Blood and fire are at the center of Parashat Shmini, as they are in our lives for the last six months. Fire in the Bible is associated with holiness: the burning bush, the pillar of fire in front of Israel's camp, the offering of a sacrifice, the lighting of the menorah candles in the tabernacle, the offering of incense by the high priest. And the examples are many more. In our passage the fire is fierce, burning, deadly.
“Nadav and Avihu, Aharon's sons, took each of them his fire-pan, placed fire on it and then placed incense upon it and they brought before Jehova a strange fire, which He had not commanded them. A fire came forth from before Jehova and consumed them, and they died in the presence of Jehova” (Leviticus 10:1-2).
But what is this "strange fire" for which Nadav and Avihu were burned alive? Some commentators (Ebn Ezra, Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin - the Netziv, Y. Leibowitz and others) believed that it is the "fire of enthusiasm" that comes to serve man himself, not his God: “And in the end it turns out that this kind of worshiper of God, does not worship God, but himself” (Yeshayahu Leibowitz , Seven Years of Discourses on the Weekly Torah Reading, Parashat Sh'mini).
But fire has another side to it. The fire of enthusiasm is the driving fire. It is the power for action, progress, growth and learning. Without the personal and communal passion for action, where would we be? This is an inner fire, not a strange fire. This is the place that enables free giving, without being commanded to give. The enabling place, where both the one and the society grow, and brings all the produce to synergy.
The combination of inner and outer fire, enthusiasm in the context of holiness, are the key to uplifting moments of transcendence. These are the moments of grace in which we grow rehabilitation.
The moments in which women and men act spontaneously are a place of innovation, of the fire of passion that leads to creation. Thousands of women and men are currently in the streets. Imbued with inner fire and faith that we can make a change, a correction to this wonderful and difficult place. A fire that allows an exit from the familiar and comfortable to the sound and fury of the street. The fire inside the camp and not the fire at the head of the camp.
Unlike Aharon, who remained silent in the face of disaster and terrible injustice, we are not silent in the face of the horrific reality of abductions and abductees for whom the way out of hell and return them home can't be found. We are not silent in the face of a government that sacrifices a strange fire, serving man himself and not his God, as commentators claim.
Like our lives in the last six months, our Parashah is bathed in blood. Oh, so much blood. Pour it and sprinkle it and dip a finger in it and spread the horns of the altar with it and pour it. Lots of blood. In the Bible, the purpose of blood is to atone for sins. And in real life? The blood of those who were murdered on the cursed October Seventh. The blood of our sons and daughters who fall in the war. And let us not dull our hearts over the blood of the innocent among the Palestinians.
We will be the ones, the bearers of the torches in the darkness of these days, who shout our cries and we will also make the voice of the silent, the weakened, those who need help heard. And we will become a better and more moral society.
And when the abductees are returned home, and when the subsides, maybe we will be able to cry and keep silent.
“After the earthquake, there was fire, but Jehova was not in the fire, and after the fire there was a calm, quiet sound” (Kings 1 19:12).
Translation: Rabbi Tamara Shifrin
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Galit Oren-Moran, a secular humanist rabbi, a graduate of "Tmura" Israeli Judaism, the Higher Institute for the Training of Secular Rabbis, a member of "Merhav" - the Council of Secular Rabbis in Israel. Mother of three, an educator, has been involved in special education and Jewish renewal in special education for many years. Conducts circle of life Ceremonies and circle of the year Ceremonies. A teacher at Batei Midrash. Promotes secular, egalitarian and pluralistic activities.
“Nadav and Avihu, Aharon's sons, took each of them his fire-pan, placed fire on it and then placed incense upon it and they brought before Jehova a strange fire, which He had not commanded them. A fire came forth from before Jehova and consumed them, and they died in the presence of Jehova” (Leviticus 10:1-2).
But what is this "strange fire" for which Nadav and Avihu were burned alive? Some commentators (Ebn Ezra, Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin - the Netziv, Y. Leibowitz and others) believed that it is the "fire of enthusiasm" that comes to serve man himself, not his God: “And in the end it turns out that this kind of worshiper of God, does not worship God, but himself” (Yeshayahu Leibowitz , Seven Years of Discourses on the Weekly Torah Reading, Parashat Sh'mini).
But fire has another side to it. The fire of enthusiasm is the driving fire. It is the power for action, progress, growth and learning. Without the personal and communal passion for action, where would we be? This is an inner fire, not a strange fire. This is the place that enables free giving, without being commanded to give. The enabling place, where both the one and the society grow, and brings all the produce to synergy.
The combination of inner and outer fire, enthusiasm in the context of holiness, are the key to uplifting moments of transcendence. These are the moments of grace in which we grow rehabilitation.
The moments in which women and men act spontaneously are a place of innovation, of the fire of passion that leads to creation. Thousands of women and men are currently in the streets. Imbued with inner fire and faith that we can make a change, a correction to this wonderful and difficult place. A fire that allows an exit from the familiar and comfortable to the sound and fury of the street. The fire inside the camp and not the fire at the head of the camp.
Unlike Aharon, who remained silent in the face of disaster and terrible injustice, we are not silent in the face of the horrific reality of abductions and abductees for whom the way out of hell and return them home can't be found. We are not silent in the face of a government that sacrifices a strange fire, serving man himself and not his God, as commentators claim.
Like our lives in the last six months, our Parashah is bathed in blood. Oh, so much blood. Pour it and sprinkle it and dip a finger in it and spread the horns of the altar with it and pour it. Lots of blood. In the Bible, the purpose of blood is to atone for sins. And in real life? The blood of those who were murdered on the cursed October Seventh. The blood of our sons and daughters who fall in the war. And let us not dull our hearts over the blood of the innocent among the Palestinians.
We will be the ones, the bearers of the torches in the darkness of these days, who shout our cries and we will also make the voice of the silent, the weakened, those who need help heard. And we will become a better and more moral society.
And when the abductees are returned home, and when the subsides, maybe we will be able to cry and keep silent.
“After the earthquake, there was fire, but Jehova was not in the fire, and after the fire there was a calm, quiet sound” (Kings 1 19:12).
Translation: Rabbi Tamara Shifrin
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Galit Oren-Moran, a secular humanist rabbi, a graduate of "Tmura" Israeli Judaism, the Higher Institute for the Training of Secular Rabbis, a member of "Merhav" - the Council of Secular Rabbis in Israel. Mother of three, an educator, has been involved in special education and Jewish renewal in special education for many years. Conducts circle of life Ceremonies and circle of the year Ceremonies. A teacher at Batei Midrash. Promotes secular, egalitarian and pluralistic activities.