The final section of Parashat Shemini deals with the laws of Kashrut –permitted and prohibited foods. It lists the characteristics of kosher animals, birds, fish, and locusts. The section concludes:

ויקרא יא

(מה) כִּ֣י | אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה הַמַּֽעֲלֶ֤ה אֶתְכֶם֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִֽהְיֹ֥ת לָכֶ֖ם לֵֽאלֹהִ֑ים וִֽהְיִיתֶ֣ם קְדשִׁ֔ים כִּ֥י קָד֖וֹשׁ אָֽנִי: (מו) זֹ֣את תּוֹרַ֤ת הַבְּהֵמָה֙ וְהָע֔וֹף וְכֹל֙ נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַֽחַיָּ֔ה הָֽרֹמֶ֖שֶׂת בַּמָּ֑יִם וּלְכָל־נֶ֖פֶשׁ הַשֹּׁרֶ֥צֶת עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ: (מז) לְהַבְדִּ֕יל בֵּ֥ין הַטָּמֵ֖א וּבֵ֣ין הַטָּהֹ֑ר וּבֵ֤ין הַֽחַיָּה֙ הַנֶּֽאֱכֶ֔לֶת וּבֵין֙ הַֽחַיָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֥א תֵֽאָכֵֽל:

Vayikra 11

(45( For I am the Lord Who has brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God. Thus, you shall be holy, because I am holy. (46) This is the law regarding animals, birds, all living creatures that move in water and all creatures that creep on the ground. (47) to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, and between the animal that may be eaten and the animal that may not be eaten.

What is the connection between the laws of forbidden foods and the exodus from Egypt? The Rav raises this question, noting that there must be a unifying idea determining when the Torah invokes the exodus. He suggests the following:

Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik - “The Plague of the Firstborn”

What is forbidden here is overindulgence in satisfying human corporeal needs and drives; these mitzvot belong to the category of discipline of the body and its sanctification. Judaism does not reject the body. The body is a part of man, and so is the spirit, the soul. But the body should not be that of a savage; it should be a disciplined body, one capable of refraining and retreating from certain actions that promise much corporeal pleasure. The body must be sanctified and elevated. Both forbidden foods and forbidden sexual activities come under one caption in Maimonides' code: the Book of Holiness, Kedushah.

I will tell you frankly that it is easy to go into a synagogue and pray for an hour with sincerity and dedication. But it is very difficult to discipline one's body. Nonetheless, Judaism is interested in taking physiological functions stemming from natural, spontaneous, primitive drives in man and converting them into a service of the Almighty, into avodah. "In all your ways, know Him" (Prov. 3:6). Find Him not only when you are in synagogue on Yom Kippur for neilah; find Him when you are in your office, your dining room, your bedroom, in public and in private life. This is the meaning of "Do not follow the ways of the land of Egypt" (Lev. 18:3). (p.137)

The Rav explains that our exodus from Egypt is mentioned when concepts of kedusha –holiness are referenced. Egypt was a pagan and pleasure-seeking society. The phrase הַֽמַּעֲלֶה אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם literally means “who elevated you from the land of Egypt” (Shemot 11:45). The Rav notes the immense challenge of exerting self-control over one’s body. But this is nonetheless required of us and is a form of avodah –service. We must express our unique mission and the Torah’s high standards for man in all aspects of our lives.

Perhaps Parashat Shemini draws our attention to the fact that discipline in the religious sphere is also a challenge:

ויקרא י

(א) וַיִּקְח֣וּ בְנֵֽי־אַ֠הֲרֹ֠ן נָדָ֨ב וַאֲבִיה֜וּא אִ֣ישׁ מַחְתָּת֗וֹ וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ בָהֵן֙ אֵ֔שׁ וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ עָלֶ֖יהָ קְטֹ֑רֶת וַיַּקְרִ֜יבוּ לִפְנֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ אֵ֣שׁ זָרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹ֦א צִוָּ֖ה אֹתָֽם׃ (ב) וַתֵּ֥צֵא אֵ֛שׁ מִלִּפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה וַתֹּ֣אכַל אוֹתָ֑ם וַיָּמֻ֖תוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:

Vayikra 10

(1) And Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his pan, put fire in them, and placed incense upon it, and they brought before the Lord foreign fire, which He had not commanded them. (2) And fire went forth from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.

In the prior chapter of Parshat Shemini, the episode of the inauguration of the Mishkan –the tabernacle is recorded. During the opening service, two of Aharon’s sons bring a “strange fire which was not commanded of them.” A fire descends and consumes them. What precisely was their error that deserved such a severe reaction?

טור הפירוש הקצר ויקרא י:א

אשר – לא צוה. אין לומר לא צוה להביא אש זרה וגם לא צוה שלא להביאו אלא פירוש אשר צווי של לא. צוה אותם. וכן לכל צבא השמים אשר לא צויתי.

Commentary of Yaakov ben Asher (Baal haTurim)

That was – not commanded. It is not saying that they were not commanded to bring a strange fire, nor were they not commanded to bring it [at all]. Rather, the explanation (of the error) is that the commandment for this was not [given]. And similarly, “or any of the hosts of the heavens of which I have not commanded” (Devarim 17:3).

The Tur focuses on the words “which He had not commanded them.” It is superfluous to say they were not commanded to bring a strange fire. And it was not the case that they were not commanded to bring anything at all. Their error was not that they disobeyed a specific command. Rather, their error was that they operated in the absence of any command.

Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch - Commentary on Vayikra 10:1

Offerings of one's own devising would be a subversion of that very truth which the offering is intended to represent. Such offerings would glorify personal caprice instead of obedience to God and acceptance of the yoke of His commandments.

Now we understand the death of Aharon's sons. Their death at the time of the first dedication of the Sanctuary is a warning to all future Kohanim. It bars all arbitrariness, all personal caprice, from the precincts of the Sanctuary, whose whole purpose is to be a Sanctuary for the Torah! In Judaism the priest's function is not to introduce innovations in the Service, but to carry out God's command.

The human being is capable of elevation. The Mishkan –the tabernacle was designed to establish a space for man to pursue this Divine objective. But elevating man requires the recognition of a code of conduct outside of his own creation. Proper avodah –service cannot simply be an expression of his own biological urges or spiritual whims. He must exercise discipline in the realm of the physical and the spiritual. True kedushah –holiness is achieved only in concert with a Divine imperative, consistent with Torah’s high regard for man and his moral and spiritual capabilities.

References

Hirsch, R. S. R. (2008). Hirsch Chumash: Sefer Shemos. Jerusalem - New York: Feldheim Publishers.

Rosenberg, A. (1980). A new English translation of the Hebrew Bible text and Rashi, with a commentary digest. New York: Judaica Press. Retrieved from: https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/

Soloveitchik, J. D. (2006). Festival of freedom: Essays on Pesah and the Haggadah. New York: KTAV Publ. House.

Tur –Jacob Ben Asher. (1998). Perush ha-Tur hashalem: al ha-torah. Yerushalayim: Defus Horeb. Retrieved from: https://mg.alhatorah.org/Full/Vayikra/10.1#e0n6