From Pesach To Shemini

We jump right from Pesach into Shemini; what's the connection?  The main two themes of the parsha are the inauguration of the mishkan and the laws of kosher animals; how are these events connected?

The Maharal Gevurot Hashem Ch. 66 says that if yitzias mitzraim invoked great miracles then the purpose of yitzrias mitzraim must be for a great purpose.  What is that purpose? That Hashem should be able to connect and dwell in this lowly world.  Originally the world was created with that connection, but then through the sins of man it was broken and had to be reestablished.  The events following yitzias mitzraim; mattan torah and the building of the mishkan are the beginning of reestablishing that connection.  These were tremendous events where Hashem connected and interacted with mere mortal humans.  The high point of this is Shemini, as the Tzror Hamor says ולכן כמו שבבריאת העולם עיקר שכינה בתחתונים היתה. כן אמר בכאן כי היום השם נראה אליכם כמו שהיה בראשונה.  

The possuk Shemini (9:6) says וַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֔ה זֶ֧ה הַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה תַּֽעֲשׂ֑וּ וְיֵרָ֥א אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם כְּב֥וֹד יְהֹוָֽה.  The question is that it doesn't say anything to do, so what is the זה הדבר?  The meforshim say various interpretations but the basic gist is based upon the Toras Kohanim: ויאמר משה זה הדבר אשר צוה ה' תעשו" -- אמר להם משה לישראל אותו יצר הרע העבירו מלבכם ותהיו כולכם ביראה אחת ובעצה אחת לשרת לפני המקום. כשם שהוא יחידי בעולם כך תהא עבודתכם מיוחדת לפניו. שנאמר (דברים י, טז-יז) "ומלתם את ערלך לבבכם" -- מפני מה? -- "כי ה' אלהיכם הוא אלהי האלהים ואדוני האדונים". עשיתם כן -- "וירא אליכם כבוד השם".  The זה הדבר is to remove the יצר הרע.  (The unity the midrash speaks about would seem to be alluded to since the possuk talks in a singular tone.)  How is this alluded to in the words זה הדבר?  Explains the Sfas Emes (first one on Shemini,) that in everything there is a פנימיות to be used for the Divine plan but it is hidden and it is up to us to take it out.  הדבר is the created matter, זה is the ability to see that נקודה (as Chazal say by the prophesy of Moshe it says זה for he saw things with a clarity, that is the ability to see the נקודה.)  The ultimate recognition of this is in the Mishkan where everything is elevated directly to Hashem.  Hence through being able to remove the יצר הרע, too see the זה inside the דבר, then 'וְיֵרָ֥א אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם כְּב֥וֹד ה.  (See Sifsay Chayim.) 

The midrash (13:3) says  דָּבָר אַחֵר, זֹאת הַבְּהֵמָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי ל, ה): כָּל אִמְרַת אֱלוֹק צְרוּפָה, רַב אָמַר לֹא נִתְּנוּ הַמִּצְווֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא לְצָרֵף בָּהֶן אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת, וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ל, ה): מָגֵן הוּא לְכָל הַחֹסִים בּוֹ.  The Sfas Emes explains that all of creation (אמרות ה are the 10 מאמרות that all creation emanated from,) become purified through our eating properly, elevating that which is permitted and by refraining from that which is forbidden.  That is why this parsha follows right after the mishkan.  For ושכנתי בתוכם, our innards are a reflection of the mishkan and must elevate that which enters.  [The Sfas Emes adds in תרמא and מח that in the future and pre- agel there were/will be no forbidden animals for everything will be refined completly,]  The Pesach to Shavout bridge, the counting of the Omer is the time that we work on זה הדבר, on refining ourselves (מצרף,) to be able to connect to Hashem.