Torah Portion Summary

This portion begins on the eighth (sh'mini) day following the seven days of ordination (yemei ha-milu'im) of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). On each of the previous seven days Moses had gathered the Israelites to watch him assemble the Mishkan and to ordain Aaron and his sons for service, anointing them with oil mixed with the blood of a male lamb (eil ha-milu'im - the "ram of ordination"). Moses repeated this process seven times to teach the priests how they would minister in the new Sanctuary.

The eighth day of the ordination, however, was Rosh Chodesh Nisan, and God commanded Moses to have Aaron (and his sons) to directly offer the sacrifices (instead of Moses) and to officially assume their responsibilities on behalf of the people.

Haftarh Portion Summary

The Haftarah reading for Shmini concerns the tragedy of Uzzah, son of Abinadab. The Aron HaElohim (Ark of the Lord that was placed in the Holy of Holies) was being returned triumphantly on a wagon from the Philistines who had captured it. The procession was being led by two sons of Abinadab, Uzzah and Ahio, with Ahio leading the oxen that are pulling the wagon, and Uzzah standing beside the ark. However when the oxen stumbled and Uzzah reached out to steady the ark, the LORD became angry and struck him dead on the spot. King David, greatly afraid, then decided to leave the Ark at the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

David soon learned that Obed-Edom the Gittite had been wonderfully blessed by the presence of the ark, so the decision was made to restore it to Jerusalem. David carefully removed the ark and every six steps made a sacrifice. The procession ended with the placement of the Ark in the Tent that David had pitched for it in Jerusalem.

The Haftarah concludes with the giving of the promise to King David that his kingdom would not end, and that a descendant from his lineage would sit upon the throne forever. This is called the Davidic Covenant. The Mashiach Yeshua, a descendant of King David, is the true Heir and Inheritor of this promise.

B'rit Chadashah Portion Summary

The reading from the Brit Chadashah concerns the role of the Mashiach Yeshua as our Kohen Gadol (High Priest), who was authorized by the word of oath from God Himself to be the Mediator of the New Covenant, based on better promises. Instead of the daily sacrifices offered by the earthly priests in the physical mishkan (and later at the temple), Yeshua, God the Son, once for all offered Himself up as the Sin Bearer of the world, in the holy places "made without hands," that is, in the true reality of which the mishkan was only a shadow. Believers in Yeshua have a new altar, "whereof they have no right to eat who serve the tabernacle" (Hebrews 13:10).

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25).

All Portions this week (LINK)
Torah	Haftarah	B'rit Chadashah
Leviticus 9:1-11:47	2 Samuel 6:1-7:17	Hebrews 7:1-19
	Ezekiel 36:16-38	John 11:47-56
COMMENTARY
Fruits of Torah	Torah Resource	Hebrews for Christians
Ardelle -1	Tim Hegg -1	Torah Table Talk
Ardelle -2	The Dangerous Ark of the Book	The Holiday of Passover
AUDIO COMMENTARY (Nehemia's Wall)
Portion	Torah Pearls	Prophet Pearls
Shemini