For the week ending 29 March 2003 / 25 Adar II 5763
Parshat Shemini
Questions
- What date was "yom hashemini"?
- Which of Aharon's korbanot atoned for the golden calf?
- What korbanot did Aharon offer for the Jewish People?
- What was unique about the chatat offered during the induction of the Mishkan?
- When did Aharon bless the people with the birkat kohanim?
- Why did Moshe go into the Ohel Mo'ed with Aharon?
- Why did Nadav and Avihu die?
- Aharon quietly accepted his sons' death. What reward did he receive for this?
- What prohibitions apply to a person who is intoxicated?
- Name the three chatat goat offerings that were sacrificed on the day of the inauguration of the Mishkan.
- Which he-goat chatat did Aharon burn completely and why?
- Why did Moshe direct his harsh words at Aharon's sons?
- Moshe was upset that Aharon and his sons did not eat the chatat. Why?
- Why did Hashem choose Moshe, Aharon, Elazar, and Itamar as His messengers to tell the Jewish People the laws of kashrut?
- What are the signs of a kosher land animal?
- How many non-kosher animals display only one sign of kashrut? What are they?
- If a fish sheds its fins and scales when out of the water, is it kosher?
- Why is a stork called chasida in Hebrew?
- The chagav is a kosher insect. Why don't we eat it?
- What requirements must be met in order for water to maintain its status of purity?
Answers
- 9:1 - First of Nissan.
- 9:2 - The calf offered as a korban
chatat.
- 9:3,4 - A he-goat as a chatat, a calf and a lamb for an olah, an ox and a ram for shelamim, and a mincha.
- 9:11 - It's the only example of a chatat offered on the courtyard mizbe'ach that was burned.
- 9:22 - When he finished offering the korbanot, before descending from the mizbe'ach.
- 9:23 - For one of two reasons: Either to teach Aharon about the service of the incense, or to pray for the Shechina to dwell with Israel.
- 10:2 - Rashi offers two reasons: Either because they gave a halachic ruling in Moshe's presence, or because they entered the Mishkan after drinking intoxicating wine.
- 10:3 - A portion of the Torah was given solely through Aharon.
- 10:9-11 - He may not give a halachic ruling. Also, a kohen is forbidden to enter the Ohel Mo'ed, approach the mizbe'ach, or
perform the avoda.
- 10:16 - The goat offerings of the inauguration ceremony, of Rosh Chodesh, and of Nachshon ben Aminadav.
- 10:16 - The Rosh Chodesh
chatat:
Either because it became tamei, or because the kohanim were forbidden to eat from it while in the state of aninut (mourning).
- 10:16 - Out of respect for Aharon, Moshe directed his anger at his sons and not directly at Aharon.
- 10:17 - Because only when the kohanim eat the chatat are the sins of the owners atoned.
- 11:2 - Because they accepted the deaths of Nadav and Avihu in silence.
- 11:3 - An animal whose hooves are completely split and who chews its cud.
- 11:4,5,6,7 - Four: Camel, shafan, hare, and pig.
- 11:12 - Yes.
- 11:19 - Because it acts with chesed (kindness) toward other storks.
- 11:21 - We have lost the tradition and are not able to identify the kosher chagav.
- 11:36 - It must be connected to the ground (i.e., a spring or a cistern).