Well it happened again. Over the past 7-10 days there have been two
terrorist attacks. One occurred in Brussels, approximately 35 people were
killed and nearly 300 were wounded. This past Sunday, Easter Sunday, there was
a terrorist attack in Pakistan where Christians were targeted, 72 were killed
and approximately 340 were injured. Each
of the terrorist was a Muslim fundamentalists linked to ISIS. As I watched the
news, and I watched my children watch news, I thought about the victims.
Normally, I think about the terrorists, the environment in which they operated
their religious fanaticism. This time, however, my thoughts gravitated toward
the victims. No, I did not know any of them. Rather, the most obvious thought
came to light. Each of these victims was someone’s child. Children were killed,
millenials were killed, baby- boomers were killed. No matter their age, each of
those killed had parent. I watched my
children and I tried to imagine how the authorities told the parents that their
child was killed in a terrorist attack, and I tried to imagine the parent’s
response to such horrific news.
This Shabbat is known as Shabbat
Parah. The weekly Torah reading is Parsha Shemini. However, at the very end of
the Torah reading, an excerpt from the first 21 verses from Parsha Chukat that
discusses the laws of the Red Heifer, are read. Parsha Shemini consists of
three chapters. The first of the three chapters discusses the Aaron’s final
preparations and offerings that makes prior to his taking over the
responsibilities of the Priestly service, offerings and opening of the Mishkan.
He makes a Chatat, a Sin Offering, he makes an offering on behalf of the
people, he blesses them, and everyone sees the offering is accepted by God. The
second of the three chapters tells the narrative of Aaron’s two eldest sons
deciding to make their own illicit offerings after the ceremony concludes.
Their offerings are not only spurned but Aaron’s two sons are consumed by the
fire of the offering. Moshe has to tell Aaron, his brother, the tragic
news, Aaron listens, Aaron mourns in his
own way, and then Moshe warns Aaron and his two youngest sons to be sober when
making the offerings and to be in an appropriate state of mind. The third of
the three chapters discusses the laws of Kashrut and specifically those animals
that are permissible to eat and those that are prohibited to eat. The Parsha concludes with Hashem reminding
the people that Kashrut is an expression of holiness and just like God is holy;
B’nai Yisroel’s behavior must express its holiness and the holiness of its relationship
with Hashem.
Aaron’s two eldest sons, Nadav and
Avihu, “each took his fire pan, they put
fire in them and placed incense upon it and they brought it before Hashem an
alien fire that He had not commanded them. A fire came forth from before Hashem
and consumed them, and they died before Hashem. (Lev. 10:1-2). Moshe must now bring the news
of the sons’ death to Aaron. Aaron’s response is amazingly dignified, profound
and linguistically simple: VaYidom
Aharon – And Aaron was silent. Ramban, the great 12th century
commentator explains that until Moshe approached Aaron and offered an
incredibly humane explanation as to what transpired, Aaron had been weeping.
Moshe told Aaron Bikrovai Ekadeish –
I will be sanctified by those who are
nearest me. Upon hearing Moshe’s
explanation and consolation Aaron’s weeping ceased and he “silence” was an expression
of his accepting Moshe’s consolation. Other commentators suggest that Aaron’
had been weeping because he mistakenly thought that his son’s were killed as a
result of Aaron’s involvement with the Eigel
Zahav – The Golden Calf. Moshe’s
explanation convinced Aaron that he had been completely absolved of his involvement
with the Golden Calf. As the Kohen Gadol who understood the nature of Korbonot,
of offerings; intellectually, Aaron understood that nothing spiritually impure
could ever be in close proximity to Hashem. The fact that Moshe suggested that his
sons were in such close proximity to Hashem gave Aaron great comfort. Aaron’s
silence should not be construed as a lack of sadness or loss. Rather Aaron’s
silence demonstrated a profound belief in God despite suffering a tragic loss,
and the strength of acceptance.
I can’t imagine hearing such tragic
news and greeting it with silence. I can’t imagine that I would be capable to
demonstrate my unwavering belief in God with silence; yet our tradition teaches
us that when we hear tragic news we say Baruch
Dayan Emet –Blessed is the God of
Truth. The response doesn’t mean that we are neither weeping nor wailing on
the inside. The response doesn’t mean that we are insensitive to the loss of
those most treasured by us. Rather, we understand that sometimes the death of a
loved one, certainly, God Forbid, the death of a child, seems so random and so
out of order and utterly unfathomable; there are no words. Instead there is
only the truth of silence. For all those parents who received the tragic news
that their child was killed in Brussel and in Pakistan, there only response is
the silence in the re-affirmation of life.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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