This week’s double parsha Acharei Mot-Kedoshim oscillates between matters of life and death. Between the two, there are 81 mitzvot, about 13% of the total 613. These mitzvot pertain to how we should live our lives – outlining things we should and shouldn’t do.

 

But death also looms large. This week’s reading picks up immediately after the death of two of Aharon’s sons, Nadav and Avihu. It is after their deaths that the name of the parsha is referring to.

 

Judaism has a very nuanced relationship with death. First of all, we will do anything we can, including breaking Shabbat and kashrut if we have to in order to stave it off.

 

Ironically it can take death to remind us of how precious life is.

 

It goes by so quickly and we can’t put things off for tomorrow, especially if tomorrow is never going to come. Of course, every person is going to have regrets when they pass of things they didn’t get around to doing, so whatever is in our power, we have to make sure this list is as short as possible.

 

Then there is the death of others. Making a shiva visit is never easy but if it’s of a person we lost touch with or had a falling out with, it’s even harder.

 

Then we regret not having spoken to, visited them or patched up things with them when we still had the chance.

 

“I should have told them how much I appreciate them and what they meant to me”

“I should have told them I was sorry”

“I should have forgiven them”

 

When Aharon found out about the deaths of 2 of his sons, he was silent. What was there to say at that point that would have made a difference? Nothing. For the people in our lives who mean something, let’s tell them the things we should while we still have a chance.

 

Shabbat Shalom!