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    RISING ABOVE SOCIETY

    Parashat Shemini
    is so named because
    it tells of what happened on השמיני יום –
    “the eighth day.” For
    seven days, Aharon
    and his sons prepared for their role as kohanim in the Mishkan, and then, on the
    eighth day, the service in the Mishkan began with them filling their role.
    Of course, this is not the only time
    when the eighth day is special. A newborn child receives his berit milah on the
    eighth day. The Hanukah miracle lasted
    eight days. Sukkot is celebrated for seven
    days, and then a special additional holiday – Shemini Atzeret – is observed on
    the eighth day.
    It has been famously explained that as
    the world was created in seven days, the
    number eight signifies extending beyond
    nature. A child receives a berit milah on
    the eighth day because as a Jew, he is expected to rise above his natural drives and
    tendencies. The Hanukah miracle lasted
    eight days because it was supernatural,
    something that occurred outside the
    framework of the natural order. And so
    the Mishkan, too, began operating on the
    eighth day – showing us that we serve
    Hashem by transcending our natural inclinations.
    But this concept also means that we
    rise above the rest of society. Throughout
    the seven days of Sukkot, special sacrifices are brought on behalf of all nations
    of the world, and then, on the eighth, a
    special Yom Tov is observed celebrating
    our special relationship with Hashem.
    Just as we must extend beyond our natural instincts, we are also required to extend beyond the rest of the world, and not
    go along with what everyone else is doing. We need to be different, to act differently, to speak differently, to think differently, to be grounded in what the Torah
    says, and not blindly accept what society
    says.
    In the second half of Parashat Shemini, the Torah discusses the status of various creatures with respect to kashrut –
    whether or not they may be eaten – and to
    the laws of impurity. This includes the
    laws regarding שרצים – rodents and reptiles, whose carcasses are considered impure.
    The Gemara in Masechet Sanhedrin
    makes an astounding statement – that in
    order to be appointed to the Sanhedrin,
    the highest rabbinic body, a scholar must
    have the ability to show how a שרץ is
    pure. Even though the Torah clearly
    states that such creatures are impure, a
    scholar must have enough knowledge and
    a sharp enough mind to make
    an argument for why a שרץ
    should be considered pure.
    Why?
    The answer is that a scholar
    needs to recognize that an argument can be made for anything, even for the most ludicrous ideas. People are able to
    twist the truth to such an extent
    that something which is unquestionably “impure” can be
    portrayed as “pure,” and viceversa. Scholars who will be
    reaching important decisions need to be
    aware of the pressures they will face by
    people who will try convincing them that
    a שרץ is pure.
    We see this phenomenon very clearly
    in our times. Ideas which would have
    been regarded as utterly preposterous just
    several years ago are now embraced, and
    we are told that we need to accept them.
    Men are not necessarily men, and women
    are not necessarily women. Mr. Potato
    Head is no longer an acceptable toy, because its name is somehow offensive.
    Books written by Dr. Seuss are now considered inappropriate, but books with explicitly vulgar titles on the front cover are
    perfectly fine. We are told that impure is
    pure, and pure is impure – and we are
    pressured to accept it.
    We need to remember the lesson of יום
    השמיני ,the concept of the “eighth” – that
    we are to rise above the popular trends in
    society. The way we think and the way
    we act is to be determined by the Torah,
    and not by the society around us. In order
    to serve Hashem properly, as represented
    by the Mishkan, we must live on the level
    of the “eighth,” and ensure not to swept
    along by the current of popular fads. Just
    because something is “natural,” accepted
    by the majority of the people around us,
    this does not mean that we must subscribe
    to it. We need to accept what the Torah
    teaches us, to accept its ideas and follow
    the lifestyle it requires, and to rise above
    the ideas promulgated by our surrounding
    culture.