Shemini; Leviticus 9:1-12:47

The Torah Portion for this week is a rich portion filled with both legal literature and interesting narrative. Shemini begins with a description of offerings during the inauguration period of the Tabernacle in the desert, climaxing with the ordination/consecration of Aaron and his sons as the High Priests on the eight day. The priestly service and offerings begins with this week’s parasha. Along with the offerings on the first day of sacrificial service, Aaron blesses the People Israel by raising his hands. It is such a special day and unique moment—the Torah tells us that following the blessing of the people, the glory of God appeared to the entire people!

What a feeling of joy and celebration was shared on that day both by the leaders, Aaron and Moses and the priesthood as well as the people.

But our parasha continues the story and we go from the heights of joy and celebration to the depths of tragedy and mourning.

Just as Aaron correctly offered the sacrifices on the newly inaugurated Altar, his two sons, Nadav and Abihu, offer a foreign or alien offering or fire. Nadav and Abihu who just were consecrated to the priesthood and just instructed in the correct offerings required by God, do something they should not have and pay dearly for their behavior. They offered an incorrect incense offering. They are consumed by a fire from God and they died there at the altar. Rashi the great French commentator, says, The Heavenly fire entered their nostrils and burned their souls, as it were, but did not affect their bodies or clothing.

Now one could say that this is harsh punishment for a simple ritual error. But tradition also teaches us that this was more than just an error in execution of the ritual. This was a challenge to the very system that God had just put in place. Traditional commentators say this was Nadav and Abihu using the Altar and the sacrificial service as a way to incorporate idol worship into the new practices of the People Israel. Others draw a conclusion from verses that immediately follow this story concerning intoxication while performing the rituals of the Temple. The text says: “Do not drink intoxicating wine, you and your sons, with you, when you come to the Tent of Meeting, that you not die- this is an eternal decree for your generations. In order to distinguish between the sacred and the profane, and between the contaminated and the pure, and to teach the Children of Israel all the decrees that God had spoken to them through Moses.”

The classic interpretation for Nadav and Abihu seemingly harsh judgment is that they must have been drunk while offering the strange fire to God. Their deaths an important lesson of the sanctity of the Temple service and the solemnity and seriousness with which we must treat the holiness of God and the holiness of worship. We don’t just treat it cavalierly, drunk, or high, or with disrespect. But our spirituality and spiritual needs must be honored with a sense of sanctity and respect as well as our relationship with God. While we no longer offer sacrifices on the Altar, we still should treat our relationship with God with care and the same sense of nurturing and honor that the ancient Temple practices engendered.

In our busy world, often synagogue life, Jewish practice and prayer come at the end of a long list of things we ought to do but sometimes to don’t get around to. This week’s parasha helps us to learn through the tragedies of Nadav and Abihu that we ought to take greater care in our relationship with the Divine.

Then we too will receive and feel the joy that Aaron must have felt as he gave the blessing to the people for the first time; a sense of wholeness and communion with God. That is indeed our goal even today!

Posted by Lee at April 16, 2004 03:00 PM