Rabbi Howard Morrison

The situations are different and similar at the same time. In this week's Parsha, Nadav and Avihu, the adult sons of Aaron, the High Priest, die tragically on the spot having brought a strange fire to the altar of the Tabernacle. Why they die is inexplicable. Commentaries have been offered throughout the ages, suggesting that the more one tries to understand, the more one will never understand. The grief of their father, Aaron, is indescribable. He is silent and perhaps in shock after the sudden deaths of his two sons.

A week ago today, which was already Chol Ha'Moed in Israel, Lucy Dee and her daughters, Maia and Rina, were brutally slain by a terrorist in Israel while driving en route to Tiberias. Husband and father, Rabbi Leo Dee, was unharmed while following them in another car. His two daughters were found dead and were buried last Sunday. The critically wounded Lucy died on Monday and was buried on Tuesday. A family of seven is now a family of four, with three surviving children and their father.

Demonstrating courage and bravery, Rabbi Dee, who buried three family members within a couple of days, spoke last Monday night. He proclaimed "Dees day" - a time to differentiate between good and evil. One must never blame the victim for being the recipient of terror. The terrorist is always to blame. While grieving in a way that no one should have to grieve, he made the halakhic decision to have five organs from his wife be posthumously donated to the living to help save five human lives. In addition, he encouraged every Jew to post a picture of himself or herself on social media with a flag of Israel to demonstrate that we always stand with Israel.

With the inexplicable loss of family life and the indescribable nature of their grief, Aaron, in Parshat Shemini, and Rabbi Leo Dee, during a Passover we will never forget, teach us how to be strong and proud ambassadors of our faith and heritage.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Howard Morrison