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Shemini

by Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon

This week’s Torah portion is the third in the Book of Leviticus, Shemini, and it includes a very dramatic, and traumatic event.  The Tabernacle in the Wilderness has just been consecrated, and the priests, Moses’ brother Aaron and his sons, are entering into their office.  God’s presence fills the Tabernacle, and all is good with the people. 

And then, suddenly, disaster strikes.  Aaron’s eldest sons, newly ordained priests named Nadav and Avihu, offer what is called eish zarah, strange fire to the Lord.  They are immediately struck down and devoured by fire, dying before the Lord. 

In the aftermath of this tragic shock, Moses consoles Aaron with these strange words: “God says, ‘by those brought near to Me I am consecrated, and honored before the people.’”

There is no word on whether Aaron accepted this as somehow a just ending for his sons.  The text merely says “Vayidom Aharon”, Aaron was silent.

We do not know the young priests’ offense, if there was any.  We are not told what that “strange fire” was.  God decrees, and atonement offerings are made, for whatever sin they may have committed, and the people are restored to God’s favor.

We also do not know why certain tragedies take place, or why terrible things sometimes happen to good people.  As Ben Sirach says in the text Ecclesiasticus (from the Apocrypha of the Bible), “we have been shown more than we can understand.” 

We do know that Aaron’s silence may be the only real response to profound tragedy and loss. 

And our comfort may come only when we silently acknowledge our own powerlessness.  This may seem small comfort, indeed—but it is also an honest appraisal of our ability to comprehend profound loss.

May God keep us from such tragedy—but may God also give us the strength of Aaron when we have to face it.