Shemini שְּׁמִינִי - Eighth
Leviticus 9:1-11:47
Reading #3 - Leviticus 9:24–10:11
My Thoughts:
Today we read about “fire”. Fire comes from Hashem to burn an offering and fat on the altar. And fire comes from Hashem to devour two of Aaron’s sons. One fire is for obedience and the other for disobedience. Hashem does not take it lightly when His commandments are broken. Is there a reason in your life that Hashem might consider to “extinguish” you? Of course He would not (I assume). But, after reading today’s Torah Scripture it might be a good idea for all of us to do some “self examination” and see if there is sin in our lives. Where are we not following His commandments? Confess and repent and make it right.
Challenge:
In verse 9 we read that the priests were not to drink any wine before entering the Tabernacle or after. Hashem stresses the need to be clean before Him and to be able to distinguish between common and uncommon. Just think about your own life. When you come before Hashem to pray and worship, have you examined your life and repented for sin? Do you have a problem with alcohol and are drinking at times that are not necessary? Speaking to you as a recovered alcoholic, I encourage you to deal with any problems you have today. Do not delay and get some help. Most important, ask Hashem to deliver you. I promise He will, if you work at it too.
Reading #3 - Leviticus 9:24–10:11
9:24 Fire came out from before Hashem, and consumed the burnt offering and the fat upon the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
10 Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before Hashem, which He had not commanded them. 2 Fire came out from before Hashem, and devoured them, and they died before Hashem.
3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what Hashem spoke of, saying,
‘I will show myself holy to those who come near me,
and before all the people I will be glorified.’”
Aaron held his peace. 4 Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Draw near, carry your brothers from before the sanctuary out of the camp.” 5 So they came near, and carried them in their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had said.
6 Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, “Don’t let the hair of your heads go loose, and don’t tear your clothes, so that you don’t die, and so that He will not be angry with all the congregation; but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which Hashem has kindled. 7 You shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die; for the anointing oil of Hashem is on you.” They did according to the word of Moses. 8 Then Hashem said to Aaron, 9 “You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. 10 You are to make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean. 11 You are to teach the children of Israel all the statutes which Hashem has spoken to them by Moses.”
