Shmini 5773
In our country we like to focus on the “I Have a Dream” speech; Dr. King’s courage and vision in facing the dangers around him while he clung to a higher hope, a higher dream. I wonder what he would say 35 years later, upon reflecting on the statistics of violence in our country today, and more specifically the preponderance of gun violence in the African American community.
In the past few weeks I attended the funeral service of a (6) six month old baby who was killed in a car with her father. The assailant clearly wanted to do away with the father but shot the child by accident. It was one the most horrific events that I have ever attended. The pain on the parents' faces, and the cries within the community shot through my heart. Listening to the pastors encourage their community to turn their lives around, to separate themselves from guns and violence was stirring indeed. But the reality is that it will take more than a sermon to change the situation. In order for us to reverse this violent trend in our society, we as a nation have to pause and reflect on how to go forward and approach the issues in a holistic way.
I was thinking that this week, we’ll also be reading from the book of Leviticus, the portion of Shmini, when Aaron’s two sons, Nadav and Avihu, who are killed on the day of dedication of the Mishkan, the indwelling place of G-d.
The Torah only records that they brought in an “eish zara,” a strange fire and for that they were killed. No other real comment about what was the cause. The rabbis do talk about this in the midrashic literature. And what’s fascinating is that they see in Nadav and Avihu the essence of arrogance. According to the midrash, Nadav and Avihu had the arrogance to think about taking over for Moses and Aaron and were counting the days to their death and retirement. According to another midrash, these two young men never married. They wouldn’t gave their love to anyone else nor did they have children, and this was seen as an act of horrible arrogance and for that they were worthy of death.
I would suggest to you that there is a certain arrogance in our country. The notion that if an issue doesn’t affect us or our community; somehow we don’t have to take it seriously. We’re wrong and that I think this is the message that G-d sends of Nadav of Avihu; that arrogance brings with it significant consequences. So too in our society today as the numbers grow and the mass shootings continue. And yet we as a society are unwilling to come together to discuss the larger issues.
Jewish Law and Jewish Thought have much to say on guns and violence. So I invite you to come this Shabbat morning to hear a sermon on the rabbinic views of gun violence and then attend a discussion after kiddush with members of our community so that we might learn the Jewish approach in ways to be involved and in ways to get involved in preventing funerals such as the one that I attended in the past weeks for a (6) six month old child.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Michael Siegel
