The day after – Sh’mini
Sh’mini tells us that the eighth day of a week tells us something important.
The eighth day, you ask? Weeks have only seven days! But the day after the end of a week has its own character.
The eighth day opens the imminent week, with all its challenges and opportunities. It also says a great deal about the week that has now ended. With the eighth day a message remains from last week, and you know whether that week has been spent well.
Since the Shabbat of Sh’mini this year comes just after Pesach the effect of the festival still lingers. If we have spent Pesach as a family the following week reveals what sort of family life we are likely to have.
If we spent Pesach committed to the ethic of freedom we will know whether the coming week is likely to show progress towards freedom.
