Parashot Tzav (belated) & Sh'mini, 5774/2014 edition

. . . or Shemini, if you prefer. Either way, more animal sacrifices.  And you know how I feel about animal sacrifices.

But you can read Parashat Tzav (Leviticus 6.1–8:36) starting here.

And here's a link to some previous thoughts of mine concerning Parashat Tzav.

While you're at it, you can read about Parashat Sh'mini (Leviticus 9:1–11:47) beginning here.

And you can read some of my previous thoughts regarding Parashat Sh'mini here.

Sunday, March 23, 2014 update:

Leviticus Chapter 11 וַיִּקְרָא

כ  כֹּל שֶׁרֶץ הָעוֹף, הַהֹלֵךְ עַל-אַרְבַּע--שֶׁקֶץ הוּא, לָכֶם.	20 All winged swarming things that go upon all fours are a detestable thing unto you.
כא  אַךְ אֶת-זֶה, תֹּאכְלוּ, מִכֹּל שֶׁרֶץ הָעוֹף, הַהֹלֵךְ עַל-אַרְבַּע:  אֲשֶׁר-לא (לוֹ) כְרָעַיִם מִמַּעַל לְרַגְלָיו, לְנַתֵּר בָּהֵן עַל-הָאָרֶץ.	21 Yet these may ye eat of all winged swarming things that go upon all fours, which have jointed legs above their feet, wherewith to leap upon the earth;
כב  אֶת-אֵלֶּה מֵהֶם, תֹּאכֵלוּ--אֶת-הָאַרְבֶּה לְמִינוֹ, וְאֶת-הַסָּלְעָם לְמִינֵהוּ; וְאֶת-הַחַרְגֹּל לְמִינֵהוּ, וְאֶת-הֶחָגָב לְמִינֵהוּ.	22 even these of them ye may eat: the locust after its kinds, and the bald locust after its kinds, and the cricket after its kinds, and the grasshopper after its kinds.
כג  וְכֹל שֶׁרֶץ הָעוֹף, אֲשֶׁר-לוֹ אַרְבַּע רַגְלָיִם--שֶׁקֶץ הוּא, לָכֶם.	23 But all winged swarming things, which have four feet, are a detestable thing unto you.

It stands to reason that locusts would have to be kosher, for the sake of survival--after a locust swarm chomps just about every plant in its path, the locusts themselves might be one of the few things left to eat.  :(


~ Conservadox advocates moderation.

~ Rabbi Shai discusses what we can learn from the laws of kashrut.

~ Rabbi Dov Linzer writes about prioritizing religious rules over religious passion without losing the passion.

~ Rabbi Shlomo Riskin posits a connection between the deaths of Nadav and Avihu and the laws of kashrut.

~ Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb learns a lesson about religion vs. sprirituality.

~ Rabbi Jonathan Sacks writes about the importance of understanding that there are different kinds of leadership.