"And it came to pass on the eighth day...And Moshe said to Aharon, 'Draw near to the altar.'" (9:1-7) QUESTION: When the Mishkan was completed, Moshe acted as Kohen Gadol for seven days and trained Aharon. On the eighth day, Aharon took over and became the Kohen Gadol. Why did Aharon replace Moshe as the Kohen Gadol on the eighth day? ANSWER: For seven days Hashem pleaded with Moshe to be his emissary to deliver the message to Pharaoh to allow the Jews to leave Egypt. Moshe was reluctant to go, due to his speech difficulty. Finally, Hashem said, "Since you do not want to go, Aharon, your brother the Levite, shall speak for you (Shemot 4:16). Moreover, be advise that originally I planned for him to remain a Levite and you be elevated to be a Kohen. Now, because of your attempts to evade the mission, the positions will be reversed, you will be the Levite and he the Kohen (Shemot 4:14 Rashi). Hashem conducts Himself with the Jewish people in the way of midah kineged midah -- measure for measure. Therefore, since day after seven days of G-d's pleading with him the position of Kohen was taken away from him, now on the eighth day when the seven days of inauguration period climaxed, Aharon was officially consecrated as Kohen Gadol.

"Take a he-goat for a sin-offering and a calf and a lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt-offering" (9:3) QUESTION: The Sifra-Torat Kohanim states that the he-goat was to atone for the selling of Yosef. (The brothers dipped Yaakov's shirt into the blood of a he-goat and sent it to Yaakov as proof that Yosef was devoured by wild beasts.) The calf was offered as forgiveness for the sin of the Golden Calf. Considering the fact that Aharon was involved in the making of the calf, it is easily understood why he needed to seek forgiveness. However, why did the iniquity of the selling of Yosef surface now? ANSWER: According to the Midrash Rabbah (Bereishit 84:14), the brothers rationale for killing Yosef was that they foresaw that in later years Yeravam ben Nevat, a descendant of Yosef, would make two golden calves, causing the Jewish people to sin (I Kings 12:28). Consequently, they plotted to kill him out so that he would not have any descendants. This excuse could be applicable only until the time when the Jewish people worshipped the Golden Calf in the desert. Once they committed this transgression they shared in a sin similar to that of a descendant of Yosef and they no longer could justify their intent to kill him. Consequently, when Aharon made the Golden Calf, the crime the brothers endeavored to commit against Yosef became newly relevant. Therefore, when Aharon sought forgiveness for the Golden Calf, he also sought atonement for the sale of Yosef.

"Do not abominate your soul by eating any teeming thing." (11:43) QUESTION: In Parshat Shemini, we read of the eighth day of induction when Aharon became Kohen Gadol; then about death of his children Nadav and Avihu, who were even holier than Moshe and Aharon (see Rashi 10:3). Why, in this same parshah, are we also instructed about the prohibition of eating insects and creeping things? ANSWER: When Hashem prohibited eating insects, He said: "For I am G-d Who elevates you from the land of Egypt." On this, Rashi writes: "On the condition that you accept My commandments I have redeemed you from Egyptian bondage" (11:45). Thus, by forbidding the eating of insects and creeping things, the Torah is stressing the importance of kabalat ol malchut Shamayim (absolute submission to Hashem). The death of Nadav and Avihu was not an ordinary one for an act of rebellion or self indulgence. It signified the concept of ratzo without shov -- advancing without retreating. When their souls sensed the all-encompassing greatness of G-dliness it became aroused to a gripping desire of ratzo -- running to step out of the bodily limitations and become absorbed with Divinity. However, the Divine will and intent is

"But this is what you shall not eat from.…" (11:4-6) The phrase for "dividing the hoof" is stated in three different forms in the above verses. They are: "mafris," "yafris" and "hifrisah" which are, respectively, the present, future and past tenses. This is to teach us that if we wish to determine whether a person is tamei (i.e., unworthy), one cannot base the decision only on the present, but must consider the past and future as well. Sometimes, the past may help prevent us from deciding that a person is unworthy; and even if the past and the present show the person to be unworthy, one must still consider the future before determining one's verdict about another person. The Torah is showing us how careful one must be before passing judgment on others. (Mayanah Shel Torah)