20 Adar II 5774 / 21-22 March 2014
Parashat Shemini
Torah: Leviticus 9:1 - 11:47
Maftir: Numbers 19:1-22 (Shabbat Parah)
Haftarah: Ezekiel 36:16-38 (Shabbat Parah)
Calendar follows below. See
our web site at www.behmeier.org
for complete listings.
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend,
and please cite the source.
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YOU CAN’T BE HOLY BY PLAYING WITH FIRE
A fire came forth from the Lord, and devoured (Nadav and Avihu), and they died before the Lord. Moses said to Aaron, "Of this did the Lord speak, saying: 'I will be made holy (ekadesh) through those who are nearest Me, thus I will be honored before the entire people.'" And Aaron was silent. Leviticus 10:2-3
For I am the Lord your God - you are to make yourselves holy (v'hitkadishtem), and you shall be holy (vi'yitem kedoshim), for I am holy (kadosh ani). Leviticus 11:44
The deaths of Nadav and Abihu have troubled readers for millennia. Were they being punished? Or, were their deaths actually some form of reward?
The Midrashim suggest that both questions might be answered in the affirmative. The brothers brought "strange fire", an incense offering not commanded by God, to the Kodesh Hakadoshim, the Holy of Holies, which was to be entered only by the high priest, only on Yom Kippur. Put in the best light, they wanted to "do more", to be extra holy, by bringing an offering of their own. Their sin was in entering the Holy of Holies and making a strange offering. The reward was in being brought directly to God, for they had desired to show their own deep love and devotion to God.
However, I believe Nadav and Avihu sinned. Their actions are self-indulgent, "holier than thou." Their deaths are not a reward, but punishment, for having gone beyond the commandments, and entering forbidden territory. No form of the root word "k'd'sh" (holy) is used regarding them. God made God's Self holy by destroying those who drew too near, in the wrong way.
The way for us to be holy, according to the Torah, is to draw near to God in the right way, by "merely" following the commandments. There is enough to do without going beyond their limits. God desires that we not draw so near through false or misconceived piety that we get burned, for in death, there is no remembering God (Psalm 6) nor praising of God (Psalm 115).
Shabbat Shalom.
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YOU CAN’T BE HOLY BY PLAYING WITH FIRE
A fire came forth from the Lord, and devoured (Nadav and Avihu), and they died before the Lord. Moses said to Aaron, "Of this did the Lord speak, saying: 'I will be made holy (ekadesh) through those who are nearest Me, thus I will be honored before the entire people.'" And Aaron was silent. Leviticus 10:2-3
For I am the Lord your God - you are to make yourselves holy (v'hitkadishtem), and you shall be holy (vi'yitem kedoshim), for I am holy (kadosh ani). Leviticus 11:44
The deaths of Nadav and Abihu have troubled readers for millennia. Were they being punished? Or, were their deaths actually some form of reward?
The Midrashim suggest that both questions might be answered in the affirmative. The brothers brought "strange fire", an incense offering not commanded by God, to the Kodesh Hakadoshim, the Holy of Holies, which was to be entered only by the high priest, only on Yom Kippur. Put in the best light, they wanted to "do more", to be extra holy, by bringing an offering of their own. Their sin was in entering the Holy of Holies and making a strange offering. The reward was in being brought directly to God, for they had desired to show their own deep love and devotion to God.
However, I believe Nadav and Avihu sinned. Their actions are self-indulgent, "holier than thou." Their deaths are not a reward, but punishment, for having gone beyond the commandments, and entering forbidden territory. No form of the root word "k'd'sh" (holy) is used regarding them. God made God's Self holy by destroying those who drew too near, in the wrong way.
The way for us to be holy, according to the Torah, is to draw near to God in the right way, by "merely" following the commandments. There is enough to do without going beyond their limits. God desires that we not draw so near through false or misconceived piety that we get burned, for in death, there is no remembering God (Psalm 6) nor praising of God (Psalm 115).
Shabbat Shalom.
Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Congregation Beth Meier
Studio City, CA
Visit me on Facebook
"For the sake of Zion I will not be
silent; for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be still." Isaiah
62:1
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Candlelighting: 6:47 pm
Friday: Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Service conducted by Warren and Melinda Trauman.
Saturday: Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Service conducted by
Barry Glass, Kerry Katz, Warren Trauman, and Melinda Trauman. Torah: Barry
Glass; Haftarah: Linda Foster. Kiddush lunch follows.
Sunday: Religious School – 9:30 am. Adult Hebrew Class – 10:00 am.
Tuesday: Lunch and Learn - noon.
Wednesday: (Re)Introduction to Judaism Class – 7:30 pm.
This d'var torah is offered for a
refuah shleimah for Blimah Reizel bat Ruchel, Miriam Minya bat Alisa Batya,
Serach bat Miriam, Eve Beatty, Howard Ehrlich, Jerry Forman, Pamela Huddleston,
Rose Jordan, Steven Kleiger, Lizzie Legnine, Frank Marcovitz, Phil Raider,
Marguerite Rassiner, and Neil Turbov.
Please let me know if there is
anyone you would like to add to the refuah shleimah list or if there is anyone
who may be removed from the list.
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