Weekly Davar - Ask not what your country can do for you (Shmini)

The Rabbis explain why Nadav and Avihu died. They tell us that when Nadav and Avihu stood behind Moses and Aaron at Mt Sinai, they whispered to each other, ‘when will these two old men die so that we can take over the leadership?’ Mutiny, if only in thought, is certainly a grave failing.

However, when Moses comforts Aaron over the loss of his sons he says that God had told him the Tabernacle would be sanctified through the loss of those who were holiest in the Jewish Nation. ‘I thought it was to be you and me,’ said Moses, ‘now I understand that your sons were greater than both of us.’

But if Nadav and Avihu were genuinely greater, then what was wrong with waiting for Moses and Aaron to die? They would indeed have been better leaders.

My Rabbi, Rabbi Weinberg a”h explained.

Someone walks in the street and sees a homeless person desperate for some food. He turns to his friends and remarks, ‘what type of country do we live in where the government leaves people starving in the streets?’ It’s a good question, but it begs a more important question. What type of person could walk past someone starving in the street and blame the government instead of doing something himself? We are often all too ready to blame our leadership for all of the ills of our country – when we are doing nothing ourselves to contribute towards solutions. Ask not what your country can do for you; ask rather what you can do for your country. JFK’s words are as true today as ever.

Nadav and Avihu were not mutinous. They genuinely felt they could lead better – and they were correct. But why were they waiting for Moses and Aaron to die?! They should have been doing all that they could whilst Moses and Aaron were still alive. We, too, should not wait to be handed leadership; we simply need to respond to the problems that we see in front of us rather than pass the buck. Appointed leaders are no more responsible than we are ourselves. They might have more power, but the responsibility for our society and our world is shared amongst all of us equally.

Leadership is not an appointment, nor is it a privilege. It is an undertaking. Instead of blaming our government and its leaders for failing to solve all the ills of our country, let’s contribute towards solving those ills ourselves.