Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship for a two-part look at parsha “Shmini,” Leviticus chapters 9 through 11.

The Erev Shabbat (Friday evening) reading begins with the story of the “eighth [shmini] day” and the events leading to the deaths of Aaron’s two eldest sons. And it completes with the instruction of what is “food,” and what is not.

The confluence certainly suggests there is a connection, regardless of what we may have been told by many who, “by your traditions, make the commandments of YHVH of no effect.”

The Erev Shabbat reading:

As seems to be so often the case, the Torah portion story this week has a relevance to current events that demonstrates the timelessness of the message, as the lawless claim that “no one is above the law,” has become a sick joke.

Mark notes that there has been much discussion over the centuries of why “Aaron kept his peace,” or remained silent, after the death of his two oldest sons, Nadab and Abihu. One of the explanations might be that he realized, after the ‘golden calf,’ that he, himself, had arguably deserved, but been spared, a similar fate.

So, why those two? What did they really do? Even though Scripture explicitly tells us, questions remain.

Because, “to whom much is given, much is expected.”

The combined two-part reading and Sabbath midrash: