Derasha 2 on Vayikra 9:1

וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֔י קָרָ֣א מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְאַהֲרֹ֖ן וּלְבָנָ֑יו וּלְזִקְנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

English: On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel.

Source Citation

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Sifra (Toras Kohanim), Shemini, Mekhilta de-Miluim II 1

בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי. אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין אִם שְׁמִינִי לְמִנְיָן אִם שְׁמִינִי לַחֹדֶשׁ, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר כִּי שִׁבְעַת יָמִים יְמַלֵּא אֶת יֶדְכֶם, הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר שְׁמִינִי לְמִנְיָן.

English: “On the eighth day”: we do not know whether this means the eighth day in the count or the eighth day of the month. When the Torah says, “For seven days shall he consecrate you,” we know that it means the eighth day in the count.

Type of Learning

Contextual inference — the preceding seven-day consecration establishes the meaning of “the eighth day.”

What Is Learned

The phrase “eighth day” is understood as the eighth day of the consecration period, based on the preceding seven days.

Derasha 2 on Vayikra 9:1

The Complete Passuk

Source Citation

Core Text of Chazal

Type of Learning

What Is Learned