| Dear Friend,
We are pleased to present an insight on parshat Shemini excerpted from our Daily Wisdom by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky.
Preparing for Miracles During the week of 23–29 Adar 2449, Moses performed the sacrificial rites designed to install Aaron and his sons as priests. On the eighth day, 1 Nisan, it was time for Aaron to officiate for the first time as high priest and his sons as regular priests.
An ox and a ram as peace-offerings, to slaughter before G-d, and a grain-offering kneaded with oil, for today G-d is appearing to you. (Lev. 9:4)
There are natural levels of Divine revelation – whether Divine beneficence or Divine consciousness – that we can elicit. The Torah is the "instruction manual" that G-d gave us in order to show us how to live life in the way that elicits His beneficence and enables us to sense His presence in our lives.
However, there are also supranatural levels of Divine revelation, which are beyond our ability to elicit. The prime example of this type of revelation was that which occurred on the final, eighth day of the installation rites for the Tabernacle, when G-d completed the inauguration of the Tabernacle by revealing His presence within it. This revelation of Divinity was far too intense to be elicited by anything any human being could possibly do. Nonetheless, since G-d did not want us to feel unworthy of this revelation, He prescribed certain rites for this day, more as a "gift" for us to give Him than an obligation to fulfill.
In this way, G-d taught us that when we observe His commandments in fulfillment of our obligations toward Him, we elicit natural levels of Divine revelation, but when we give Him the "gift" of going beyond what He requires of us, we elicit supranatural levels of Divine revelation. — Daily Wisdom 3
May G-d grant wisdom, strength and peace in the Holy Land.
Gut Shabbos, Rabbi Yosef B. Friedman Kehot Publication Society
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