This week’s Torah reading, called Shemini (“eighth”), continues the account of the seven-day ordination ceremony for the priests that was described earlier in parashat Tzav. During each of these “seven days of consecration,” Moses served as the first High Priest of Israel by offering sacrifices and training the priests regarding their duties. On the eighth day however, (i.e., Nisan 1), and just before the anniversary of the Passover, Aaron and his sons began their official responsibilities as Israel’s priests. It is no coincidence that the inauguration of the sanctuary is directly connected to the Passover, since the daily sacrifice of the Lamb served as an ongoing memorial of the Exodus from Egypt — and indeed the laws of sacrifice form the central teaching of the Torah itself. In this connection, we again note that the central sacrifice of the Tabernacle was that of a defect-free lamb offered every evening and morning upon the altar in the outer court, along with matzah (unleavened bread) and a wine offering, signifying the coming of the true Passover Lamb of God and his great sacrifice for us.
Note that this audio broadcast also includes discussion about Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day as well as the Hebrew month of Iyyar and its significance in the countdown to the climactic holiday of Shavuot (“weeks” or “Pentecost”).
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