At the start of creation Adam and Eve lived in the perfect, sheltered world of Gan Eden. Yet, having been empowered with free will they chose to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Having acquired this knowledge, some might say it was only appropriate for them to move on from their sheltered existence so they could put their knowledge to work as they cared for the world around them.
The couple quickly learned the painful truth with which we must all come to terms– sometimes life is just not fair. Far more than abruptly moving from having every need met to a life of hard work and daily labor, they had to live with the realization that in this less than perfect life, one of their children struggled so much that he killed another in a fit of jealousy.
While we may have our share of family drama, most of us thankfully, do not experience the pain of this level of sibling rivalry. Yet, each of us has far too many moments of loss and significant personal setbacks to imagine that we live in a perfect, protected Eden. Illness, accidents, and fighting take the lives of people we love sooner than we’d ever want. Deals go bad, opportunities are missed, and decisions are sometimes just not what we want them to be. Pained as we might be, we find the strength to move forward.
This week, in Parshat Shemini , we find Aaron and his sons in the midst of an eight day celebration of their ordination. Just days after learning the rituals of sacrifice, Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu brought forward an “alien,” uncommanded fire. In a moment, an explosion occurred and the two were burnt to death. Whether this flare-up of the flames was an unintended explosion or Divine intervention we will never know. What we can imagine is the likely mix of screams and silence that ensued as the community absorbed the tragedy that struck in the midst of the celebration of the sanctification of the Mishkan and the ordination of the Priests. Sometimes life is just not fair.
What does one do when there are no words and perhaps, no comfort? Aaron is reminded that he cannot get lost and stuck in his grief; for the sake of the people and himself, he must move forward, continuing to connect people to G-d. With each step forward he takes, he teaches us all. With each kindness, he helps to heal himself and the community.
Sometimes life is just not fair. Yet, even in these moment, or perhaps most of all in these moments, we must, as musician Craig Taubman writes in the song Be Human, rise above the crowd, raise our voices loud, and with our actions, be proud.
May our blessings always outweigh our tragedies. Yet, when the difficult moments inevitably come, may we always find, within ourselves and through the community that surrounds us, the strength to move forward.
Prior to her position with the Grinspoon Foundation, Iris served as a synagogue educator in Syracuse NY, the Central New York PJ Library Program Coordinator and as a national consultant for PJ Library.
Iris holds a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education, a master’s degree in Special Education and Reading, and Advanced Certification in School Leadership and Administration. Her experience as a secular educator and educational leader in congregational and community settings spans over 20 years. She is also a lay leader in Jewish organizations on the local and national levels. Iris served as the President of CAJE – the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education, which was the largest member organization for Jewish educators in the country.
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