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Torah Talk for Parashat Shemini

March 28, 2016 by Sharon Freundel (Community)

After the dedication of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and the ordination of the cohanim (priests), two of Aharon’s sons bring a strange fire before God and are consumed by fire; God then instructs Moshe and Aharon regarding which animals, fish, and birds may be eaten by the Bnei Yisrael.

An interesting point appears in chapter 11, verse 44: “For I am Hashem your God; sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy; neither shall you contaminate your soul with any manner of swarming thing that moves upon the earth.” Many of us are familiar with the mind-body connection: the idea that what one feels or thinks affects our physical state of well-being. This verse indicates that the converse is also true. What we ingest affects our emotional and cognitive states. Read more >