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Parashat Shmini - פָּרָשַׁת שְּׁמִינִי
Shemini (“Eighth”) opens with the consecration of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Two of Aaron’s sons are consumed by a fire sent from God when they attempt to offer a “strange fire.” God describes the animals, birds, and fish that are permissible and prohibited for consumption, as well as some laws of ritual purity.
Torah Portion: Leviticus 9:1-11:47
Parashat Shmini is the 26th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Next read on April 3rd, 2027 / 25 Adar II 5787
- Annual Reading
Read Annually
1:
9:1 - 9:16· 16 p’sukim
2:
9:17 - 9:23· 7 p’sukim
3:
9:24 - 10:11· 12 p’sukim
4:
10:12 - 10:15· 4 p’sukim
5:
10:16 - 10:20· 5 p’sukim
6:
11:1 - 11:32· 32 p’sukim
7:
11:33 - 11:47· 15 p’sukim
Maftir:
11:45 - 11:47· 3 p’sukim
Haftarah for Sephardim:
II Samuel 6:1 - 6:19· 19 p’sukim
Haftarah for Ashkenazim:
II Samuel 6:1 - 7:17· 40 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 1
April 11th, 2026
1:
9:1 - 9:6· 6 p’sukim
2:
9:7 - 9:10· 4 p’sukim
3:
9:11 - 9:16· 6 p’sukim
4:
9:17 - 9:23· 7 p’sukim
5:
9:24 - 10:3· 4 p’sukim
6:
10:4 - 10:7· 4 p’sukim
7:
10:8 - 10:11· 4 p’sukim
Maftir:
10:8 - 10:11· 4 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
II Samuel 6:1 - 6:15· 15 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 2
April 3rd, 2027
1:
10:12 - 10:15· 4 p’sukim
2:
10:16 - 10:20· 5 p’sukim
3:
11:1 - 11:8· 8 p’sukim
4:
11:9 - 11:12· 4 p’sukim
5:
11:13 - 11:19· 7 p’sukim
6:
11:20 - 11:28· 9 p’sukim
7:
11:29 - 11:32· 4 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 3
April 22nd, 2028
1:
11:1 - 11:8· 8 p’sukim
2:
11:9 - 11:12· 4 p’sukim
3:
11:13 - 11:19· 7 p’sukim
4:
11:20 - 11:28· 9 p’sukim
5:
11:29 - 11:32· 4 p’sukim
6:
11:33 - 11:38· 6 p’sukim
7:
11:39 - 11:47· 9 p’sukim
Maftir:
11:45 - 11:47· 3 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
Hosea 9:1 - 9:9· 9 p’sukim
About Parashat Parashat Shmini
Beyond the events of the narrative, Shemini turns on the boundary between the sacred and the ordinary, and on the heightened accountability that comes with religious leadership. The portion opens on a note of triumph: the "eighth day" caps a seven-day ordination, and when divine fire descends to consume the offerings, the people shout for joy and fall on their faces. That elation is shattered by the deaths of Nadav and Avihu, recasting the day as a meditation on how exacting and reverent one must be when approaching the holy. The closing dietary laws (kashrut) extend this theme of disciplined separation from the altar into everyday life, framing the act of eating as another arena in which Israel is called to "be holy, for I am holy."
The Haftarah
In most Ashkenazi communities the Haftarah is II Samuel 6:1-7:17, while many Sephardi congregations read the shorter II Samuel 6:1-19; the exact verse range varies by rite. The reading recounts King David bringing the Ark of the Covenant toward Jerusalem, and when Uzzah reaches out to steady it, he is struck dead on the spot. Commentators connect this to the parashah's account of Nadav and Avihu: both passages describe a sudden death during a moment of intense devotion, brought on by an improper, unsanctioned act toward the sacred. The longer Ashkenazi reading continues with David's joyful dance before the Ark and God's promise to establish his dynasty. Note that when Shemini falls on a special Shabbat (such as Shabbat Parah or Shabbat HaChodesh), a different Haftarah is substituted; check a current calendar for the year in question.
Notable passages and verses
The portion's best-known passage is the death of Nadav and Avihu for offering "strange fire" (Leviticus 10:1-2), followed by Moses' enigmatic words "Through those near to Me I show Myself holy" (Leviticus 10:3) and the haunting line "Vayidom Aharon" — "And Aaron was silent." The kashrut signs of Leviticus 11 — chewing the cud and split hooves for land animals, fins and scales for fish — are among the most widely applied verses in the Torah. Shemini also contains a notable scribal feature: an enlarged Hebrew letter vav in the word "gachon" (Leviticus 11:42), which traditional sources identify as marking the midpoint of the letters of the Torah (a point of masoretic tradition rather than an exact modern letter count).
Frequently asked questions
What is Parashat Shmini about?
Shemini ("Eighth," Leviticus 9:1-11:47) covers three movements: the joyful inauguration of the Tabernacle on the eighth day of the priests' ordination, when divine fire descends on the altar; the sudden death of Aaron's sons Nadav and Avihu for offering an unauthorized "strange fire"; and the dietary laws of kashrut, including the signs of permitted and forbidden animals, fish, and birds. With TropeTrainer you can hear and practice this reading with its trope (cantillation).
What is the Haftarah for Shmini?
In most Ashkenazi communities the Haftarah is II Samuel 6:1-7:17, while many Sephardi congregations read the shorter II Samuel 6:1-19; the precise range depends on rite. It tells of King David moving the Ark of the Covenant and of Uzzah being struck dead for touching it — a death that echoes the fate of Nadav and Avihu in the parashah. (When Shemini falls on a special Shabbat, a different Haftarah may be read, so check a calendar for the year.) TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice this Haftarah with trope.
What are the themes of Shmini?
Shemini explores the boundary between the sacred and the ordinary, the demand for exactness and reverence when approaching the holy, and the heightened accountability of religious leaders. The kashrut laws extend its call to holiness from the altar into daily life, framing even eating as an act of disciplined separation. You can hear and practice the full reading with trope on TropeTrainer.
Who were Nadav and Avihu in Parashat Shmini?
Nadav and Avihu were Aaron's two elder sons, newly serving as priests, who offered an "alien" or "strange fire" (eish zarah) that God had not commanded and were consumed by divine fire (Leviticus 10:1-2). Moses responds with the words "Through those near to Me I show Myself holy," and the Torah records simply that "Aaron was silent." TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice this passage with its trope.
Where to go next
See the complete list of weekly parashot with links to every reading and detail page.
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