Parshas Shmini continues the
account, that was began in parshas Tsav (Leviticus 8:1), of the formal
inauguration of the office of the priests. A calamity occurs when two sons of Aharon,
Nadav and Avihu, are burnt to death after offering a “strange fire” (VaYikra
10:1) to Hashem. Rashi brings two reasons for their death. The first is that
they made binding decisions about the law in the presence of Moshe and Aharon, thereby
subtlety usurping their authority. The second was that they made the fire
offering when they were drunk. Never the less this fatal incident creates
difficulties because intuitively religion ceremony does not seem to be a
hazardous pursuit.
Adding to the difficulty is
Moshe rabenu’s order to Aharon and his son’s not to leave the Temple grounds
until the conclusion of the ordination lest they die (see VaYikra 8:35). Included in this warning is that they are to keep the
charges of Hashem. Even after the deaths of Nadav and Avihu, Moshe again
cautions Aharon and his remaining sons repeating the possibility of a fatality.
Complicating the issue is the comment of Moshe that the two sons of Aharon who
perished were very close to G-d (see VaYikra 10:3 and the comment of Rashi).
It seems that the heights of
sanctity are in fact fraught with danger with a definite tendency to choke at a
critical moment. In addition the difference between what is holy and what is
profane may not be clear at all. This idea is explored in Psalm 78 in which
many meanderings are recalled among them that the tribe of Ephraim, who were
specifically armed and skilled with a bow, turned away on the day of battle
(see Psalm 78:9). Samson Raphael Hirsch notes their military prowess and
comments that they did not succumb due to a lack of bravery or ability. The psalm continues with this theme and gives
reasons such as it was generation that was wayward and rebellious. Another is
that they would not move from physical lust. There is also a recurring theme of
repentance and backsliding. Another concept is the change of leadership from
the tribe of Ephraim to the tribe of Judah. The tone is generally optimistic
that the house of David will in the end successfully shepherd the nation of Israel
in the ways of the faith.
A similar theme occurs in the
book of Shmuel. In it the people ask that a king be appointed over them. When
Shmuel sees it as a personal rejection, G-d tells him, “it is not you that they
have rejected rather it is Me that they have rejected to rule over them”, (1
Samuel 8:7). In any event the nation acknowledges that Shmuel has been a fair
judge (ibid 12:5).
Even more extreme is the story
of the boiling blood of Zechariah on the floor of the Temple. When the conqueror presses for an explanation
he is told, “We had a prophet who would rebuke us about matters of heaven and
we rose up against him and killed him”, (Gittin 57b).
In a similar vein the Haftarah
tells the story of how King David transported the Ark of the Covenant to
Jerusalem. This endeavor is also marred by a fatality. However, when David
Hamelech realizes that the Ark must be carried by hand and not thrown in a
wagon, he dances enthusiastically with the procession, jumping and whirling. His
wife Michal reproaches him for acting like a fool but David strongly defends
himself. The story notes that Michal despised David in her heart and concludes
by saying she never had a child until the day of her death, implying that her
criticisms were unjustified and that David indeed acted properly (see 1 Samuel
6).
It seems that with holiness
there is a tendency for a person to choke. This is particularly true if it is a
high kidusha or an advance in kidusha. In situations like this a person may do
something distasteful or strange based on a stubborn flaw which should have
been uprooted long ago. In addition one may not be able to put their finger on
what is wrong even though they know that something is indeed very wrong. The
aggrieved party may not be able to explain what the problem was and others may
not even be able to see it. However a great offence has been committed.
לע"נ, האמה ,מלכה בת חיים ז"ל
נלב"ע ט"ז ניסן תשנ"ח
Acknowledgements to websites:
תורת אמת, וויקיטקסט, http://dictionary.reference.com/,
http://hebrewbooks.org/,
וגם בדואר אלקטרוני
ניתן באתר http://dyschreiber.blogspot.co.il
Blogger English
Blogger Hebrew
YouTube
No comments:
Post a Comment