Parashat Shemini is so named because it tells of what happened on יום השמיני – “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 vice-versa. 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.