The Torah tells us a story about a person in the midbar who cursed Hashem and they put him in prison. That was a very rare occurrence. The prison system wasn’t common. It wasn’t common at all in Klal Yisrael. They put him in prison until it would be clear what his din was. When they found out that he was supposed to get sekilah, everybody subjected him to sekeilah.
In this week’s parshah, it says “and Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: ‘Speak to all of Bnei Yisroel…” (Vayikra 19:2). You have to know that this is a very rare introduction. There’s “speak to Bnei Yisroel” but “speak to all Bnei Yisroel” is very unique. Hashem wanted every single part of Klal Yisrael to be involved in this parshah. Rashi points out that for this parashah Klal Yisrael was commanded to come together and to hear directly what Moshe Rabeinu had to say.
Today’s subject, to some people, is going to be a sensitive one. Most subjects that are sensitive to people are usually subjects in which people are challenged by the topic. For example, if we’ll speak about the importance of giving tzedakah and you’re a person who is not into tzedakah, and tzedakah is not your strong point, that’s going to be a sensitive subject for you.
There is an interesting Ibn Ezra on the pasuk in our parsha: “This shall be the law for a metzora at the time of being purified, when he’s brought to the Kohen” (Vayikra 14:2). This is the law of the metzora and how he goes through his taharah ceremony…It’s a process. There’s a very interesting Ibn Ezra over here.
Chazal say in masechta Eiruchin (8b), “Rav Papa says, it says, ‘Your benevolence is like the mighty mountains’ (Tehillim 36:7). Hashem’s tzedakos are like tall mountains. What does that refer to? The gemara says these are nega’im discussed in this parshah, that come upon people.” That’s amazing tzedakah. The end of the pasuk ends off with, “Your judgment is like the great deep.” The gemara says this refers to negei batim.
Parshas Shemini is broken up into two sugyos. Sugya number one is about the miluim. The parshah begins by relating what took place on the eighth day of the miluim, the inauguration of the Mishkan. You know when that was? Rosh Chodesh Nisan. There are actually a number of parshiyos in the Torah that discuss what transpired on Rosh Chodesh Nisan. More events transpired on Rosh Chodesh Nisan than any other day of the year. I’m not saying the biggest events but more things transpired on Rosh Chodesh Nisan than happened on any other day. Our parshah discusses the inauguration aspect of the Mishkan.
Special Topics: Moshe Rabbeinu and Elazar Hakohen were commanded to count the Bnei Yisrael (Bamidbar 26:4). The next passuk says: Reuven, the eldest son of Yisrael: the children of Reuven; Chanoch, the family of the Chanochi: of Pallu, the family of the Pallui. The obvious question: If it says Chanoch, do you think it’s Mishpachas Finkelstein?! Obviously, Chanoch is Mishpachas Hachanochi! Obviously Palu is Mishpachus Hapalu’i!
Most people are aware of the general story of Purim. There was a fellow named Haman, who plotted with King Achashveirosh to annihilate the Jewish people in one day. But the story holds a much deeper meaning for each and every one of us when we become aware of the fact that Haman was not just another one of the gentiles. Haman was a descendant of Amalek.
The parshah begins by saying “these are the cheshbonos, the accountings, of the donations for the Mishkan”. The word “pekudei” means counting. When you have a lot of different things to take into account and keep track of, that’s called pekudei.
In this week’s parshah, it says that Moshe Rabbeinu told Klal Yisrael to come forward with their donations for the Mishkan. The passuk (Shemos 35:21) mentions two classes of people. There were people who were naso libo and there were also those people that were nedava rucho.
