Super Aaron & Captain Esther
In a week when our Torah portion, Tetzaveh, collides with the holiday of Purim, I couldn't think of a more appropriate topic to discuss than superheroes. No spoilers for WandaVision, at least not intentionally, but honestly it's not accident that there are so many Jewish themes woven throughout the superhero universe. Our sacred texts are full of characters whose story arcs are strikingly familiar to the modern stories we know and love today.
Shabbat Shalom, and Chag Purim Sameach.
In a week where our Torah portion, Tetzaveh, collides with the holiday of Purim, I couldn’t think of a more appropriate topic to discuss than superheroes. Whether it’s the story of how two Jewish kids from Cleveland dreamed up the iconic American hero—Superman, or Stan Lee and the Jewish ideas he weaved into the vast world of Marvel Comics; it’s not an accident that so many superheroes we know and love today have Jewish roots—our sacred texts of full of superhero characters.
This week, we read about Aaron’s consecration as high priest—the sacred garments created for him to wear, made from precious materials and embedded with precious stones, and about the special headdress he wears. After his consecration, when Aaron wears his special outfit, at the right time, he assumes the super power of being able to offer sacrifices on behalf of the Israelite people.
Every superhero has to have their outfit, and like Aaron’s robes, a superheroes outfit is usually made with unique materials with supposed special properties. Tony Stark develops a nanotech Iron Man suit, Black Panther wears a vibranium suit, and Thor’s hammer and axe were forged in the heart of a dying star. Of course, I can’t ignore the similarities between the stones embedded in Aaron’s breastpiece, and the now famous Infinity Stones, considered to be among the most powerful objects in the Marvel universe.
We also read this week about about the process of Aaron’s consecration as high priest—how he prepares himself and about the special oil he’s anointed with. Just like Aaron, superheroes also each have their own origin stories, and often these stories involve a period of intense preparation and/or coming into contact with some sort of goo, serum, or substance that transforms them. Captain America is injected with the super soldier serum. DareDevil was blinded by toxic waste leading to his development of superhuman senses. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are transformed after coming into contact with the ooze, which in the comics, is actually the same toxic waste that blinds DareDevil.
Aaron’s powers as high priest must have seemed magical to the Israelites, camped in the desert, arranged by tribe in a circle, with the Tabernacle at its center, where Aaron and his sons alone could offer the burnt sacrifices required by G-d. His work helps maintain G-d’s presence in the Israelite camp, safeguarding the community as they work their way towards Canaan. Magic works its way into the superhero world too, with characters like Dr. Strange and the Scarlet Witch–popularly known as Wanda Maximoff–safeguarding Earth against magical threats we mere mortals can’t see.
This superhero theme in Jewish texts extends far beyond comparisons to Aaron, though, and we don’t have to look any further than the story of Purim, to see evidence of this. First, let’s be clear, you don’t have to have superpowers to be a superhero. Famous superheroes without superpowers include the aforementioned DareDevil and Iron Man, as well as AntMan, Black Widow, and Batman.
Esther doesn’t have superpowers beyond her intelligence, courage, and diplomatic skill. She doesn’t live during a time when the Temple is standing and the rites we read about this week are being observed, so she can’t intervene that way. She doesn’t have an origin story that involves toxic waste, gamma radiation, or super serum, but she does get anointed with oil, perfume, and cosmetics while in the king’s harem. She also has a secret identity, and she definitely saves the Jewish people. She safeguards the community in a story as rich and compelling as any comic book arc. “If I am to perish, I shall perish!” she said. That makes her a superhero.
The pairing of Aaron and Esther this week fascinates me. On the one hand, we have an ornately crafted series of rituals meant to imbue Aaron with holy, power. On the other we have a regular person stepping up at a crucial time. Both are acting to protect their community, keep it safe, and help it thrive.
Superheroes and comics are fun, but they can also be serious.
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie Spiderman Homecoming, Tony Stark famously says to a young Peter Parker—“if you’re nothing without the suit then you shouldn’t have it.” In some ways, the story of Purim embodies this idea, with so many seemingly powerless characters, including Vashti, creating power for themselves with their words and actions.
Can you imagine, though, if Esther had access to Iron Man Mark 49 Rescue armor, the suit designed by Tony for his wife Pepper Potts? She didn’t need it, but it would have been cool.
Shabbat Shalom & Chag Purim Sameach
