Shemini Excerpts
שמיני
Shabbat Shalom
Moses passes on the commandment to eat offerings in the Holy place, to Ahron and 'his sons that remain' (10:12-13). Two things are happening here. They eat the food in a designated area. The shule lobby is not part of the designated area for eating Kiddush food...Pesach is coming up Bernie. Can you at least clean out your siddur...There is definitely Chametz there. You walk in every week with something that leavened on your mouth...
He didn't just give up, like the Va'ad Valcanos did when Chris fouled out. Ahron and his sons went on. Moshe moved ahead with the goal. There was a goal. Unlike the Chazen who does not have a goal of finishing the services today....
We keep things going. That is community. When you have a task, you keep it going in the hardest of times, (10:6) just as Ahron and his sons had to keep up the service when Nadav and Avihu were consumed by their fire offering that was not commanded...Yes. Somebody should have hurt the Freichman family for taking the kugel to the coat room. We don't mourn when we have a task...
Even so, the community was to mourn, cry (10:6) for Nadav and Avihu. Because community is supposed to care. Last month, when I had a broken pinky, nobody brought food. I could have used some kugel. But nobody cared...The people care back then.
How do we take the remains? How do we work with what we have? You don't rub the birthday cake in the lobby carpet.
You keep it going, because you are commanded. They were killed, because they did something that wasn't commanded. Kohanim eat in a special place because it was 'commanded.' We must start only doing what we are commanded in this room. It is time we stop making decisions in this congregation. It can only lead to death. Dumb decisions are made when you all sit in board meetings...Nothing good has ever happened when people in this congregation make decisions. The new Ark build 12 feet above the stage. Climbing a scaffolding to get the Torah out is dangerous. Again. A decision that was not commanded...From now on, there will be excommunication for anybody who makes decisions here, until further notice...
Nadav and Avihu died for the sanctification of Gd's name. It was a different type of death. Thus, Ahron and his sons continued the service. NOthing done in this congregation sanctifies Gd's name. Would death be the correct punishment for sneaking food out of Kiddush?..Giving Marc more to clean, after cleaning Bernie's siddur?..Wipe your mouth Bernie.
That is last week's kiddush on there...That disgustingness on your mouth is also considered sneaking it out.
***These are excerpts from the sermon. For the sermon in its entirety, come see David Kilimnick perform at the Off The Wall Comedy Basement, in downtown Jerusalem.