Parshat Shemini: Young Jews Playing with Strange Fire.
In Parshat Shemini, while Aaron concerns himself with his Priestly vestments, his sons, Nadav and Abihu, bring “Aish Zara,” strange fire, to HaShem’s alter and meet a fiery fate. The Torah is vague about the nature of the fire, and there is even debate over the exact sin- or if they sinned at all. We modern Jews rarely fear such literal divine retribution. After all, in the Rabbinic age without the Beit HaMikdash, public sacrifices and burnt offerings are unfamiliar. For us, it is instead our inner spiritual fire that counts.
All the more reason the story of Aaron’s sons Nadav and Abihu is an allegory for our own young people. As Jews, they are by nature spritual people, each with the spark of Yiddishkeit within them. Some say we must gather these sparks, but Shmini seems to tell us to learn from Aaron and be mindful of what we let fuel their flickering flame. While we worry about the ornamental vestments of our communities, the building funds, flyers and annual dinners, our young people are off playing with fire.
