This D’var Torah should be a Zechus L’Ilui Nishmas my mother Chaya Rochel Bas Dovid Tzvi (Hareini Kaparas Mishkavah), my sister Kayla Rus Bas Bunim Tuvia A”H, my maternal grandfather Dovid Tzvi Ben Yosef Yochanan A”H, my maternal grandfather Dovid Tzvi Ben Yosef Yochanan A”H, my paternal grandfather Moshe Ben Yosef A”H, my paternal grandmother Channah Freidel Bas Avraham A”H, my uncle Reuven Nachum Ben Moshe & my great aunt Rivkah Sorah Bas Zev Yehuda HaKohein,
It should also be in Zechus L’Refuah Shileimah for:
-My father Bunim Tuvia Ben Channa Freidel
-My grandmother Shulamis Bas Etta
-MY BROTHER: MENACHEM MENDEL SHLOMO BEN CHAYA ROCHEL
-Mordechai Shlomo Ben Sarah Tili
-Noam Shmuel Ben Simcha
_R’ Simcha Yitzchak Ben Mirela Yudka
-Chaya Rochel Ettel Bas Shulamis
-It should also be a Z’chus for an Aliyah of the holy Neshamos of HaRav HaGa’on V’Sar HaTorah Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Ben HaRav Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky A”H, Dovid Avraham Ben Chiya Kehas—R’ Dovid Winiarz ZT”L, Miriam Liba Bas Aharon—Rebbetzin Weiss A”H, as well as the Neshamos of those whose lives were taken by terrorists (Hashem Yikom Damam), COVID-19, and other tragedies.
-It should also be a Z’chus for success for Tzaha”l as well as the rest of Am Yisrael, in Eretz Yisrael and in the Galus.
בס”ד
פרשת שמיני
“Respectfully Disappointed”
פַּרְשַׁת שְּׁמִינִי tells a tragic story about the deaths of אַהַרֹן’s two older sons, נָדָב and אֲבִיהוּא. On the eighth day of the opening ceremony for the מִשְׁכָּן, without receiving permission, נָדָב and אֲבִיהוּא entered the מִשְׁכָּן and brought their own קָרְבָּנוֹת of קְטוֹרֶת (sweet smelling spices) to ה׳. But since they did not follow the instructions, ה׳ sent a fire from heaven which killed them.
As sad as the event was, the תּוֹרָה tells us about the incredible reaction of אַהַרֹן in with 2 words:
“וַיִּדֹּ֖ם אַֽהֲרֹֽן”-“And Aharon was silent.”
Question: Why does the תּוֹרָה need to tell us that אַהַרֹן was silent? If he had nothing to say, it is obvious that he was silent. What is the תּוֹרָה trying to teach us by describing אַהַרֹן’s response?
Answer: Think about what just happened. אַהַרֹן just received the worst possible news a parent could hear. His sons died. We cannot imagine how upset and hurt he felt. And he had a right to be upset. אַהַרֹן might have had a lot that he wanted to say, but he kept silent. אַהַרֹן did not scream or complain. He had self-control. He kept calm. Yes, אַהַרֹן was disappointed, but he was respectfully disappointed.
How many times do people hear news that they don’t like and complain? “It’s not fair!” we whine. But, not אַהַרֹן. We can learn a lot from אַהַרֹן. We don’t always get what we want, and when that happens, even if we want to complain, we can be like אַהַרֹן and be respectfully disappointed. Have a wonderful שַׁבָּת!
Rabbi Eisenberg, Grade 3