The Many “Faces” of Silence
Parashat Shemini doesn’t lack for themes but the one which stood out for me as I began to prepare this D’var Torah is one that “speaks” to me every year when we read this parashah – namely, the theme of silence. Although Aaron’s silence is of course in an almost inconceivably tragic context all its own, I’ve been recalling and searching for other instances of silence in the Bible and in contemporary literature as well as in the area of mourning practices.
An example in the latter category is Chaim Potok’s well-known book, The Chosen, which powerfully and poignantly explores the theme of silence between fathers and sons. Rabbi Harold Kushner also explores the concept of silence in his widely-read book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People. In it, he deals with the role of silence in understanding suffering and in searching for meaning in life. In response to grief and misery, Kushner believed that silence can find Read More >
