Shmini / שמיני

This is a weekly series of parsha dvarim written by a frum, atheist, transsexual anarchist. It's crucial in these times that we resist the narrative that Zionism owns Judaism. Our texts are rich—sometimes opaque, but absolutely teeming with wisdom and fierce debate. It's the work of each generation to extricate meaning from our cultural and religious inheritance. I aim to offer comment which is true to the source material (i.e. doesn't invert or invent meaning to make us more comfortable) and uses Torah like a light to reflect on our modern times. The full dvar is paywalled for four weeks to help me sustain my work as a writer; if you can't afford to subscribe, email me and I'll send you the link for free.

An appeal: My friend Mahmoud needs help feeding his family in Gaza. I talk to Mahmoud regularly and am heartbroken by what him and his children are enduring. Any amount helps, no matter how small.

Content note: Death of children, genocide in Palestine

On the eighth day, following a week of their inauguration, Ahron and his four sons officiate as Kohanim (priests) and make offerings according to Moishe Rebeynu's instructions "for today Hashem will appear to you". Ahron and Moishe bless the people, and the presence of Hashem appears. We are given some dramatic narrative, and the parsha finishes with rules about kashrus.

There are many commentaries on why Ahron's sons are killed. Maybe they made the wrong offering, or with the wrong fire. Maybe they weren't wearing the correct garments. It could be that they too closely approached the Holy of Holies. Maybe their hands or feet weren't properly washed. Maybe they (illegally) had no wives or children. Perhaps they were drunk. All of these reasons come from other instructions in Torah about how Kohanim are meant to behave "lest you die", but there is nothing which directly suggests that Nodov or Avihu were doing anything wrong.

A kinder explanation is given in Vayikro Raboh 12: Ahron's dead sons (Moishe's nephews) were greater than both Moishe and Ahron, killed because they were so beloved by Hashem. Moishe's explanation for their nearness to Hashem supports this theory, but we have no clear answer. There is no simple way to parse death.

Moishe tells Ahron and his remaining sons that they are not permitted to pause and mourn—to rend their garments, leave their hair unshorn, or carry the bodies to outside the Mishkon—because they are already anointed. Their holy task is too urgent. They must continue "lest you die and anger strike the whole community". Everyone is counting on them.

Though they cannot mourn, "all Yisroel" will mourn on their behalf. Moishe instructs Ahron's cousins to remove the dead bodies and bring them outside the camp. When we are in positions of communal leadership in times of trouble, we must make personal sacrifices. Sometimes we must set aside quite large and important personal feelings. But we are not alone—the community will carry our emotional burdens with us.

This is instructive for both leaders and group members (and hopefully those roles are porous). We must find balance between communal and individual needs. We should be gentle with ourselves and each other.