This weekend is super-busy here at Ohev Shalom. If you don't believe me, just read our Weekly Announcements, or check out our website; it's packed!! And between our Shabbat Echad program on Friday night, and our awesome Comedy Night on Saturday evening, we have a special Saturday morning service that I'm afraid is getting a bit overlooked. You see,
on Shabbat morning, our terrific Vav and Zayin (6th and 7th grade) students are leading the majority of our services. It may not jump out at you as something extraordinary, but it's arguably more significant than the other major weekend happenings, because it involves our younger members taking ownership of their Jewish identity. Several of them have already celebrated a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, and the rest are all gearing up for it; and this service represents continued involvement, participation in the life of the congregation, and Jewish ritual leadership. It's a big deal. And it also reminds me a lot of this week's Torah portion.
In parashat Tetzaveh, we continue last week's theme of constructing the Tabernacle in the desert. This week, however, we are also given specific instructions regarding the priesthood, including their clothing, their jewelry, and their particularly snazzy hats. And we are told in chapter 28, verse 1: "You shall bring forward your brother Aaron, with his sons, from among the Israelites, to serve Me as priests: Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, Eleazar and Itamar, the sons of Aaron."
In my mind, Aaron is now the 'kvelling' father, proudly watching his four sons all follow in his footsteps and become honored priests. Like our sixth an seventh grade parents, Aaron was probably right there with his iPhone, ready to snap a few photos for the family album, or maybe even shoot some video to show the grandparents who couldn't make it down. Embarrassing for the kids? You betcha!
But what about Moses? He has a couple of sons of his own, Gershom and Eliezer, yet they are, to my mind, conspicuously absent in this story. And indeed throughout the narrative of the Torah. We hear about them once or twice, but then never again. Do they still live with Moses' father-in-law, Jethro?
Do they ever participate in any of the Israelites' experiences, or feel a part of their culture and heritage? We simply don't know. And in this grandiose moment of inaugurating the priestly service of Aaron and his sons, I imagine that Moses is feeling a bit slighted. In fact, this Torah portion is notably the only one throughout the last four books of the Torah where Moses' name isn't mentioned. This week, on the Jewish calendar, also marks the traditional date of Moses' death. So, in a sense, we are feeling his absence, and the absence of his family and lineage, quite a bit this week.
In part, this shows us that no one lives forever. Even if we make a major impact on our community, or even on the world, we cannot make it last for all eternity, and we cannot even force those who
follow us to live as we did. Maybe Moses' children chose to excuse themselves, maybe they just weren't interested. Tetzaveh also reminds us to make room for others, to share the spotlight. Moses couldn't do it all; and in order to show that there would eventually be a passing of leadership, it had to start early on, to show the Israelites that other people were also fit to lead. Clinging to all aspects of leadership and control benefits no one. We too must learn when to step up and lead, and when to back down and make room for others. It's not always easy to do, but if Moses could learn how to do it, I'm confident that each of us can figure it out as well.
Photos in this blog post:
1. Image courtesy of Cantor Friedrich and Ohev Shalom.
1. Image courtesy of Cantor Friedrich and Ohev Shalom.
2. Image courtesy of Cantor Friedrich and Ohev Shalom.
4. CC image courtesy of Shayne Kaye on Flickr
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