April 26, 2025
A PEEK AT THE PARSHA
Parshat Shmini starts with a big and exciting moment: the opening of the Mishkan, the special holy place where Bnei Yisrael would come to pray and bring offerings to Hashem. Aharon and his sons had an important job they were chosen to be Kohanim, the people who helped in the Mishkan.
But then something very sad happens. Aharon’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, brought a special offering thatHashemdidn’task for. Because ofthismistake, they died. It was a very hard moment. When Moshe told Aharon what happened, Aharon didn’t say anything he stayed quiet. Hashem saw that
ONE BIG IDEA
The Chasidah is a non-kosher bird. Rashi says it is called Chasidah because it does chesed by sharing its food with other birds of its kind. But if the Chasidah is kind, why isn’t it kosher? The answer is really interesting. The Chasidah is kind but only to birds that are just like it. It doesn’t help any other animals or birds that are different. That’s not what being truly kind means. True kindness is being kind to everyone, not just to people who are like us. So even though the Chasidah shares, it doesn’t show the kind of kindness that the Torah teaches us. That’s why it's not kosher.
Aharon was being strong and gave him a special reward for his silence.
After that, the Parsha teaches us the rules about kosher food:
• Animals are kosher if they chew their food twice (“chewing their cud”) and have split hooves.
• Fish are kosher if they have fins and scales.
• Some birds, like eagles and vultures, are not kosher because they are birds of prey (they hunt other animals).
The parsha also talks about being pure or impure. A person can become tameh (impure) in different ways like by touching or eating animals that aren’t kosher. But there are ways to become tahor (pure) again, like going into a Mikvah. A Mikvah is a special pool of water made from rain or from a spring.
At the end of the parsha, the Torah tells us something really important: we should try to be holy, just like Hashem is holy. That means we should do good things, make good choices, and be kind to others.
Candle-lighting: 7:27pm
Havdalah: 8:26pm
allah: 5:25pm
PARSHA STATS DID YOU KNOW…?
Mitzvot ..............................17 (6 Do’s, 11 Don’ts)
Lines in the Torah ..............157 (42nd most)
Pesukim .............................91 (41st most)
Words ................................1238 (41st most)
Letters................................4670 (41st most)
Year(s)................................2449
(Source: OU Torah Tidbits)
CHECKLIST
To be filled out after shabbat and brought in Monday.
Called someone to wish them a “Shabbat
Shalom”
Went to shul
Participated in Hadlakat Nerot/Kiddush/ Hamotzi/Birkat Hamazon
Sang zemirot/songs
Wore Shabbat clothing
Helped prepare our home for Shabbat
Full Name: ______________________________
Class: __________________________________
Parent Signature: _________________________
Since this parsha talks about kosher and non-kosher animals, birds and fish,didyouknowthatthefollowing are kosher: Barracuda, Flying fishes, Goldfish, Pigeon, Yak, Giraffe, and Reindeer?Andthereare othersthat would sound surprising too. That doesn’t mean that we eat all of those. Some of them are complicated to actually eat, due to other issues.
QUESTIONS
1. Why isn’t the Chasidah kosher?
2. What 2 things make an animal kosher?
3. Research question: If an animal is kosher, can you just go into any store or restaurant and buy one to eat?
4. Thought question: Why do you think that Aharon was silent when he heard the news about his sons?
5. Who worked in the Mishkan?