This week we read Parshat Shmini. There are two primary concerns in this Torah portion: the death of Aaron’s sons Nadav and Avihu and the laws of Kashrut. I would like to focus on the death of Aaron’s sons. We are told that Nadav and Avihu offer a strange fire to G-d without consulting their father or G-d. The result was “And fire came forth from the Lord and consumed them; thus they died at the instance of the Lord.” (Leviticus 10:2) Later on Moses follows up with the Kohanim about the goat for the purification offering which had already been burned. Moses was angry with Eleazar and Itamar (Aaron’s remaining sons) because they did not eat the purification offering in the sacred area. The offering was given to “remove the guilt of the community and to make expiation for them before the Lord”
Our Chumash tells us that when Moses became angry his wisdom left him. Moses didn’t realize Aaron and his family were in a period of mourning for the loss of Nadav and Avihu. “What Aaron and his family needed most at that time were not the words of rebuke but words of comfort, validating their feelings of loss, pain and even outrage.” (Etz Chayim 636) Aaron reminded Moses of this by saying, “See, this day they brought their purification offering and their burnt offering before the Lord, and such things have befallen me! Had I eaten the purification offering today, would the Lord have approved?” (Leviticus)
What is the takeaway from all of this? Our Chumash gives us great insight by saying, “The exchange between Aaron and Moses reflects the conflict in the life of any person who must simultaneously be a public servant, officiating at public ceremonies, and private individual with personal grief and concerns. Aaron must leave his public role temporarily to deal with his grief, whereas Moses, who sometimes seems to have compromised his personal life in favor of his public role.” (Etz Chayim 636) It can be difficult stepping away from our professional lives when we have issues that come up in our personal lives.
This is especially true now as many of us are working either from home or some hybrid version. This causes us to combine our work and personal lives. My blessing to you is to give yourself permission on Shabbat to remove all the things related to work and/or your professional life and really savor and focus on personal time. That is what Shabbat is all about.
Shabbat Shalom Cantor Diamond
CLICK HERE(online schedule tab) for the Schedule of Virtual Services, Minyans and Events. Young Family Shabbat at 5:30 PM Friday Night at 6:00 PM Derash at 9:00 AM Saturday at 9:45 AM
Bloomin’ 4 Good program at Stop & Shop Our Alix Rubinger Food Pantry will receive a one dollar donation for every $9.99 Bloomin’4 Good bouquet sold at the Stop & Shop located at 2450 Jerusalem Avenue in North Bellmore.
Congregation Beth Ohr 2550 South Centre Avenue Bellmore NY 11710 (516) 781-3072 officestaff@cbohr.org
Affiliated with United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism