Sh'mini - Leviticus 9:1-11:47 - 4/25/25

Poor Aaron.  Not only do two of his sons inexplicably get killed by God for an unclear offense, but to cap it off, he and his remaining sons are forbidden to show public signs of mourning. They must show solidarity with and complete support for God’s divine judgment.

So, what did Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, do to warrant God’s smiting? We really do not know.  All we know for certain is that, after Aaron makes a number of various required offerings, Nadav and Avihu step forward and make an offering of their own, a ‘strange fire which had not been commanded’.  So perhaps their offense was doing something outside the norm, exercising their own creative autonomy, and that is a big no-no in God’s eyes.  No improvising in the Holy of Holies!

Later in the parashah, after Nadav and Avihu’s cousins are called to take away the remains, we get an injunction against Aaron and his sons indulging over-much in strong drink. From here, the Rabbis of the midrash extrapolate that Nadav and Avihu must have entered the Holy of Holies drunk, and this is why they were punished.

Whatever the cause, the result was stark and the lesson clear – do as commanded, no more and no less. Do not embellish, do not go outside the regular process, do not take it upon yourself to do anything new or different.

Fortunately, today we praise and encourage innovation, in our liturgies, our rituals, our lifecycle events. Creativity is good. Hearing many different voices from many different perspectives is stimulating and enriching. 

In his last Easter sermon before his death this week, Pope Francis said, “…On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas!” His moral voice will be deeply missed in a time of moral failure of so many of our leaders. Zecher Tzadik L'vracha -  May the Memory of the Righteous be for a blessing.

-Rabbi Bonnie Margulis