A Season for Everything: The Bible and the LA Fires
It is Leviticus 10:1. Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Abihu, bring a “strange fire” to the holy altar – one that the text tells us “God had not commanded.” A fire descends from “before Hashem” , consumes them, and they die.
Moses comes to his brother to console him, and speaks profoundly. So is Aaron’s response.
The text tells us: “Aaron was silent.”
(‘The Dead Bodies Carried Away’, c. 1900, by James Tissot, 1836-1902)
Why would the text tell us that “Aaron was silent”? To show us that this was not the time for words – even, or perhaps especially, like the profound kind that Moses offered. There would be plenty of time to explore the meaning of Nadav and Abihu’s life, and actions. This time – in the immediate aftermath of a tragedy – was not it.
We are now in the midst of another fire-generated tragedy, in Los Angeles. Commentators are, like Moses, rushing in to offer explanations and analyses. But now, while the fires are still raging and countless people are trying to plan how to reconstruct their lives, it is not the time for punditry. Now is the time to offer comfort – even just by being there (virtually or otherwise) – and, whenever possible, assistance.
The model for this: Texas Governor Greg Abbott. He and California Governor Gavin Newsom disagree on nearly every political issue. They are as different as mainstream American political leaders can be – in their philosophies, policies and approaches to natural disasters. Governor Abbott surely disagreed with much of what his California counterpart did in the lead-up to this crisis. But he did not say anything of the sort here. He just offered assistance stating that “Texans know all too well the devastation wildfires can cause to our communities” and thanking “all the brave firefighters and first responders who are answering the call to help Californians in need as these fires continue to burn.’”
What about the desire that everyone has for answers? Citizens understandably want to know who is responsible for the issues that are making the fire rage on (for instance, lack of water). Is there no place for appropriate criticism of those in charge? The Torah is there to help as well.
In Deuteronomy 13, the text tells us how to respond to “an abomination.” We are to, “inquire, probe and investigate thoroughly.” The seemingly excessive language of the Torah is there to emphasize the importance of a robust process. The role for concerned citizens now is to ensure that an investigation is done in accordance with the thoroughness demanded by the Torah.
There are a lot of criticisms being issued now as singular points. Mayor Karen Bass responded to the warning of “extreme fire weather conditions” by traveling to Ghana. The fire department, like California generally, prioritized DEI – to the fullest extent of its cruel logic. The reservoirs and the hydrants were dry. California, a state in which a resident could easily be paying 60% of his income in taxes (including property and sales taxes), was unprepared for the most basic of public functions – protection from a widely known risk of fire.
(Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)
An investigation embodying the aforementioned Torah instructions will address them – and more, and all in the context of telling the full story of what went wrong. And the full story is important. Now, for instance, Mayor Bass has been criticized for cutting the budget of the fire department by around 2%. Is this obviously a bad decision? Surely any large entity has 2% that could be cut without harm. This is especially true of government, particularly so with California and even with the fire department – which boasts an amply funded “Equity and Human Resources Bureau.” The Republicans who are criticizing this cut should be especially aware and in agreement with the fact that more dollars do not automatically mean better results.
In the meantime, we should recognize the truth of Ecclesiastes: “There is a season for every activity under the Heavens.” The Biblical Aaron showed us how to approach this season in Los Angeles. Now is the season for rendering aid to those in need.
Erica and I just made a contribution to the Greater Zion Church Family in Compton, California-- a wonderful church pastored by our dear friend Michael Fisher, which is providing assistance to those who need immediate help.
That will continue as the next season begins – which can be defined by the “inquire, probe and investigate thoroughly” that Moses commanded in Deuteronomy.