Shemini שְּׁמִינִי - Eighth
Torah Portion: Leviticus 9:1-11:47
Leviticus 10:12–15
10:12 Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons who were left, “Take the meal offering that remains of the offerings of Hashem made by fire, and eat it without yeast beside the altar; for it is most holy; 13 and you shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your portion, and your sons’ portion, of the offerings of Hashem made by fire; for so I am commanded. 14 The waved breast and the heaved thigh you shall eat in a clean place, you, and your sons, and your daughters with you: for they are given as your portion, and your sons’ portion, out of the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the children of Israel. 15 They shall bring the heaved thigh and the waved breast with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before Hashem. It shall be yours, and your sons’ with you, as a portion forever, as Hashem has commanded.”
Today’s Meditation:
We read about eating in a holy place (verse 13). The offering is holy, the priests have been sanctified, and so when they eat, it has to be a holy place. It makes me think about where we eat. Do you have a table in the kitchen or dining room where you eat with others in your family? If so, let’s try to make that space a special place. Remember, every good gift comes from the Father in heaven. So all our food comes from Him. Today, make your dining space a special place. Maybe a nice tablecloth, or setting the table ahead of time. And remember to praise Him for all you have.
Today’s Challenge:
In verse 12, they are told to eat a meal offering without yeast. It reminds me of the week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Chol HaMoed. It is a challenge to go a week without leaven. We do not live in a Jewish community, and sometimes I don't know what we should have in our house during this week and what we should not, especially when my sons are packing lunches for work. What is important is that we remember these commands and the feasts. We recall the duties of the priests in the Tabernacle and the procedures to follow during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Most important to remember: when Hashem delivered His Hebrew people from Egypt, they left in haste, unable to bake bread. Let’s remember His miracles today - both the current ones and the past ones.
