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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Vayikra
- Shmini
The "8th day," explains Rashi, refers to the day after the week-long inauguration ceremony of Aharon & his sons. It was the day when the Mishkan was permanently erected, the day that the Kohanim started their service of bringing the offerings, the 1st of Nisan. It was a day of triumph, but also of tragedy.
With so many amazing events happening all at once, why does the Torah cryptically choose to refer to this day as "the 8th day?"
It has been suggested that the phrase "the 8th day" is a code-word for that which is "above and beyond nature." While seven refers to the natural course of events - typified by the seven days of the week - eight goes beyond the norm, into the inexplicable, the super-natural; into the realm of higher wisdom, the wisdom of Hashem, who sits above the seven Heavens. This was the norm in the Mishkan and the Bet HaMikdash where, Chazal say, miracles of a clearly supernatural form were present and visible every single day.
The two principal themes of this Shabbat deal with a subject that is well beyond human understanding - the mystery of Life & Death. First, we read of the tragic demise of Nadav & Avihu, with its mystifying duality. On the one hand, Nadav and Avihu are unqualified Tzadikim; Moshe states this explicitly when he tells Ahron "they are more righteous than we are." And yet, Nadav and Avihu err when they bring "strange fire" on the Mizbeyach, an act that perplexes the commentators, who struggle to discern just what Nadav and Avihu did wrong, and why they were taken so young. Ahron himself is emotionally paralyzed as he confronts these conflicting developments.
Our Maftir then goes on to describe the ritual of the Para Aduma and evokes a similar quandary: why does the potion of the red heifer provide a spiritual cleansing of those who came into contact with death, yet at the same time renders the administering Kohen tamei, spiritually impure? Here, too, the issue is discussed at length by the parshanim, the pundits & philosophers, but at the end of the day the exact rationale of the ritual eludes us and remains largely inscrutable.
This very idea - that there are things in this universe that have an "8th-day" quality, things that defy logic, seem contradictory and provoke our disbelief and amazement – applies perfectly to Israel, the Land, the People and the State. For thousands of years, the world – we Jews included! – have wondered: "How could we have endured so many hardships, so many challenges, and still survived? How could we have been continually set upon by the great civilizations of the world, only to watch them fail in their evil designs against us and crumble into oblivion, while we remain intact? How can a nation, a People, a state be so incredibly small numerically and yet play such a leading role in the events of history?"
The only possible answer is "Shmini." WE are indeed that "Eighth," that inexplicable, above-nature entity that experiences the highest highs and the lowest lows and never disappears. Our unbreakable link to Hashem tinges us with a supernatural invulnerability, energizing our existence and guiding us to greatness. In short, we are truly the "Eighth" wonder of the world.
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
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