26. Sh’mini

Parasha 26: Sh’mini

Leviticus 9:1–11:47 (LEB)

Worship at the Tent of Assembly

9 Then on the eighth day Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and Israel’s elders, ² and he said to Aaron, “Take for yourself _⌊a bull calf_⌋ as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering, without defect, and present them _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh. ³ Then you must speak to the _⌊Israelites_⌋, saying, ‘Take _⌊a he-goat_⌋ as a sin offering and a bull calf and a male sheep, _⌊yearlings_⌋ without defect, as a burnt offering, ⁴ and an ox and a ram as fellowship offerings to sacrifice _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh, and a grain offering mixed with oil, because today Yahweh will appear to you.” ⁵ So they took what Moses had commanded to the _⌊front of_⌋ the tent of assembly, and the whole community presented themselves, and they stood _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh.

⁶ Then Moses said, “This is the word that Yahweh commanded you to do _⌊so that_⌋ the glory of Yahweh might appear to you.” ⁷ Then Moses said to Aaron, “Approach the altar and _⌊sacrifice_⌋ your sin offering and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the people. And _⌊sacrifice_⌋ the people’s offering and make atonement for them, just as Yahweh has commanded.”

⁸ Then Aaron approached the altar, and he slaughtered the bull calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. ⁹ Then Aaron’s sons presented the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood, and he put it on the altar’s horns, and he poured out the blood on the altar’s base. ¹⁰ And the fat and the kidneys and the lobe _⌊from the sin offering’s liver_⌋ he turned into smoke on the altar, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses, ¹¹ but the meat and the skin he burned _⌊with fire_{⌋ ⌊}outside the camp_⌋.

¹² Then he slaughtered the burnt offering, and Aaron’s sons brought the blood to him, and he sprinkled it on the altar all around; ¹³ and they brought the burnt offering to him by its pieces, as well as the head, and he turned them into smoke on the altar; ¹⁴ and he washed the inner parts and the lower leg bones, then he turned them into smoke upon the burnt offering on the altar.

¹⁵ Then he presented the people’s offering, and he took the goat of the sin offering, which was for the people, and he slaughtered it and offered it as a sin offering like the first one. ¹⁶ Then he presented the burnt offering, and he _⌊sacrificed_⌋ it according to the regulation. ¹⁷ Then he presented the grain offering, and he filled his palm _⌊with some of_⌋ it, and he turned it into smoke on the altar besides the morning’s burnt offering. ¹⁸ Then he slaughtered the ox and the ram, the fellowship offerings that are for the people, and Aaron’s sons brought the blood to him, and he sprinkled it on the altar all around. ¹⁹ And as for the fat portions from the ox and from the ram (the fat tail and the layer of fat and the kidneys and the lobe of the liver), ²⁰ they placed the fat portions on the breast sections, and he turned the fat portions into smoke on the altar. ²¹ Then Aaron waved the breast sections and the right upper thigh as a wave offering _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh, just as Moses had commanded.

²² Then Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, and he blessed them, and he came down _⌊after_{⌋ ⌊}sacrificing_⌋ the sin offering and the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings. ²³ Then Moses and Aaron entered the tent of assembly. When they came out, they blessed the people, and Yahweh’s glory appeared to all the people. ²⁴ Then a fire went out _⌊from before_⌋ Yahweh, and it consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And all the people saw it, so they shouted for joy, and they fell on their faces.

The Deaths of Nadab and Abihu

10 And Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took his censer, and they put fire in them and placed incense on it; then they presented _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh illegitimate fire, which he had not commanded them. ² So fire went out _⌊from before_⌋ Yahweh, and it consumed them so that they died _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh. ³ Therefore Moses said to Aaron, “This is what Yahweh spoke, saying, ‘Among those who are close to me I will show myself holy, and _⌊in the presence of_⌋ all the people I will display my glory.’ ” So Aaron was silent.

⁴ Then Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan the sons of Uzziel, Aaron’s uncle, and he said to them, “Come forward. Carry your brothers from _⌊the front of_⌋ the sanctuary to _⌊outside the camp_⌋.” ⁵ So they came forward, and they carried them _⌊outside the camp_⌋ in their tunics, just as Moses had ordered.

⁶ Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “You must not let your hair hang loosely, and you must not tear your garments, so that you will not die and he will be angry with all the community. But your brothers, all the house of Israel, may weep because of _⌊the burning that Yahweh caused_⌋, ⁷ but you must not go out from the entrance to the tent of assembly lest you die, because Yahweh’s anointing oil is on you.” So they did according to Moses’ word.

Lasting Statutes

⁸ Then Yahweh spoke to Aaron, saying, ⁹ “You and your sons with you may not drink wine or strong drink when you come to the tent of assembly, so that you will not die—it is a lasting statute for your generations— ¹⁰ and to distinguish between the holy and the unholy, as well as between the unclean and the clean, ¹¹ and to teach the _⌊Israelites_⌋ all the rules that Yahweh has spoken to them _⌊through_⌋ Moses.”

¹² Then Moses spoke to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “As for the remaining parts, take the remainder of the grain offering from Yahweh’s offerings made by fire and eat it, the unleavened bread, beside the altar, because it is _⌊a most holy thing_⌋. ¹³ And you shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your allotted portion and the allotted portion of your sons from Yahweh’s offerings made by fire, for so I have been commanded. ¹⁴ And the wave offering’s breast section and the upper thigh of the contribution offering you must eat in a clean place, you and your sons and your daughters with you, because they are given as your allotted portion and your sons’ allotted portion from the sacrifices of the _⌊Israelites_⌋’ fellowship offerings. ¹⁵ They must bring the thigh of the contribution offering and the breast section of the wave offering in addition to the offerings made by fire, consisting of the fat portions, to wave as a wave offering _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh; and it will be for you and for your sons with you as a lasting rule, just as Yahweh had commanded.”

The Problem of the Uneaten Sin Offering

¹⁶ Then Moses sought all over for the goat of the sin offering and behold, it was burned up. So he was angry with Aaron’s remaining sons Eleazar and Ithamar, saying, ¹⁷ “Why did you not eat the sin offering on the sanctuary’s site, because it is _⌊a most holy thing_⌋? And he gave it to you to remove the community’s guilt, to make atonement for them _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh. ¹⁸ Look, its blood was not brought _⌊inside the sanctuary_⌋. Certainly you should have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.”

¹⁹ So Aaron said to Moses, “Look, today they presented their sin offering and their burnt offering _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh, and things such as these have happened to me, and if I were to eat a sin offering today, would it have been good in Yahweh’s eyes?” ²⁰ When Moses heard, it was good in his eyes.

Clean and Unclean Animals

11 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them, ² “Speak to the _⌊Israelites_⌋, saying, ‘These are the animals that you may eat from all the animals that are on the land: ³ Any among the animals that has a divided hoof and has a split cleft in the hoof and that chews cud, such you may eat. ⁴ However, these you may not eat from those that chew the cud and from those that have a divided hoof: the camel, because it is a chewer of cud but it does not have a hoof that is divided—it is unclean for you; ⁵ and the coney, because it is a chewer of cud but it does not have a hoof that is divided—it is unclean for you; ⁶ and the hare, because it is a chewer of cud but it does not have a hoof that is divided—it is unclean for you; ⁷ and the pig, because it has a divided hoof and has a split cleft in the hoof but it does not chew cud—it is unclean for you. ⁸ You must not eat from their meat, and you must not touch their dead body—they are unclean for you.

⁹ “ ‘These you may eat from all that are in the water: any in the water that has a fin and scales, whether in the seas or in the streams—such you may eat. ¹⁰ But any that does not have a fin and scales, whether in the seas or in the streams, _⌊among_⌋ all the water’s swarmers among all the living creatures that are in the water—they are a detestable thing to you. ¹¹ And they shall be detestable to you; you must not eat from their meat, and you must detest their dead body. ¹² Any that does not have a fin and scales in the water—it is a detestable thing to you.

¹³ “ ‘And these you must detest from the birds; they must not be eaten—they are detestable: the eagle and the vulture and the short-toed eagle, ¹⁴ and the red kite and the black kite according to its kind, ¹⁵ every crow according to its kind, ¹⁶ and _⌊the ostrich_⌋ and the short-eared owl and the seagull and the hawk according to its kind, ¹⁷ and the little owl and the cormorant and the great owl, ¹⁸ and the barn owl and the desert owl and the carrion vulture, ¹⁹ and the stork, the heron according to its kind and the hoopoe and the bat.

²⁰ “ ‘Any _⌊winged insect_⌋ that walks on all fours is detestable to you. ²¹ Only this may you eat from any of _⌊the winged insects_⌋ that walk on all fours—that which has jointed legs above its feet for leaping upon the land. ²² _⌊From these_⌋ you may eat the locust according to its kind and the bald locust according to its kind and the cricket according to its kind and the grasshopper according to its kind. ²³ But any other _⌊winged insect_⌋ that has four legs is detestable to you. ²⁴ And by these you shall become unclean—anyone who touches their dead body shall become unclean until the evening, ²⁵ and anyone who carries their dead body must wash his garments, and he shall be unclean until the evening.

²⁶ “ ‘With regard to any animal that has a divided hoof but does not split the hoof, or does not have a cud for chewing—they are unclean for you; anyone who touches them shall become unclean. ²⁷ And anything that walks upon its paws among any of the animals that walks on all fours—they are unclean for you; anyone who touches their dead body shall become unclean until the evening, ²⁸ and the one who carries their dead body must wash his garments, and he shall be unclean until the evening—they are unclean for you.

²⁹ “ ‘And these are the unclean for you among the swarmers that swarm on the land: the weasel and the mouse and the thorn-tailed lizard according to its kind, ³⁰ and the gecko and the land crocodile and the lizard and the sand lizard and the chameleon. ³¹ These are the unclean for you among all the swarmers; anyone who touches them at their death shall become unclean until the evening. ³² And anything on which _⌊one of them_⌋ falls at their death shall become unclean: any object of wood or garment or skin or sackcloth—any object that has performed work—must be placed in water, and it shall be unclean until the evening, and then it shall be clean. ³³ And any clay vessel into which _⌊one of them_⌋ falls, all that is in it shall become unclean, and you must break it. ³⁴ Any of the food that could be eaten on which water from such a vessel comes shall become unclean, and any liquid that could be drunk in any such vessel shall become unclean. ³⁵ And anything on which _⌊one of their dead bodies_⌋ falls shall become unclean: an oven or a stove must be broken—they are unclean and shall be unclean for you. ³⁶ Surely a spring or a cistern collecting water shall be clean, but that which touches their dead body shall become unclean. ³⁷ And when _⌊one of their dead bodies_⌋ falls on any _⌊seed for sowing_⌋, it is clean. ³⁸ But when water is put on the seed and _⌊one of their dead bodies_⌋ falls on it, it is unclean for you.

³⁹ “ ‘And when _⌊one of the animals_⌋ dies that is for you to eat, the one who touches its dead body shall become unclean until the evening. ⁴⁰ And the one who eats _⌊some of_⌋ its dead body must wash his garments, and he shall be unclean until the evening; and the one who carries its dead body must wash his garments, and he shall be unclean until the evening.

⁴¹ “ ‘And any swarmer that swarms on the land is detestable; it must not be eaten. ⁴² You must not eat anything that moves upon its belly or that walks on all fours, even any with numerous feet belonging to any swarmer that swarms on the land, because they are detestable. ⁴³ You must not defile yourselves with any swarmer that swarms, and you must not make yourselves unclean by them and so be made unclean by them, ⁴⁴ because I am Yahweh your God, and you must keep yourselves sanctified, so that you shall be holy, because I am holy. And you must not make yourselves unclean with any swarmer that moves along on the land, ⁴⁵ because I am Yahweh, who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be for you as God. Thus you shall be holy, because I am holy.

⁴⁶ “ ‘This is the regulation of the animals and the birds and all living creatures that move along in the water and _⌊concerning_⌋ all the creatures that swarm on the land, ⁴⁷ to distinguish between the unclean and the clean and between the animal that is to be eaten and the animal that must not be eaten.’ ”

PROPHETS

2 Samuel 6:1–7:17 (LEB)

David Brings the Ark of Yahweh to Jerusalem

6 David again gathered all the chosen men in Israel, thirty thousand. ² David got up and went and all the people who were with him, from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God which is called the name, the name of Yahweh of hosts, _⌊upon which the cherubim sit_⌋. ³ They loaded the ark of God on a new utility cart, and they carried it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Now Uzza and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new utility cart along. ⁴ So they brought it out from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill with the ark of God, and Ahio was going before the ark. ⁵ Now David and all the house of Israel were dancing before Yahweh, with all kinds of musical instruments made from ash trees, and with zithers, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals. ⁶ When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzza reached out to the ark of God and took hold of it, because the oxen had stumbled. ⁷ _⌊Then the anger of Yahweh was kindled_⌋ against Uzza, and God struck him down there because of the indiscretion, and he died there beside the ark of God. ⁸ _⌊David was angry_⌋ because Yahweh had burst out against Uzza, and he called that place Perez-Uzza until this day. ⁹ But David feared Yahweh on that day and said, “How can the ark of Yahweh come to me?” ¹⁰ However, David was not willing to bring the ark of Yahweh to himself, to the city of David, so David caused it to turn to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. ¹¹ So the ark of Yahweh remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and Yahweh blessed Obed-Edom and all his household.

¹² It was told to King David, “Yahweh has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and all that is his because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the city of David with jubilation. ¹³ It happened that when the carriers of the ark of Yahweh had marched six steps that he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. ¹⁴ Now David was dancing with all his might before Yahweh, and David was wearing a linen ephod. ¹⁵ So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of Yahweh with shouts of joyful acclaim and with the sound of the trumpet. ¹⁶ It happened that when the ark of Yahweh came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked down through the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before Yahweh, and she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷ They brought the ark of Yahweh and set it in its place in the middle of the tent which David had pitched for it. Then David offered up burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in the presence of Yahweh. ¹⁸ When David had finished from the sacrificing of the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of hosts. ¹⁹ Then he distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, from man to woman, to each: one ring-shaped piece of bread, one cake of dates, and one cake of raisins; and all the people went each to his house.

²⁰ When David returned to bless his household, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David. She said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today _⌊by uncovering himself_⌋ before the eyes of the maids of his servants, _⌊as the total exposure of a worthless one_⌋.” ²¹ So David said to Michal, “In the presence of Yahweh who chose me _⌊over_⌋ your father and _⌊over_⌋ his household, to appoint me as leader over the people of Yahweh, over Israel, I have celebrated before Yahweh. ²² I will demean myself again more than this, and I will be abased in my eyes, but with the maids whom you mentioned, with them I will be honored.” ²³ So for Michal the daughter of Saul, she had no child until the day of her death.

Yahweh Makes a Covenant with David

7 It happened that the king settled in his house. (Now Yahweh had given rest to him from all his enemies all around.) ² And the king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, please, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God is staying in the middle of the tent.” ³ Nathan said to the king, “Go and do all that is in your heart, for Yahweh is with you.” ⁴ But it happened _⌊that night_⌋, the word of Yahweh came to Nathan, saying, ⁵ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says Yahweh: “Are you the one to build for me a house for my dwelling? ⁶ For I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought up the _⌊Israelites_⌋ from Egypt until this day; rather, I was going about in a tent and in a tabernacle. ⁷ In all of my going about among all the _⌊Israelites_⌋, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, ‘Why did you not build me a cedar house?’ ” ’ ⁸ So then, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “I took you from the pasture _⌊from following_⌋ the sheep to be a leader over my people, over Israel, ⁹ and I have been with you _⌊everywhere you went_⌋. I have cut off all of your enemies from in front of you, and I will make a great name for you, as the name of the great ones who are on the earth. ¹⁰ I will make a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them so that they can dwell _⌊in their own place_⌋. They will not tremble any longer, and the children of wickedness will not afflict them again, as in the former days. ¹¹ _⌊In the manner that_⌋ I appointed judges over my people Israel, I will give you rest from all your enemies. And Yahweh declares to you that Yahweh will build a house for you. ¹² When your days are full and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you who will go out from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³ He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ¹⁴ I will be a father to him, and he will be a son for me, whom I will punish when he does wrong, with a rod of men and with blows of _⌊human beings_⌋. ¹⁵ But my loyal love shall not depart from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before you; your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”

David Responds to Yahweh’s Covenant

¹⁷ According to all these words and according to all this vision, this Nathan spoke to David.

GOSPEL

Matthew 3:1–17 (LEB)

John the Baptist Begins His Ministry

3 Now in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the Judean wilderness ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!” ³ For this is the one who was spoken about by the prophet Isaiah, saying,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight.’ ”

⁴ Now John himself had his clothing made from camel’s hair and a belt made of leather around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan were going out to him, ⁶ and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they* confessed their sins.

⁷ But when he* saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance! ⁹ And do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! ¹⁰ Already now the ax is positioned at the root of the trees; therefore every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹ I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who comes after me is more powerful than I am, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹² His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the storehouse, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John in order to be baptized by him. ¹⁴ But John tried to prevent* him, saying, “_⌊I need_⌋ to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” ¹⁵ But Jesus answered and* said to him, “Permit it now, for in this way it is right for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted him. ¹⁶ Now after he* was baptized, Jesus immediately went up from the water, and behold, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove coming upon him. ¹⁷ And behold, there was a voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Mark 7:1–23 (LEB)

Human Traditions and God’s Commandments

7 And the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered to him. ² And they saw that some of his disciples were eating their bread with unclean—that is, unwashed—hands. ³ (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands _⌊ritually_⌋, thus* holding fast to the traditions of the elders. ⁴ And when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions* which they have received and* hold fast to—for example, the washing of cups and pitchers and bronze kettles and dining couches.) ⁵ And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unclean hands?” ⁶ So he said to them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written,

‘This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far, far away from me.

⁷ And they worship me in vain,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

⁸ Abandoning the commandment of God, you hold fast to the tradition of men.”

⁹ And he said to them, “You splendidly ignore the commandment of God so that you can keep your tradition. ¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘The one who speaks evil of father or mother _⌊must certainly die_⌋.’ ¹¹ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or to his mother, “Whatever _⌊benefit you would have received_⌋ from me is corban” (that is, a gift to God), ¹² you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother, ¹³ thus* making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down, and you do many similar things such as this.”

Defilement from Within

¹⁴ And summoning the crowd again, he said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: ¹⁵ There is nothing outside of a person that is able to defile him by* going into him. But the things that go out of a person are the things that defile a person.” ¹⁷ And when he entered into the house away from the crowd, his disciples asked him about the parable. ¹⁸ And he said to them, “So are you also without understanding? Do you not understand that everything that is outside that goes into a person is not able to defile him? ¹⁹ For it does not enter into his heart but into his stomach, and goes out into the latrine”—thus* declaring all foods clean. ²⁰ And he said, “What comes out of a person, that defiles a person. ²¹ For from within, from the heart of people, come evil plans, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, ²² adulteries, acts of greed, malicious deeds, deceit, licentiousness, _⌊envy_⌋, abusive speech, pride, foolishness. ²³ All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”