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Modya and David take a deep dive this week into Shemini (Lev. 9:1-11:47) to explore the content for lessons in tzedek, or righteousness. How might detailed instructions on the way to conduct different ritual sacrifices help build a society that cultivates righteousness and justice? What other middot (character traits) are related to righteousness? This Torah portion also contains the profoundly troubling episode of the deaths of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, who offer a "strange fire" before God (Lev. 10:1-2). David and Modya discuss different commentaries on this episode, and how they illuminate the relationship between character traits, especially righteousness and humility. Thanks for listening!
Modya Silver is an author and psychotherapist based in Toronto. David Gottlieb is a faculty member in the Jewish Studies program at Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership in Chicago.