Parashat Shemini

Adapted from a presentation by Rabbi SaraLeya Schley

This week's parashah, Sh'mini, takes place on the 8th day of the ceremonies inaugurating the Tabernacle and installing Aaron and his sons as priests.   

The story turns tragic when Aaron's two oldest sons, Nadav and Avihu  enter the tabernacle unbidden, offering fire that was not specifically commanded by G!d.  The fire consumes the two boys and they die.  Why?? Some traditional commentaries  blame their deaths on drunkenness or disrespect to Moses' authority.  More recent Hasidic commentaries  imagine the young men's G!d-intoxication, their thirst to be close to the Holy.

This year, I find in this story a parallel to an occurrence in the life of my [Rabbi Schley's] extended circle of loved ones.  Last Sunday, some of my relatives and their friends were skiing in the back-country of the Sierras, trying to enjoy a oneness with snow and mountain.  But the day turned tragic when two of the friends were killed in an avalanche.  One cannot help but ask the same question, "why??"   Why are such beautiful people taken in the prime of their lives?  

In both cases, those killed were perhaps in search of ecstasy, of Connectedness to something larger than themselves.  But their respective searches put them at great risk.  

Is it sufficient that we just desire to merge with the Divine, to experience Nature at its fullest, despite the dangers?  What motivates us to get closer to Nature and the Divine?  Do we have the right to risk our lives for this experience of closeness, for this merging?  I can only raise the questions—we each have to seek our own answers. 

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