Parshat Shemini: The Power of Anger
by Rabbi Lobel

“And regarding the he-goat of the sin-offering, Moses repeatedly inquired and, behold, it was burnt, and he became angry . . .” (Leviticus 10:16)

At Israel’s first Rosh Chodesh (new month) celebration, the priests burned the sacrifice rather than conclude the service by eating from it, per Moses’ instructions. However, upon hearing Aaron’s explanation for the sacrifice being burned, that the Priests (Aaron’s remaining family) could not partake in it because Aaron’s two oldest sons just died and were not yet buried, Moses realized he had been wrong. The Torah then says, “And Moses heard [what Aaron said] and it was good in his eyes.” (Leviticus 10:20)

As Rashi (1040 – 1105) says, Aaron explained to Moses, the Priests could not have eaten from the sacrifice because they had an “Onen” status; someone who had not yet buried an immediate family member, could not be expected to eat from the sacrifice with the proper mindset and was therefore barred from eating it altogether. (Leviticus 10:12-19)

The Sifse Chachomim (Rabbi Shabtai be Yosef Bass 1641 – 1718, Compilation of commentaries on Rashi;10:19) supplements Rashi’s explanation by adding that the Kohanim (Priests), Aaron’s remaining family, could have theoretically eaten from the sacrifice that evening after burying Aaron’s eldest sons, but because the sacrifice had to be placed on hold it was defiled before they had a chance to complete the ritual of eating it; the sacrifice had to be burned.

Still, the question remains, why did Moses our Teacher, who received the Torah directly from G-d, not realize Aaron’s remaining sons were acting according to the law? According to the Midrash, Moses didn’t recognize Aaron remaining sons were acting properly because Moses had gotten angry. (Midrash Vayikra Rabbah 13:1; Talmudic Homiletics, 400 CE - 600 CE)

When Moses discovered the sacrifice had been burnt instead of eaten, he became angry and anger compromises one’s ability to reason. Had Moses not become angry, he could have rationally considered and logically concluded why the sacrifice had to be burned. Aaron sons did so because they were Onenim, this resulted in the sacrifice being placed on hold, which caused the sacrifice to accidentally become defiled through improper service.

The lesson here is that even Moses’ ability to reason could be impeded by momentary anger.

As soon as Moses understood why Aaron sons burnt the sacrifice, “it was good in his eyes”. Yet, the entire episode could have been avoided had Moses fully considered the situation before becoming angry.

If such a thing could happen between Moses our Teacher with his brother, Aaron the High Priest, imagine how careful we must be to not judge others in anger.