“…And fire went forth from before G-d and consumed them, and they died before G-d…” – Vayikra 10:2 וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי ה’ וַתֹּאכַל אוֹתָם וַיָּמֻתוּ לִפְנֵי ה’ – ויקרא י, ב Why were Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aharon, punished with sudden death? According to the opinion of R’ Yishmael cited in the Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 12:1), they died […]

“…And the pig, because it has a cloven hoof that is completely split, but will not regurgitate its cud; it is unclean for you…” – Vayikra 11:7 וְאֶת הַחֲזִיר כִּי מַפְרִיס פַּרְסָה הוּא וְשֹׁסַע שֶׁסַע פַּרְסָה וְהוּא גֵּרָה לֹא יִגָּר טָמֵא הוּא לָכֶם – ויקרא יא, ז The Ohr Hachaim interprets this verse as alluding to a future change in […]

“…And it was on the eighth day… And Moshe said, “This is what G-d has commanded that you do, and the glory of G-d will appear to you…” – Vayikra 9:1-6 וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי . . וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה’ תַּעֲשׂוּ וְיֵרָא אֲלֵיכֶם כְּבוֹד ה’ – ויקרא ט, א-ו The Zohar compares Moshe and Aharon to shushvinin, […]

“…The owl, the shalach, and the little owl…” – Vayikra 11:17   וְאֶת הַכּוֹס וְאֶת הַשָּׁלָךְ וְאֶת הַיַּנְשׁוּף – ויקרא יא, יז   Rashi comments regarding the identity of the shalach bird, “Our rabbis explained that it draws up fish from the sea.” This reflects the name shalach, similar to the Hebrew word for drawing out, sholeh, indicating that the […]

“…From all that are in the water, you may eat any (living creature) that has fins and scales, whether it lives in the waters, seas, or rivers; you may eat only these…” – Vayikra 11:9 אֶת זֶה תֹּאכְלוּ מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר בַּמָּיִם כֹּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ סְנַפִּיר וְקַשְׂקֶשֶׂת בַּמַּיִם בַּיַּמִּים וּבַנְּחָלִים אֹתָם תֹּאכֵלוּ – ויקרא יא, ט Two distinctive features identify a […]