Parashat Shemini - Shemini- Eighth
HEART OF THE TORAH:
In this portion we find the middle letter and
two middle words of the entire Torah sefer. The sages call this Torah Portion
the heart of the Torah because they say the Torah was founded upon this
Parashah Portion.
There are 304805 letters in the Torah, the
middle letter of Torah is the “vav” of Gachon (belly)
Lev 11:42 –
The middle words of the Torah is in Lev 10:16
– “Drosh drash” and means “ in searching
you must search.” (Which mean you must truly search for the truth)
The middle verse is found
in the previous parashah ( 5845 verses in the Torah) Lev 8:8 and put the breastplate on him, and
put the Urim and the Tummim in the breastplate. (light and perfections refers
to Moshiach)
The sages teach that we
can see from this middle letter, word and verse that the first has to do with
the spirit soul and body. The heart or central instruction of the Torah has to
do with the whole man - 1Th 5:23 And the Elohim of peace Himself set you
completely apart, and your entire spirit, and being, and body - be preserved
blameless at the coming of our Master יהושע Messiah!
1Th
5:24 He who calls you is trustworthy,
who also shall do it.
The
number 26 we know is also extremely significant as it pertains to the gematria
of the name of YHVH – (yud = 10, hey=5, vav-6, hey=5 total 26)
Lev 9:1 And on the
eighth (shemeni) day it came to be that Mosheh called Aharon and his sons and
the elders of Yisra’ĕl.
That day was as joyous to YHVH as the day
on which heaven and earth were created. (Talmud, Megillah 10b)
This eighth day was the first day (rosh chodesh – new moon day) of the
first month (Aviv/Nisan) On this day the tabernacle and priesthood was
dedicated and established by YHVH to be His eternal pattern of provision for
our return back into His presence – Ex 40:2
The sages tell us that
there were many significant new beginnings introduced in this parasha:
- First day of the
week – (or eighth day) The book of Leviticus introduces this concept more
than any other book in scripture – (nine references) Yahshua rose from the
dead on the 8 th day of the week (which is also the first day) - sealed the promise of the New Covenant
for ever - now it could never
change - He established the surety of a new beginning for all humanity.
- Here we see the
first day the princes of Israel bring special gifts. The tribe of Judah
was the first in dedicating gifts to the altar.
- On this eighth day Aaron’s sons become
priests serving Israel performing priestly service
- Eighth day fire
descended on the altar –that came from Elohim.
- Eighth day was the
first “tamid” ie continual offering morning and afternoon.
- First offerings
eaten or totally consumed –
- First evidence of
the “shechina” or presence of YHVH entered into the tabernacle
- First day the Aharonic
blessing was spoken.
- First time new
instruction given about altars. No other altars where priestly duties
carried out were to be erected - no one could just go and erect an altar
and bring an offering to Yahveh.
- First time “rosh chodesh” – new moon ceremony
conducted.
Lev 9:1 And on the eighth day it came to be that
Mosheh called Aharon and his sons and the elders of Yisra’ĕl.
Lev 9:2 And he said to Aharon, “Take for yourself a
young bull as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering, a perfect one, and
bring them before יהוה.
Lev 9:3 “And speak
to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘Take a male goat as a sin offering, and a
calf and a lamb, both a year old, perfect ones, as a burnt offering,
Lev 9:4 and a bull
and a ram as peace offerings, to slaughter before יהוה, and a grain
offering mixed with oil. For today יהוה shall appear
to you.’ ”
Lev 9:5 And they
took what Mosheh commanded before the Tent of Meeting, and all the congregation
drew near and stood before יהוה.
Lev 9:6 And Mosheh
said, “This is the word which יהוה commanded you
to do, so that the esteem of יהוה appears to
you.”
Lev 9:7 And Mosheh
said to Aharon, “Go to the altar, and prepare your sin offering and your burnt
offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the people. And make the
offering of the people, and make atonement for them, as יהוה has commanded.”
Lev 9:8 So Aharon
came near to the altar and slaughtered the calf of the sin offering, which was
for himself………..
Note the order of these offerings – first was the sin
offering which emphasizes that without purification there can be no
communication or fellowship with the Father. The burnt offering came next which
allows for intimacy with YHVH. The grain offering follows in which we enjoy a
covenantal meal with YHVH, we” break bread” together enjoying fellowship with one
another. Finally the peace offering is the blessing we enjoy of knowing that it
is well between YHVH and us as well as our fellowman and ourselves.