Shemini
Every Day is a Priestly Day
Adapted from Rabbi Jacob Milgrom
If we tried to understand
the rituals described in the book of Vayikra by studying them one by one, we
might well decide that they don't mean anything. In fact, each individual ritual is meaningless in and of
itself. The rituals only begin to
make sense when we look at them as a coordinated set of symbols.
Take, for example, some of
the kosher laws in Parshat Shemini. To qualify as edible, a mammal must have
split hoofs and chew its cud. These criteria sound absurd - until you realize
two things. (1) They effectively
eliminate the entire animal kingdom from human consumption, except for three
domestic grass-eating species. (2)
The three mammals that can be eaten - cattle, sheep, and goats - are the only
mammals that can be offered as a sacrifice to God.
In this context, the
teachings of the kosher laws begin to make sense. All life is sacred and inviolable. Only the animals eligible for sacred sacrifice - for "God's
table" - may be eaten at the dining table. Symbolically, the dinner table is an altar. Symbolically, all the diners are
priests. Every meal is a sacred
ritual: a time for thanking God for the repast, requesting a blessing for the
future, and engaging in conversation befitting the sanctified meal.
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