About the Rabbi of the Week

THE Torah portion Shemini (“Eighth”) begins on a fairly glorious note. Aharon was about to be consecrated as the Kohen HaGadol (“High Priest”), the first of the High Priests of Israel. This should have been perhaps the happiest day of Aharon’s life.

However, in Leviticus 10, we have an un-fortunate incident in which Nadab and Abihu, two of the sons of Aharon, “offered strange fire before the LORD (YHWH).” As a result, a fire from the LORD came forth and slew both of them. The text doesn’t really tell us what this “strange fire” was. However, right afterwards, in verse 9, HaShem issues the command, “Drink no wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you go into the Ohel Mo’ed (“Tent of Meeting”), so that you may not die. It is a perpetual statute throughout your generations, and so as to make a distinc-tion between the holy and profane, and be-tween the unclean and clean.”

The Rabbis came to the conclusion (and I agree) that Nadab and Abihu were drunk while serving in the Tent of Meeting. It is not a sin to have wine in moderation. However, it was indeed a sin to have wine before going into the Tent of Meeting. The kohenim (priests) had to be completely sober, in order to make these distinctions “between the holy and the profane, and between the unclean and clean.” Not only that, but they were to teach the people, according to Deuteronomy 24:8. However, the example of the deaths of Nadab and Abihu apparently didn’t have a lasting effect on the K’hunah (“priesthood”). In Isaiah 28:7, we read, “And these also reel with wine and stag-ger from strong drink: The kohen (priest) and the navi (prophet) reel with strong drink.”

Chapter 11 of this parasha (Torah portion) continues the same theme of distinguishing between holy and profane, between the clean and the unclean. This chapter of Vayikra (Le-viticus) gives us the laws regarding the clean animals that may be eaten, and those animals which are considered as unclean, and should not be considered as food for humans. In Ju-daism, these laws are considered chukot (“statutes”) a term used for laws which must be obeyed, but the reason for them transcends human reasoning. Among the four-footed ani-mals, only those with cloven hooves and who also chew the cud can be eaten. This allows the eating of cattle, sheep, goats, and even giraffes! However, other critters, including mice and rats, dogs and cats, as well as rabbits and pigs, should not be eaten. Among the fish of the sea, only those with fins and scales are permitted. There-fore shellfish such as lobster, shrimp, clams, oysters, and crabs cannot be eaten. In my younger years, crabs was a disease, cer-tainly not a food! Birds of prey are not kosher. Most bugs are also not kosher. However, grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets are kosher. Try them out, and let me know how they taste. Yummy!

Many Christians will tell you that Peter’s vision of the sheet being lowered from heaven with unclean animals proves that the dietary laws have been “done away with.” However, Shimon Kefa (Peter) understood the meaning of his vision: “God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean (Acts 10:28).” The vision didn’t have anything to do with changing the dietary laws!

Today, we know that the critters that God tells us not to eat are unhealthy, often harboring many parasites, as well as being high in fat and cholesterol. As a result, Jews throughout the ages have been much less susceptible to various diseases, and tend to live longer than their Gentile neighbors. Jews in Israel have among the very highest life spans in the world!

However, HaShem did not tell us to obey these dietary laws for health reasons, although modern science has confirmed the health benefits of abstaining from unclean animals. The reason that God gives for abstaining from unclean meats is given right in that same chapter: “For I am the LORD your God; sanctify yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am holy, neither shall you defile yourselves with any manner of swarming thing that moves upon the earth. For I am hwhy … You shall be holy, for I am holy (Lev. 11:44-45).” God has given us instructions that make us separate from the peoples of the world. Keeping His instructions is part of what makes us holy! His instructions have preserved the Jewish people throughout the ages as a distinct people. Those who are grafted into the Jewish Olive Tree (Romans 11:17-24) should also be different from the world. Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19; Rom. 12:1-2). Don’t defile this temple of the Ruakh (Spirit)!