When you Choose Shabbat, you choose to learn that every Shabbat is different and special and this Shabbat is special indeed, as it is Shabbat Mevarchim. This week we read from Parashat Shemini (שְּׁמִינִי), the 26th weekly Torah portion in the annual cycle of Torah readings.
According to Wikipedia, Shemini (שְּׁמִינִי), Leviticus 9:1 through 11:47, contains 4,670 Hebrew letters, 1,238 words, 91 verses and makes up 157 lines of a Torah scroll. Shemini (Hebrew for “Eighth”) opens with the consecration of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Two of Aaron’s sons are consumed by a fire sent from G-d when they attempt to offer a “strange fire.” G-d describes the animals, birds and fish that are permissible and prohibited for consumption as well as some laws of ritual purity.
Rabbi Michael D Klein of Temple Torat Emet offers his insights on this week’s Torah reading, Shemini for Shabbat April 26, 2025 aka 28 Nisan 5785:
“The Torah portion Shemini gives us the guidelines by which animals are acceptable to be included in our diet. So many Jewish people wrongly assume that these laws were specifically given for reasons of health and therefore categorically reject them. It is, perhaps, understandable that this assumption has some logic since the majority of “Kosher” animals are not predators or scavengers. Whether fish or fowl, marine or terrestrial, the majority of animals that are Kosher are herbivores, ungulates, have fins and scales, split hooves and chew their cud. They must have all of these characteristics to be considered Kosher-not one or the other. Many land-animals, have one characteristic but not another: the camel, the rabbit, the pig- they are compared by the sages to individuals who are publicly observant but privately non observant of the Torah. The over-abiding law which governs Kashrut is the prohibition against eating blood which is considered the life force of all living creatures and thereby governed by the laws of Shechita- the ritual slaughter halacha which is also accompanied by the strict internal examination of the organs of any animal to be used as food.
The reality and explanation of the Laws of Kashrut is given to us in the concluding verses of Shemini, “You shall hallow yourselves and be holy…..for I am Hashem who brought you out of the Land of Egypt to be your G-d. You shall be holy for I am holy” (Chapter 11, verses 44 to 45).
We must view our distinctiveness as a source of pride and honor. It raises us up as it sanctifies us. The net physical effect of observing Kashrut is a healthier lifestyle physically, yet, the intent of Kashrut is to lift us spiritually to a higher level of acknowledgement and appreciation of all G-d’s creation.
We must realize that the purpose of kashrut is far more than just physical health. Its purpose is to set us apart as an “AM SEGULA” a people with a special mission to raise awareness of G-d’s holiness throughout the world and to represent all of our actions and deeds-even what we eat or don’t eat- as examples of our closeness and appreciation of G-d’s gifts to us every day.
Questions for Discussion:
- Of the fish we are permitted to eat, the sturgeon is questionable for use. Why is this so?
- Why does Kashrut require that land-animals have both characteristics?
- Before declaring a food as unclean, why does the Torah declare we must know something of the animal’s history and ancestry?
- How does this also apply to a person’s reputation?
Rabbi Michael D. Klein attended Yeshiva College of South Florida and served as Torah Reader, Hebrew teacher, Chazzan and spiritual leader of various synagogues throughout South Florida. In January 2015 he became Ritual Director, Bnai/Bnot Mitzvah instructor and 7th grade Hebrew instructor for Temple Torat Emet of Boynton Beach. In October 2019 he was accepted into an accelerated track and received his smicha from Yeshiva Adath Wolkowisk and has been the Rabbinic leadership of Temple Torat Emet since August 2020. In September of 2022 he was appointed Rabbinic and Spiritual Advisor of the Florida Region of FJMC.
Choose Shabbat; choose to celebrate, to light candles, sing songs and learn a little Torah.
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