The haftarah for Parashat Shemini is the story of the celebratory transfer of the Aron (Holy Ark) from Kiryat Ye’arim to Yerushalayim, during which Uza was killed by Hashem for grabbing the Aron that he believed was about to fall. This parallels the parashah’s account of Nadav and Avihu perishing during the celebratory inauguration and initiation of the Mishkan. (In fact, the haftarah notes that the Aron had until now been kept at the house of Avinadav, and that Avinadav’s sons Uza and Achiyo were the people transporting the Aron. The name “Avinadav” strikingly captures the names “Nadav” and “Avihu”, as a direct reflection back to what transpired in Parshat Shmini many years prior to that.)
Immediately after the demise of Nadav and Avihu, Moshe Rabbeinu tells Aharon and his sons Elazar and Isamar that they may not grow their hair long nor rend their garments (Vayikra 10:5), which Rashi explains to mean that Aharon and his two remaining sons were forbidden to display these signs our mourning in order not to disrupt that momentous occasion of Divine simcha. Just like Aharon and his sons accepted what occurred and the inauguration of the Mishkan continued undisturbed, so too do we read in the haftarah that despite David Ha-Melech’s anguish over the death of Uza, he elatedly proceeded with the jubilant transfer of the Aron to Yerushalayim and its celebration. (Shmuel II 6:8-19)
Although there is a biting sensation of tragedy upon the loss of Nadav and Avihu and of Uza in these narratives, it is clear that the nation carried forth with the Chanukat Ha-Mishkan (Inauguration of the Mishkan) in a state of simcha, and that Dovid and the people did the same with the transfer of the Aron. In fact, the text spares no detail in its portrayal of Dovid’s rapturous comportment at that occasion.
Although a mourner is not permitted to attend events of simcha, and mourning was suspended for the Chanukat Ha-Mishkan and the transfer of the Aron, one gets the feeling that the simcha at these affairs was not forced or artificial, but that it was wholly genuine and complete. How did this come about, in the shadow of tragedy that occurred just moments before?
When one is imminently close to Hashem, as was the case with these two events, one experiences pure and total goodness, and everything “makes sense”; there are no contradictions or questions, there is no confusion or darkness - and such will be the case in the Eschatological Era. Whereas from afar, from the perspective of the human condition, occasions of calamity and misery had just transpired, and it takes time to digest things and regain composure, from the Divine perspective, where all is good, undiluted and comprehensive simcha reigns supreme and misery cannot exist.
This sense of ultimate happiness, contentment, fulfillment and exuberance, which cannot be immediately achieved in normative situations when misfortune strikes, were attained by Aharon and his sons and by David, and will be experienced again, when we are intimately and unmistakably close with Hashem and His Shechinah is conspicuously in our midst.
May these times arrive very soon.