu?” 20 So when Moses heard that, he was content.” (Le 10:16-20 )
** Moses assumed that Avinu’s instruction that the priests eat their designated portions of the day’s sacrifices applied to all the sacrifices of the day, while Aaron assumed that it applied only to the special sacrifices that were offered up on this day. When Moses saw that Aaron and his sons had not eaten their portions of one of the regular sacrifices, he demanded an explanation. When Aaron explained his perspective, Moses accepted Aaron’s violation of the Torah.
The Absolute vs. the Relative
Aaron said to Moses, “If I had eaten a [regular] sin-offering today, would it have pleased Avinu?” Leviticus 10:19
Moses’ and Aaron’s perspectives on the difference between the special sacrifices of the day and those that would be offered up on a regular basis reflect their emphases in our relationship with Avinu. Moses was devoted to transmitting Avinu’s Torah to the people, whereas Aaron was devoted to elevating the people to the Torah.
The Torah is unchanging truth, whereas human beings are constantly changing. Moses saw the Torah’s truth as being uniformly applicable in all situations, whereas effectively. Aaron saw that a one-time sacrifice is different than one that would be offered up regularly, that Avinu’s truth can be reflected differently in different contexts.
In our own lives, we must meld Moses’ and Aaron’s perspectives. For ourselves, we must be like Moses, devoted to the Torah’s absolute and unchanging truth. When interacting with others, we, like Aaron, must take into account their moods and inclinations, drawing them closer to the Torah through forgiving love.
We see that there are two standards to Torah application. A more restrictive application for ourselves and a more lenient application for our brother.
Here is what Shaul teaches,
“1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for Avinu has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for Avinu is able to make him stand. 5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to Avinu; and he who does not observe the day, to Avinu he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to Avinu, for he gives Avinu thanks; and he who does not eat, to Avinu he does not eat, and gives Avinu thanks. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to Avinu; and if we die, we die to Avinu. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are Avinu’s. 9 For to this end Meshiach died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Meshiach. 11 For it is written: “As I live, says Avinu, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to Avinu.” 12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to Avinu. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way. 14 I know and am convinced by Avinu Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Meshiach died. 16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of Avinu is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Meshiach in these things is acceptable to Avinu and approved by men. 19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20 Do not destroy the work of Avinu for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before Avinu. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.” (Ro 14:1-23 )
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