Shemini

Leviticus 9:1-11:47

By Rabbi David Levy, Director of Admissions for the Rabbinical School and the H.L. Miller Cantorial School and College of Jewish Music in Between the Lines from the Jewish Theological Seminary

Aaron's Silence

 

ויקרא פרק י פסוק טז- יז

וְאֵת שְׂעִיר הַחַטָּאת דָּרֹשׁ דָּרַשׁ מֹשֶׁה וְהִנֵּה שֹׂרָף וַיִּקְצֹף עַל אֶלְעָזָר וְעַל אִיתָמָר בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן הַנּוֹתָרִם לֵאמֹר: מַדּוּעַ לֹא אֲכַלְתֶּם אֶת הַחַטָּאת בִּמְקוֹם הַקֹּדֶשׁ כִּי קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים הִוא וְאֹתָהּ נָתַן לָכֶם לָשֵׂאת אֶת עֲוֹן הָעֵדָה לְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם לִפְנֵי ה

Leviticus 10:16–17

[16] And Moses diligently inquired for the goat of the sin-offering, and, behold, it was burnt; and he was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron that were left saying: [17] "Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, seeing it is most holy, and He hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord . . ."

ויקרא רבה (וילנא) פרשה יג

ויקצוף על אלעזר ועל איתמר וכיון שכעס נתעלמה ממנו הלכה א"ר הונא בשלשה מקומות כעס משה ונתעלמה ממנו הלכה ואלו הן בשבת ובכלי מתכות ואונן... באונן מנין שנאמר ויקצוף על אלעזר ועל איתמר וכיון שכעס נתעלמה ממנו הלכה שאונן אסור לאכול בקדשים

Va-yikra Rabbah Parashah 13

And he (Moses) was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, and on account of his anger his knowledge of halakhah departed from him. Rabbi Huna said, in three places Moses got angry and his knowledge of halakhah departed from him. They are (related to) Shabbat, metal tools, and the laws of an onen (one who lost a close relative but has not yet buried the dead) . . . From whence do we know this in regard to the onen? As it is written: "And he (Moses) was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar," and on account of his anger his knowledge of halakhah departed from him. Specifically, that an onen is forbidden from eating from sacrifices.
 
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