Rabbi's Drash

Shemini

( Eight )

5769

Vayikra 9:1-11:47
 

In Vayikra chapter 8 we read about the installation of the priestly line… the beginning of the priesthood and how they were to conduct the services. In chapter 9 we now read about the consecration of the altar and the presentation of the burnt offerings. The chapter ends with the rejoicing of the people when G-d's fire appeared consuming their offerings. This was an ecstatic experience for the people of Israel. They had wanted so badly to be forgiven by G-d for their sin of the Golden Calf and this was demonstrated when G-d accepted their burnt offering. However this joy is quickly replaced by fear when in the next verse, at the beginning of chapter 10, we read about the death of Nadab and Abihu. Rabbi Solomon D. Sassoon in his book "On Number Symbolism" wrote about number 8 in gematria being a special number. It refers to new beginnings, renewal with the eighth day being such an important day. From Ronald Benun's workshop: The complete passage that deals with the issue of eating from the sacrifices that day, from petuh?ah to petuh?ah (10:12-10:20) contains 160 words. The two center words are hwu hy ("haShem commanded"), the first being the eightieth word going forward and the second the eightieth word counting back from the end. This highlights the fact that the topic being dealt with here is focused on haShem's command within the Covenant. In addition, the three-chapter unit that deals with the priestly initiation and installation as well as the attached events, that is, from the beginning of Chapter 8 to the end of Chapter 10, is comprised of eighty verses. From the first word of Chapter 8 until the last word of Chapter 9 (the text that covers the priestly initiation, installation and Mishkan dedication) is 888 words. (Sephardic Institute). The portion of Shemini that I will focus on today however concerns the eldest sons of Aharon, Nadab and Abihu who were killed by G-d when they offered "eish zara" or strange fire to the Lord. Many rabbis have written commentaries in Talmud giving many reasons that they were killed and they come up more than seven different explanations. All of these contain some truth and many look like they contradict each other. There can be only one absolute truth and that is G-d's Truth. The Truth is larger than all of us and there are times that our humanity cannot allow ourselves to see the Truth. Yeshua said that you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. He was speaking about himself as the embodiment of Truth…I am the Way, the Truth and the Life…Who among us can imagine that we can know truth perfectly? We fall into the trap of self-righteousness when we think that our doctrines and dogmas are greater than G-d's truth and that we can explain what G-d is trying to say. The beginning of the three verses in Vayikra 10; 1-3, are very important in trying to understand this passage, to see the intentions of Nadab and Abihu and to learn from the text depicts it as sa hrz rsa syl hwu Mta "strange fire that He had not commanded them" (Lev. 10:1). What just happened here? We read that they put their own fire into their censors and that this fire was not from G-d. G-d then says through Moses regarding the two deaths: "This is what Hashem spoke, saying, ynp lk Meh dbka ybrqb sdqa lew ("through those near to Me I will be sanctified and before all the people I will be honored," Lev. 10:3). Aharon was silent, submitting to the Divine decree. The Pshat or direct meaning is that these two men simply did something that G-d did not ask for and they paid the consequences. We can ask…why was G-d so severe? What were their intentions or what other reasons can we find to explain this tragic occurrence in the relationship between G-d and that Cohanim? Aaron and his sons were already anointed as Cohanim ha Gadolim and they were the only ones so anointed. Some rabbi says it was because Nadab and Abihu thought they were better than Aaron. Were they trying to take the position of Moses and Aaron? Some say that Moses and Aaron realized that Nadab and Abihu were even greater, even holier than they were because they were sacrificed in the fire. Rashbam described this as a death of intervention, as a covering for the people; that they died as a sin offering for the Golden Calf and it brought a full pardon to all of Israel. Is this not a picture of what Yeshua our Messiah did for us? Many rabbis in Judaism teach that G-d never required human sacrifices and yet they contradict themselves by their very own words. There are many instances other than this one to show that G-d can indeed use the death of one or more humans to atone for the many. For instance in the case of the Gibeonites, where King David killed the descendants of King Saul after which it says…and G-d healed the land (II Sam 21:14). The message of Yeshua's atoning death is not limited to a short period of time as Christianity has tried to portray when all its doctrines is localized to the death and resurrection of the man Jesus. Yeshua is far greater than that, for Yeshua existed from the beginning and his death and resurrection was one and for all time. The story of Nadab and Abihu is compared by the rabbis to the death of Isaac in the akeda for the tradition in Talmud is that Isaac died and rose from the dead (Leviticus Rabbah 20:12; Yoma 2:1; Pesikta deRav Kahana 26:16). Yeshua did not come in a vacuum; the soil was fertile for his coming when he entered Jerusalem almost 2000 years ago. The people however at that time were looking for a local savior and not a spiritual one. If Nadab and Abihu were holy, how can we understand their death? If we are being disobedient to G-d our death is imminent. Yochanan clearly speaks of this when he describes the branches which do not produce fruit will be cut off and burnt in the fire. He is not talking about salvation but about being disobedient to G-d's commandments. This event should inspire fear in us since we belong to His vineyard (Yochanan 15:1ff). There are many issues here to be explored and can be confusing to us. It is difficult to understand that when G-d chooses us, he makes us holy. How do we respond to Him? What if I don't want to be chosen? What if I refuse to follow Him or do what I am called to do? This is a difficult portion to comprehend because it looks contradictory and has little logic but if we become detrimental to others G-d can take our lives, even while we are set apart to serve to Him. We cannot always expect to find logic in the Scriptures. G-d is showing us that only those who are made holy or righteous by G-d Himself can be close to Him. In the case of Nadab and Abihu they had just been anointed to be the High Priest when G-d chose these two men to be a sacrifice. It had nothing to do with their behavior. In the same way, our being chosen by G-d has nothing to do with our deeds or how righteous we think we are. It is quite the contrary. The bottom line is that if G-d has called you, it is futile for us to try to live by appearances since G-d knows who we are. Nadab and Abihu as children of Aharon, were chosen, anointed and made holy by G-d but they died a very hard death. He expects more from His own. The book of Hebrews speaks about the double responsibility of leaders who will be doubly judged both for themselves and the community. This should make us shake in our boots before we decide to expressly disobey G-d. However at the same time, their death atoned for the people while being made righteous by G-d. We cannot make ourselves righteous; it is only G-d who does it. Today Israel is not a righteous nation but Israel is still chosen by G-d. Israel is held doubly accountable before the world for everything it does. May we work out our salvation with fear and trembling!    May G-d add blessings to His Word!      Rabbi Percy Johnson      Netanel ben Yochanan      [nxy [b lantn      © 2008 Use by Permission      Kehilat She’ar Yashuv

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