It states (11:27) ַלע ֶתֶכַהֹלה ַיָּהַחה ָלבְּכ ָּיוכַּפ ַלע ֵ ךְהוֹל וְכֹלֶםָכל ֵםה ִיםֵאְמט ַרְבַּעא , "And every one that walks on its paws... they are tamei to you." The Divrei Binah writes that the pasuk hints that when a person thinks his parnassah comes from the work of his hands, this thought is tamei because parnassah doesn't come from one's work; it comes from Hashem.
Also, it states (11:29) ֶץֶרּׁבַּש ֵאָּמַטה ֶםָכל וְזֶה, "This is tamei for you among the creeping creatures..." The Avodas Yisrael explains that ֶץֶרּׁבַּש means that it runs (from the word רץ). This alludes to the people who are always rushing back and forth, from here to there to earn their parnassah, speak to a shadchan, or with an askan, etc. This attitude is tamei because a person must rely on Hashem. He thinks he will benefit more by conducting more hishtadlus, forgetting that one cannot receive more or improve his situation beyond what is destined for him.
When one knows that parnassah is from Hashem, he will designate times for studying Torah. However, when one thinks his parnassah results from his hard work, finding time for Torah study is challenging.
In this week's parashah, one of the tamei (unkosher) birds mentioned is (11:17) ָ ךְָלַּׁשה. Rashi writes that it is called so because it is השולה הים מן דגים , "Scoops up fish from the sea." The Divrei Yisrael zt'l teaches that the sea represents Torah, fish represent the Jewish nation, and the ָ ךְָלּׁש bird represents the yetzer hara. As Rashi writes, this bird השולה הים מן דגים "scoops up fish from the sea." This is a remez to the yetzer hara, who attempts to prevent people from studying Torah. How does the yetzer hara succeed? Mainly with the claim that we need many additional hours daily to engage in parnassah, until there is no time left for studying Torah.
Our response should be the same as in the Gemara (Brachos 61b). The Gemara tells that the cruel kingdom (Rome) once decreed that Yisrael may not study Torah. Papus ben Yehudah found Reb Akiva gathering people and learning Torah with them. Papus asked him, "Aren't you afraid of the government?" Reb Akiva replied, "I will tell you a mashal: A fox was walking near a river and saw fish gathered and rushing from place to place. The fox asked the fish, 'Why are you running away?' They replied, 'We are escaping from the nets and traps humans cast to catch us.' The fox offered, 'Join me on the dry land. We will live together, as your ancestors lived together with my ancestors.' The fish replied, 'Is it you that people call the wisest animal? You aren't wise, you are foolish. If we are afraid in the place where we can survive, we should certainly be afraid in the place where we will die!' Similarly, Reb Akiva explained to Papus ben Yehudah, 'Torah is our life, as it states (Devarim 30:20) ימיך ואורך חייך הוא, 'It is your life and the length of your days.' If we are in danger when we learn, certainly we are in danger if we stop learning Torah!' Shortly afterwards, Reb Akiva was caught and placed in jail. Papus ben Yehudah was also captured and imprisoned. Papus ben Yehudah told Reb Akiva, Reb Akiva, you are fortunate, because you were arrested for teaching Torah. Woe to Papus, who was jailed for trivial matters."
Similarly, we should say to the yetzer hara, "Torah is our life and the source of our sustenance. If when we study Torah, we struggle with parnassah, certainly if we stop learning Torah, our financial situation will be much worse."
We shouldn't be lax with tefillah, either, due to our desire to earn parnassah. We must believe that davening well increases our parnassah, rather than diminishing it.
After Nadav v'Avihu were niftar, Moshe warned Aharon (their father), and he warned Elazar and Isamar (their brothers) not to leave the Mishkan in the midst of the avodah. He said (Vayikra 10:7) ֻתוָּּמת ֶּןפ ֵ צְ אוּת לֹא ֵדמוֹע ֶלאֹה ַחֶּתִפוּמ, "Do not go out of the entrance of Ohel Moed, lest you die..." The Rambam (ה"ה ב"פ המקדש ביאת) explains that they might be devastated from the deaths of Nadav v'Avihu, and due to their confusion, they might want to leave the Mishkan. Moshe warned them they must remain inside the Mishkan until the avodah is completed.
The Rambam adds that this obligation is for every kohen. It is forbidden for a kohen to leave the Beis HaMikdash during an avodah. The Rambam writes, "A kohen who leaves the Beis HaMikdash when the avodah is being performed, he is מיתה חייב (deserves the death penalty)... as it states (Vayikra 10:7) ֶלאֹה ַחֶּתִפוּמֻתוָּּמת ֶּןפ ֵ צְ אוּת לֹא ֵדמוֹע , 'Do not go out of the entrance of Ohel Moed, lest you die....' This means they shouldn't abandon the avodah and go outside ִיםוּדְחוּפ ָלִיםְבֹהמ, confused and rushing because of a decree."
Reb Shimshon Pinkus zt'l (Tiferes Shimshon, Shemini p.95) explains that to leave in the middle of an avodah is a disgrace for the avodah. He must finish the avodah first, and then he can leave, or ask another kohen to complete the avodah for him. But he can't abandon the avodah and leave it hanging. That is a disgrace for the avodah.
We learn from this a lesson regarding tefillah. When one is in the middle of davening, it is a disgrace to get up and leave. Tefillah, in our generation, is in the place of the korbanos. It is a disgrace to leave the tefillah before it is completed.
It states (10:10) ַחֹלה ֵיןוּב ֶׁשֹּדַקה בֵּין ַבְדִּילוּלְה, "To distinguish between holy and profane..." The Divrei Yisrael explains that ֶׁשֹּדַקה represents Torah and tefillah. ַחֹלה represents parnassah and other worldly matters. The Torah teaches that we must separate them. When we are davening or learning, it isn't the time to think about one's business. Now it is time to be fully engaged in avodas hakodesh.
