Shemini

In this weeks Torah portion of Shemini, we learn about Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu.

Like their father, Nadav and Avihu, are priests, dedicated to serving God through service in the Mishkan.

In this weeks Torah portion, “Nadav and Avihu, took a pan, and placed fire within, and put incense upon the fire. They brought before God a strange fire which they had not been commanded to bring. A fire came out from in front of God and consumed them; they died in front of God. Moses said to Aaron, 'This is what God had referred to, "I will be sanctified by those close to me, thus I will be honored by the entire people,"' and Aaron was silent. (Leviticus 10:1-3)

As an educator and a mother I am unsettled and disturbed. This seems to be an extremely harsh punishment for the sons of Aaron. They too had dedicated their lives to God.

And yet, we don’t have all of the information. What was this strange fire?

According to our commentators, it was an “alien” fire, an “unfit” fire.

This doesn’t give me any real answers. Was it that they took it upon themselves to do something they were not asked?

So in effect, they were punished for showing initiative.

Was it that they broke a rule and were punished for that?

Either way, if we consider so many things that had happened before then, to punish Nadav and Avihu with death seems extreme.

Intellectually I have another problem, I often tell people that they can pray in whatever manner feels comfortable to them. It is not up to me or anybody else to determine the correct way to commune and have a relationship with God. Yet here, is evidence to the contrary.

Do it wrong and die.

And God as a judgemental overlord, this is never the part that I can relate to.

We also have to look at the name of the parsha, Shmini, 8th. We know that it was the eighth day of the installation of the priests and there is something interesting about connecting this to Brit Milah, our covenant which is affirmed on the 8th day after birth.

Did Nadav and Avihu somehow break a covenant?

Yet if we narrow it down to basics, we are looking at a situation where youths have acted in a particular way and have to suffer the consequences. I have to wonder if they were properly prepared for the duties and responsibilities upon them. Just as I wonder about whether we are properly guiding and teaching our youth today.

The retention rate of our students nationally post Bnai Mitzvah is frighteningly low in many places 25% retention is considered normal. This varies according to denomination and local tradition but regardless is a scary statistic.

And without those post ban mitzvah students continuing their education, there is scant opportunity to teach them how to fit in and find a fulfilling role within their Judaism as they mature in adulthood and begin life long patterns.

How do we marry the responsibilities were expect them to fulfil with the love and commitment needed to ensure committed Jewish adults.

Are we forgiving of flaws, open to their understanding and interpretations, or do we stand judgemental like God with Nadav and Avihu.

Our youth are not much more than children and mistakes are made by them and by us.

As Spiritual Leaders we have a responsibility to learn from our Torah and our teaching and find relevance for our modern day lives.

One of these teaching is that not everything is clear cut. Encourage them to question. Teach them to argue. Allow them to find their own way.

And pray, because in the end, their journey, is up to God.