This week’s parashat is the 3rd parashat in the book of Vayikra also called Leviticus, and is called Shemini which means ‘Eighth’.
Bullet Point Summary
– On the 8th day Moshe tells Aharon the offerings to make so the glory of YHWH will appear
– Aharon and his sons offer the calf for their sin offering
– Aharon and his sons offer the ram for their burnt offering
– Aharon offers the peoples goat for a sin offering
– Aharon offers the peoples calf and lamb for their burnt offering
– The special minkha for the 8th day consecration was burnt upon the altar
– Aharon and his sons offered the bullock and the ram for the people’s peace offering
– Aharon waved the breast and right shoulder of the peace offering before YHWH
– Aharon and Moshe blessed the people and the glory of YHWH appeared
– Fire came out from before YHWH and consumed the offerings
– Nadav and Avihu offered incense and strange fire to YHWH and YHWH devoured them with fire
– The bodies were carried outside the camp and Aharon and his sons were told not to grieve
– Aharon and his sons are told not to drink wine or strong drink when serving in the tabernacle
– Moshe tells Aharon and his sons to take the portions of the offerings that are theirs and eat them
– Moshe asks Aharon and his sons why they didn’t eat the goat of the sin offering
– The laws of clean and unclean animals are given
– The laws of clean and unclean water creatures are given
– The laws of clean and unclean birds are given
– The laws of clean and unclean creeping things and other animals are given
– The laws of touching unclean carcasses are given
– You shall not defile yourselves with unclean things but you shall be holy as YHWH is holy
– Haftarah – Dawid learns to fear YHWH and yet serve him without hesitation.
Parashat Text with Readers and Daily Portions (Reader 1 Starts on Saturday Evening)
Shemini “Eighth”
Leviticus 9:1 – 11:47 , 2 Samuel 6:1 – 7:17
Reader 1 (Saturday Evening Portion)
Lev 9:1 And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moshe called Aharon and his sons, and
the elders of Yisra’el;
Lev 9:2 And he said unto Aharon, Take you a young calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a
burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before YHWH.
Lev 9:3 And unto the children of Yisra’el you shall speak, saying, Take you a kid of the goats
for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt
offering;
Lev 9:4 Also a bullock and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before YHWH; and a
minkha mingled with oil: for today YHWH will appear unto you.
Lev 9:5 And they brought * that which Moshe commanded before the tabernacle of the
congregation: and all the congregation drew near and stood before YHWH.
Lev 9:6 And Moshe said, This is the thing which YHWH commanded that you should do:
and the glory of YHWH shall appear unto you.
Lev 9:7 And Moshe said unto Aharon, Go unto the altar, and offer your sin offering, and
your burnt offering, and make an atonement for yourself, and for the people: and offer * the
offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as YHWH commanded.
Lev 9:8 Aharon therefore went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin offering, which
was for himself.
Lev 9:9 And the sons of Aharon brought * the blood unto him: and he dipped his finger in
the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of
the altar:
Lev 9:10 But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin offering, he
burnt upon the altar; as YHWH commanded * Moshe.
Lev 9:11 And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire outside the camp.
(Sunday Morning Portion)
Lev 9:12 And he slew * the burnt offering; and Aharon’s sons presented unto him * the
blood, which he sprinkled round about upon the altar.
Lev 9:13 And they presented the burnt offering unto him, with the pieces thereof, and the
head: and he burnt them upon the altar.
Lev 9:14 And he did wash * the inwards and the legs, and burnt them upon the burnt
offering on the altar.
Lev 9:15 And he brought * the people’s offering, and took * the goat, which was the sin
offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first.
Lev 9:16 And he brought * the burnt offering, and offered it according to the manner.
Reader 2 (Sunday Evening Portion)
Lev 9:17 And he brought * the minkha, and took a handful thereof, and burnt it upon the
altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning.
Lev 9:18 He slew also * the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings, which was
for the people: and Aharon’s sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon
the altar round about,
Lev 9:19 And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covers the
inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver:
Lev 9:20 And they put * the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar:
Lev 9:21 And the breasts and the right shoulder Aharon waved for a wave offering before
YHWH; as Moshe commanded.
(Monday Morning Portion)
Lev 9:22 And Aharon lifted up * his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came
down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.
Lev 9:23 And Moshe and Aharon went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came
out, and blessed * the people: and the glory of YHWH appeared unto all the people.
Reader 3 (Monday Evening Portion)
Lev 9:24 And there came a fire out from before YHWH, and consumed upon the altar * the
burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their
faces.
Lev 10:1 And Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aharon, took either of them his censer, and put
fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before YHWH, which He
commanded them not.
Lev 10:2 And there went out fire from YHWH, and devoured them, and they died before
YHWH.
Lev 10:3 Then Moshe said unto Aharon, This is it that YHWH spoke, saying, I will be
sanctified in them that come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And
Aharon held his peace.
Lev 10:4 And Moshe called Misha’el and Eltzafan, the sons of Uzzi’el the uncle of Aharon,
and said unto them, Come near, carry * your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the
camp.
Lev 10:5 So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moshe had
said.
Lev 10:6 And Moshe said unto Aharon, and unto El’azar and unto Itamar, his sons, Uncover
not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest you die, and lest wrath come upon all the
people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Yisra’el, bewail * the burning which
YHWH has kindled.
Lev 10:7 And you shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest
you die: for the anointing oil of YHWH is upon you. And they did according to the word of
Moshe.
(Tuesday Morning Portion)
Lev 10:8 And YHWH spoke unto Aharon, saying,
Lev 10:9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into
the tabernacle of the congregation, lest you die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your
generations:
Lev 10:10 And that you may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean
and clean;
Lev 10:11 And that you may teach the children of Yisra’el * all the statutes which YHWH has
spoken unto them by the hand of Moshe.
Reader 4 (Tuesday Evening Portion)
Lev 10:12 And Moshe spoke unto Aharon, and unto El’azar and unto Itamar, his sons that
were left, Take * the minkha that remains of the offerings of YHWH made by fire, and eat it
without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy:
Lev 10:13 And you shall eat it in the holy place, because it is your due, and your sons’ due, of
the sacrifices of YHWH made by fire: for so I am commanded.
(Wednesday Morning Portion)
Lev 10:14 And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall you eat in a clean place; you, and
your sons, and your daughters with you: for they be your due, and your sons’ due, which are
given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Yisra’el.
Lev 10:15 The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made
by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before YHWH; and it shall be yours, and your
sons’ with you, by a statute forever; as YHWH has commanded.
Reader 5 (Wednesday Evening Portion)
Lev 10:16 And Moshe diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was
burnt: and he was angry with El’azar and Itamar, the sons of Aharon which were left alive,
saying,
Lev 10:17 Wherefore have you not eaten * the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most
holy, and Elohim has given it you to bear * the lawlessness of the congregation, to make
atonement for them before YHWH?
Lev 10:18 Behold, * the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: you should
indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.
(Thursday Morning Portion)
Lev 10:19 And Aharon said unto Moshe, Behold, this day have they offered * their sin
offering and their burnt offering before YHWH; and such things have befallen me: and if I
had eaten the sin offering today, should it have been accepted in the sight of YHWH?
Lev 10:20 And when Moshe heard that, he was content.
Reader 6 (Thursday Evening Portion)
Lev 11:1 And YHWH spoke unto Moshe and to Aharon, saying unto them,
Lev 11:2 Speak unto the children of Yisra’el, saying, These are the beasts which you shall eat
among all the beasts that are on the earth.
Lev 11:3 Whatsoever parts the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and chews the cud, among the
beasts, that shall you eat.
Lev 11:4 Nevertheless * these shall you not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that
divide the hoof: as * the camel, because he chews the cud, but divides not the hoof; he is
unclean unto you.
Lev 11:5 And the coney, because he chews the cud, but divides not the hoof; he is unclean
unto you.
Lev 11:6 And the hare, because he chews the cud, but divides not the hoof; he is unclean
unto you.
Lev 11:7 And the pig, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he chews not the
cud; he is unclean to you.
Lev 11:8 Of their flesh shall you not eat, and their carcass shall you not touch; they are
unclean to you.
Lev 11:9 * These shall you eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever has fins and scales in
the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall you eat.
Lev 11:10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move
in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination
unto you:
Lev 11:11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; you shall not eat of their flesh, but
you shall have their carcases in * abomination.
Lev 11:12 Whatsoever has no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto
you.
Lev 11:13 And these are they which you shall have in abomination among the fowls; they
shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: * the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
Lev 11:14 And the vulture, and the hawk after his kind;
Lev 11:15 * Every raven after his kind;
Lev 11:16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
Lev 11:17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,
Lev 11:18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,
Lev 11:19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
Lev 11:20 All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.
Lev 11:21 Yet * these may you eat of every flying creeping thing that goes upon all four,
which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;
Lev 11:22 Even * these of them you may eat; * the locust after his kind, and the bald locust
after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.
Lev 11:23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination
unto you.
Lev 11:24 And for these you shall be unclean: whosoever touches the carcass of them shall
be unclean until the even.
Lev 11:25 And whosoever bears anything of the carcass of them shall wash his clothes, and
be unclean until the even.
Lev 11:26 The carcasses of every beast which divides the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor
chews the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that touches them shall be unclean.
Lev 11:27 And whatsoever goes upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all
four, those are unclean unto you: whoso touches their carcass shall be unclean until the
even.
Lev 11:28 And he that bears * the carcass of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean
until the even: they are unclean unto you.
Lev 11:29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon
the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,
Lev 11:30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
Lev 11:31 These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever does touch them, when
they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
Lev 11:32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, does fall, it shall be
unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it
be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the
even; so it shall be cleansed.
Reader 7 (6th Day Friday Morning Double Portion)
Lev 11:33 And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falls, whatsoever is in it shall be
unclean; and you shall break it.
Lev 11:34 Of all food which may be eaten, that on which such water comes shall be unclean:
and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
Lev 11:35 And every thing whereupon any part of their carcass falls shall be unclean;
whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and
shall be unclean unto you.
Lev 11:36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but
that which touches their carcass shall be unclean.
Lev 11:37 And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it
shall be clean.
Lev 11:38 But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcass fall thereon, it
shall be unclean unto you.
Lev 11:39 And if any beast, of which you may eat, die; he that touches the carcass thereof
shall be unclean until the even.
Lev 11:40 And he that eats of the carcass of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until
the even: he also that bears * the carcass of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the
even.
Lev 11:41 And every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth shall be an abomination; it
shall not be eaten.
Lev 11:42 Whatsoever goes upon the belly, and whatsoever goes upon all four, or
whatsoever has more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them you
shall not eat; for they are an abomination.
Lev 11:43 You shall not make yourselves * abominable with any creeping thing that creeps,
neither shall you make yourselves unclean with them, that you should be defiled thereby.
Lev 11:44 For I am YHWH your Elohim: you shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and you
shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall you defile * yourselves with any manner of
creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.
Lev 11:45 For I am YHWH that brings you up * out of the land of Mitzrayim, to be your
Elohim: you shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
Lev 11:46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that
moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps upon the earth:
Lev 11:47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast
that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.
Haftarah (Shabbat Evening Portion)
2Sa 6:1 Again, Dawid gathered together * all the chosen men of Yisra’el, thirty thousand.
2Sa 6:2 And Dawid arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Ba’al’aye
Yahudah, to bring up from there * the ark of Elohim, whose name is called by the name of
YHWH Tsebeoath that dwells between the Keruvim.
2Sa 6:3 And they set * the ark of Elohim upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of
Avinadav that was in Gibah: and Uzzah and Achyo, the sons of Avinadav, drove * the new
cart.
2Sa 6:4 And they brought it out of the house of Avinadav which was at Gibah,
accompanying the ark of Elohim: and Achyo went before the ark.
2Sa 6:5 And Dawid and all the house of Yisra’el played before YHWH on all manner of
instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on
cornets, and on cymbals.
2Sa 6:6 And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the
ark of Elohim, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.
2Sa 6:7 And the anger of YHWH was kindled against Uzzah; and Elohim smote him there
for his error; and there he died by the ark of Elohim.
2Sa 6:8 And Dawid was displeased, because YHWH had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he
called the name of the place Peretz-uzzah to this day.
2Sa 6:9 And Dawid was afraid of * YHWH that day, and said, How shall the ark of YHWH
come to me?
2Sa 6:10 So Dawid would not remove * the ark of YHWH unto him into the city of Dawid:
but Dawid carried it aside into the house of Oved-edom the Gitti.
2Sa 6:11 And the ark of YHWH continued in the house of Oved-edom the Gitti three
months: and YHWH blessed * Oved-edom, and all his household.
2Sa 6:12 And it was told king Dawid, saying, YHWH has blessed * the house of Oved-edom,
and all that pertains unto him, because of the ark of Elohim. So David went and brought up
the ark of Elohim from the house of Oved-edom into the city of Dawid with gladness.
2Sa 6:13 And it was so, that when they that bore the ark of YHWH had gone six paces, he
sacrificed oxen and fatlings.
2Sa 6:14 And Dawid danced before YHWH with all his might; and Dawid was girded with a
linen ephod.
2Sa 6:15 So Dawid and all the house of Yisra’el brought up * the ark of YHWH with
shouting, and with the sound of the shofar.
2Sa 6:16 And as the ark of YHWH came into the city of Dawid, Mikhal Sha’ul’s daughter
looked through a window, and saw * king Dawid leaping and dancing before YHWH; and
she despised him in her heart.
2Sa 6:17 And they brought in * the ark of YHWH, and set it in his place, in the midst of the
tabernacle that Dawid had pitched for it: and Dawid offered burnt offerings and peace
offerings before YHWH.
2Sa 6:18 And as soon as Dawid had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace
offerings, he blessed * the people in the name of YHWH Tsebeoath.
2Sa 6:19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Yisra’el, as
well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a cake
of raisins. So all the people departed everyone to his house.
2Sa 6:20 Then Dawid returned to bless * his household. And Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul
came out to meet Dawid, and said, How glorious was the king of Yisra’el today, who
uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain
fellows shamelessly uncoveres himself!
2Sa 6:21 And Dawid said unto Mikhal, It was before YHWH, which chose me before your
father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of YHWH, over Yisra’el:
therefore will I play before YHWH.
2Sa 6:22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in my own sight: and of the
maidservants which you have spoken of, of them shall I be had in honor.
2Sa 6:23 Therefore Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul had no child unto the day of her death.
2Sa 7:1 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and YHWH had given him rest
round about from all his enemies;
2Sa 7:2 That the king said unto Natan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar,
but the ark of Elohim dwells within curtains.
2Sa 7:3 And Natan said to the king, Go, do all that is in your heart; for YHWH is with you.
2Sa 7:4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of YHWH came unto Natan, saying,
2Sa 7:5 Go and tell my servant Dawid, Thus saith YHWH, Shall you build me a house for
me to dwell in?
2Sa 7:6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children
of Yisra’el out of Mitzrayim, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.
2Sa 7:7 In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Yisra’el spoke I a
word with any of the tribes of Yisra’el, whom I commanded to feed my people Yisra’el,
saying, Why build you not me a house of cedar?
2Sa 7:8 Now therefore so shall you say unto my servant Dawid, Thus saith YHWH
Tsebeoath, I took you from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my
people, over Yisra’el:
2Sa 7:9 And I was with you wheresoever you went, and have cut off all your enemies out of
your sight, and have made you a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in
the earth.
2Sa 7:10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Yisra’el, and will plant them, that
they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of
wickedness afflict them anymore, as beforetime,
2Sa 7:11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Yisra’el, and
have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also YHWH tells you that he will make you a
house.
2Sa 7:12 And when your days be fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up
your seed after you, which shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his
kingdom.
2Sa 7:13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his
kingdom forever.
2Sa 7:14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit lawlessness, I will chasten
him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
2Sa 7:15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Sha’ul, whom I put
away before you.
2Sa 7:16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you: your
throne shall be established forever.
2Sa 7:17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Natan speak
unto Dawid.
Review Torah Summaries (Shabbat Morning Portion)