An Unforgiveable Sin: Shemini
By Rabbi Boaz D. Heilman
April 11, 2023
Following a break from the weekly Torah readings for Passover (there were special readings for each day of the holiday), this week we continue with the narrative of the Dedication of the Tabernacle.
It is the eighth day of the ceremony (Shemini means “eighth” and the portion is comprised of chapters 9:1—11:47 in the book of Leviticus). As the portion commences, Moses and Aaron offer the first official sacrifice. Done precisely according to God’s instructions, they next bless the congregated people. But then two of the sons, Nadav and Avihu, commit a fatal error. Without being commanded, they too offer a sacrifice, bringing what the Torah mysteriously calls a “strange fire” to the altar.
What happens next is terrifying. In the presence of their father and uncle and before the entire people, a fire emanates from God and consumes the two errant brothers.
The Torah does not explain what the “strange fire” was, leaving it up to our imagination—and to the interpretation of the Rabbis, who offer four possible reasons for this calamity: 1) Nadav and Avihu brought fire from the kitchen rather than the eternal flame; 2) they were inebriated; 3) they did not consult with one another; 4) their act was disrespectful to Moses and Aaron.
Unauthorized to offer sacrifice on their own, Nadav and Avihu took upon themselves greater power than they were given. No matter the motivation, this was either a far-reaching excess of zeal or, as the rabbis suggest, an actual rebellion.
The misuse of religion for power and personal glory is nothing new. Wars, terrorism, slavery and state-sanctioned religious institutions such as the Spanish Inquisition are all motivated by the same urge. Oppression and even extermination of entire peoples in the name of God are among the greatest evils committed in the name of religion and God. The story of Nadav and Avihu comes as a stern warning against this evil.
Religion is there to inspire and offer hope; it encodes morality and ethics. Religion enables us to imagine what forces might be out there, controlling both nature and our own, often irrational, behavior. It can unite a people and help them endure and survive even the harshest conditions. It must not be used to oppress or persecute.
The message of Shemini is clear: Faith is powerful energy, holding within it the potential to create as well as to destroy. The Torah teaches that the improper use of this power is an unforgivable sin.
© 2023 by Boaz D. Heilman
Rabbi Hellman, I look forward to reading these and meeting you. It is interesting to view religion as a tool to inspire and hope - I’m beginning to view it as a way to know the truth of God and the world he created for us. Your mention of the Tabernacle brings to mind Numbers 2:2 and the description of the tribes of Israel arranging themselves in camps such that their shape, if viewed from above, forms a cross - a provocative symbol showing up in the Torah. I’m curious to learn your thoughts about that.
ReplyDeleteRabbi Heilman- apologies for the autocorrect that misspelled your name. Wendy
DeleteThe cross as a visual symbol is almost as old as humanity itself. The Romans (as well as other ancient powerful entities/empires) used it as a political symbol of power. Hanging a person on a cross became a visually powerful tool to express power over life and death. Its use as a religious symbol is forbidden by Judaism.
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