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This Shabbat we read the Torah portion about the yom kippur service. It
begins by saying that Hashem spoke to Moshe after the death of the two sons
of Aharon who came near before Hashem and died. Our sages teach that the
connection between yom kippur and the death of Nadav and Avihu, the sons
of Aharon is that just as yom kippur atones for all sins, so too the death of
the righteous atones for all the sins of the generation.
Aharon's sons Nadav and Avihu died on the first day of Nissan which was
the day of the dedication of the tabernacle in the desert. They were
consumed by fire as they brought a 'strange fire' into the holy of holies.
When this tragedy happened, Moshe said to Aharon, "That is what Hashem
said, 'in those who come near to me I will be sanctified and before all the
people I will be glorified'". And Aharon was silent.
The tabernacle was thus sanctified by this tragedy of human sacrifice.
Nadav and Avihu were the sacrificial offerings. Unfortunately, sometimes
in order to dedicate a new era, tragedies of this sort happen. And the only
proper response is silence.
Tonight is Holocaust remembrance day in Israel. One of the ways this
horrible tragedy is marked is by a nation-wide minute of silence. Next
week is the remembrance day for all the fallen soldiers that were killed in
all the wars Israel has had to fight since she declared her independence.
This too is marked by minutes of silence.
I feel that standing silent is the most profound way to keep these two
memorial days. It is something that everyone can do easily, you don't have
to recite anything and you don't need to know anything. It is also removed
from judgement. We just stop what we were doing and silently honor the
memory of those who died.
For me, the two sons of Aharon represent the 'son' that died in the
Holocaust and the 'son' that died in Israel's wars. Nadav means one who
gives freely, or one who volunteers. Israel's sons and daughters who
volunteered to fight in the front lines of combat units and gave their lives
for their homeland are Nadav. Avihu means he is my father.
The Jewish sons and daughters who were murdered by the Nazis just
because they had Jewish parents, or grandparents, or any Jewish
anscestors at all are Avihu. In the wars that Israel has had to fight to
survive many Nadavs were consumed by fire. And many, many Avihus
were consumed by the Nazi furnaces during the Holocaust.
All those deaths by fire are all 'strange fire' - tragic human sacrifices
that were offered to Hashem as part of the dedication of the Jewish state. It
doesn't make the pain and loss any easier, nor does it explain why it had to
happen like this. But the facts are that the Holocaust was what led to the
establishment of the State in Israel which has had to fight so many wars in
its brief history. I don't understand why it had to be like this but I feel it
is profoundly fitting that we honor the men, women and children who died
with the sanctification of Hashem's Name in the Holocaust and Israel's wars
before we celebrate Israel's independence day. And I feel it is deeply fitting
that we honor their memory with silence.
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