Many the world over were rocked by the sudden and tragic death this week of Philip Seymour Hoffman. Although not yet confirmed by the coroner’s office, all fingers point in the direction of an apparent drug overdose as the cause of death. Referred to by the New York Times as “perhaps the most ambitious and widely admired American actor of his generation”, he left a wife and three young children as well as a huge fan base who just can’t help but wonder how? How is it that a man who had it all and led the seemingly most perfect life end it so abruptly?
The Torah tells an intriguing story. It was an exciting and happy day, the inauguration of the tabernacle. When suddenly, tragedy struck. Nadav and Avihu, the two sons of Aaron the high priest and nephews of Moshe brought a ‘strange’ fire up to G-d and were instantly consumed and died on the spot. But how can it be, two men as holy and lofty as these on such a remarkable day to digress in such a way?
Chassidic teachings describe the nature of the soul with the analogy of the flame of a candle. As a soul descends upon the earth she pleads with the Al-mighty begging Him, if only she could stay where it is divine and pure near the heavenly throne. She is fearful of all the pain and the physicality that this world relies on. Throughout her lifetime she’s like a flickering flame, yearning to return to that state, only to be grounded and held back by the candle, the physical body in which she’s been invested.
Chassidus helps us understand the story of Nadav and Avihu as two souls with an impassioned and insatiable desire to be ‘high’ on G-d. To transcend their physical beings and become unified with Him in a state where only spirituality exists. They were so righteous, so perfect that they craved this angelic experience.
But, no says G-d. This is a ‘strange’ fire. This is not our purpose. Our purpose is not to be angels, rather to bring G-d into the world. To transform the physical into spiritual, not to shun it, but to use it and to make it G-dly.
G-d does not want us to die for him, He wants us to live for Him.
Like a soul constantly in pursuit of getting higher, the body also struggles with this. The more one has, the more one wants. Philip Seymour too got high, in a very unG-dly way. He was high, oh so high up on the charts. He had it all, nominations, awards, money and a beautiful family but the quest for more is never quenched. Had he taken a step back to appreciate and value these assets, perhaps he could have kicked this terrible addiction.
Aaron’s sons overdosed on G-d.
Take G-d in the proper dosage, it will enhance your life if you do.
Philip Seymour Hoffman did not die of an overdose of heroin, he died of heroin. No dosage of that is ever good.
As a soul makes its grand entrance into the world, as a newborn baby is born, two paths lay before her. She is told be righteous and be not evil, choose good, choose G-d and still, choose life.
