Introduction to Parashat Hashavua
Yeshivat Har Etzion

The Fire of Nadav and Avihu

By Rav Michael Hattin

INTRODUCTION

Parashat Shemini opens with an account of the completion of the Mishkan's inauguration. After Aharon and his sons had been bathed and then clothed in the regal garments of their office, after they, the vessels and the building proper had been anointed with the holy oil, after all of the requisite sacrifices had been presented and offered, after Moshe and Aharon had movingly blessed the assembled congregation of Israel, the glory of God manifested itself to the people:

What a fitting finale to the narrative of the Mishkan's construction! Recall how Moshe had excitedly first communicated the command concerning the Mishkan to the multitude (Shemot 35:4-19) and how they had immediately began the process of gathering materials. The text had taken pains to point out that everyone had generously contributed to the undertaking, presenting their gold, silver, copper, precious stones, wood, dyed wool, linen and skins (35:20-29). In fact, God's command had been so well received that the contributions soon exceeded even the substantial needs of the artisans, and Moshe had to call upon the people to cease presenting their donations (36:4-7). The work then commenced in earnest as each building element, precious vessel and priestly garment was lovingly fashioned in strict accordance with God's directives. About six months after the project began, it was completed without mishap (39:32), and when the unassembled work was presented to Moshe, he emotionally blessed the people for their efforts (39:43).

Then, the setting up of all of the various elements was undertaken. The enclosure of the courtyard was erected, the building of the sanctuary and the holy of holies was completed, and the dividing curtains were hung in place. The holy vessels were arranged in their respective locations, as everything was completed according to the unspoken but illuminating refrain that is repeated in the passage no less than seventeen times: "just as God had commanded Moshe."

UNEXPECTED TRAGEDY BY FIRE

But the joy of the people on a job well done and their euphoria at the awesome sight of the Divine glory filling the silent spaces was short lived. Scarcely had the fire descended from on high to consume the last of the inaugural sacrifices when tragedy struck:

It is, of course, the theme of fire that informs this section, for it was the awesome fire of Divine approval that immediately preceded it, the presentation of the unfamiliar and unwarranted fire of Nadav and Avihu that lies at its core, and the destructive fire of Divine punishment that concludes it. Put slightly differently, we may say that the indiscretion of Nadav and Avihu, whatever its import, is effectively bracketed by two similar manifestations of God's consuming fire. Initially, it is that fire that approvingly consumes the presented offerings of Aharon and his sons, but then that very same fire menacingly consumes the hapless brothers themselves. Not surprisingly, the chapter break (that is not the product of Jewish tradition) separating the former fire from the rest is not suggested by the original Hebrew text that actually preserves the entire account as a single undivided passage. As a whole, then, the section reads as follows:

We may, of course, go one step further by now noting a glaring contrast. While that first fire of endorsement precipitated a popular outcry of joy and an associated display of reverential worship on the part of the assembled congregation of Israel, the second fire of devastation occasions only a stony silence and a mute response of pained resignation on the part of Aharon the father of the victims:

What prompted Nadav and Avihu, Aharon's trusted firstborn son and his following sibling, to present an unauthorized offering on the most solemn occasion that the people of Israel had ever celebrated? What exactly was the nature of the "unfamiliar fire" that suddenly brought about their untimely demise? What did Moshe mean by his cryptic words of comfort, and why did Aharon remain so frustratingly quiet in response?

THE RABBINIC INTERPRETATIONS

We should properly begin our investigation by noting that the Sages themselves were unable to advance any consensus concerning the crime of the two. In the Talmud (Tractate 'Eiruvin 63a), Rabbi Eli'ezer charges them with the irreverent offense of pronouncing a Halakhic decision in the presence of their mentor Moshe:

In the Midrash, in contrast, the sons of Aharon are accused of ministering in the holy precincts while in a state of drunkenness (!):

Both traditions, of course, are inspired by the textual cues provided by the passage itself. Rabbi Eli'ezer considers the larger context: if the opening premise of Sefer Vayikra is that as an integral part of the ongoing sacrificial service, the ministering priests are to place the fire upon the altar, then that must be true at the time of its inauguration as well. Even though the inaugural sacrifices were consumed by a heavenly fire of approval, Nadav and Avihu mistakenly reasoned that was nevertheless a necessity for the officiating priests to provide their own fire. Had they but shown deference to Moshe their teacher, he would have pointed out to them the error of their syllogism before they recklessly applied it with such tragic results.

Rabbi Yishma'el, on the other hand, considers the more narrow context. After the death of the two, the report of the unceremonious removal of their corpses from the holy precincts and the special provisions placed upon the surviving family members not to observe formal mourning practices (10:2-7), there is then the passage that interdicts the consumption of intoxicating beverages by the ministering priests (10:8-9). This is immediately followed by the conclusion of the narrative in which Moshe instructs Aharon and his remaining sons to consume the sacrificial offerings in spite of the tragedy (10:12-20). While the prohibition concerning intoxication is separated from the rest of the text by a paragraph break both before and after, Rabbi Yishma'el nevertheless considers it to be an integral part of the narrative. Hence, it must be the case that Nadav and Avihu were guilty of ministering to God while under the influence of alcohol.

THE HISTORY AND CHARACTER OF THE TWO

Both traditions seemingly fail to address the fundamental questions: what could possibly have motivated the two sons to act so carelessly, whether in the unguided practical application of erroneous conceptual principles or else in the throwing of caution and consideration to the wind with the imbibing of intoxicating drink? And why again is the matter of fire so seemingly central to the narrative?

In order to assist in formulating a theory, it may be helpful to briefly trace the history of the two brothers. According to the genealogy preserved at the opening of Sefer Shemot, when Moshe and Aharon stood poised to embark upon their mission to Pharaoh, Nadav and Avihu as well as their two younger brothers El'azar and Itamar were all listed as the children of Aharon and Elisheva daughter of 'Aminadav (Shemot 6:23). Now this Elisheva was the sister of none other than Nachshon son of 'Aminadav, who later achieved singular prominence as the tribal chief of Yehuda (see Bemidbar 1:7, 2:3). It therefore emerges that Nadav the firstborn (was he named for his grandfather?) as well as Avihu were destined for achievement early on, for they descended from prominent forebears on both their father's as well as their mother's sides of the family.

This grooming for greatness was soon borne out, for when the people left Egypt, arrived at Sinai and received the Torah, Nadav and Avihu figured prominently in the episode. Recall that after God had pronounced the Decalogue from Sinai's fiery peak, He summoned Moshe to approach the mountain accompanied by a delegation of elders. Counted among that illustrious group were none other than Nadav and Avihu, alone (but for their father) singled out by name:

While only Moshe was then invited to Sinai's summit, the rest of the delegation was afforded a rare and precious glimpse of God's grandeur:

Piecing together the profile, we are now in a better position to analyze the stature of Nadav and Avihu. As Aharon's first sons, the two were from the outset expected to fill priestly positions of prominence, as all firstborns in the Torah are initially expected to do (though few seem to succeed in the mission!). As relatives of Nachshon son of 'Aminadav, they carried the additional burdens of political and spiritual leadership as well. And as esteemed members of the "inner circle" that alone was granted a unique Divine encounter, the two were no doubt imbued with a heightened spiritual sensitivity that demanded a corresponding degree of caution in the fulfillment of their duties.

UNCONTROLLABLE ENTHUSIASM

Having experienced the awesome spectacle of the Inauguration, having personally participated in the preparatory sacrifices, having witnessed the descent of the Divine fire that signaled acceptance of the prescribed rites, the two brothers were filled with genuine religious feeling. The glory of God had been revealed to them, just as it had been when they stood transfixed at Sinai and God's fire flashed forth from the thick cloud. For a moment, time stood still and eternity beckoned, just beyond the dividing curtain that shielded God's radiance from undeserving eyes. Filled with uncontainable enthusiasm, the two took up their firepans. Electrified with spiritual ecstasy, they placed upon them fire and fragrant incense. Solemnly, they approached the Divine presence in a spontaneous outburst of religious fervor. The smoke slowly began to ascend heavenward before it was met by a blinding flash from above. In an instant, the two were overtaken, their souls incinerated by tongues of fire that ironically left their vestments and bodies intact (9:5).

In a word, the transgression of Nadav and Avihu was not precipitated by a lack of sensitivity but rather by an abundance of it. In the great pageant of worship and ritual that was the Inauguration of the Mishkan, every sacrificial and ceremonial detail to be performed was spelled out ahead of time by Divine fiat, so that no man might exercise best-intentioned impulsivity. Singular moments of spiritual transcendence and connectedness to God are simultaneously moments of great danger, for one who is swept up in rapture can presume too much and overstep their bounds. Though we often tend to emphasize God's mercy and forbearance, we must not loose sight of His overwhelming might. Love of God (intense though it may be) that is not tempered by reverence and fear, is in the end self-defeating, for it cannot stop a man from breathlessly rewriting His laws in order to "better serve Him."

The fire of God that initially consumed the sacrificial offerings was met by the fire of Nadav and Avihu that burned so brightly and uncontrollably in their souls. But then that Divine fire, provider of warmth and illumination, turned destructively against them, fittingly consuming their spiritual enthusiasm while leaving their corporal frames unscorched. Moshe meant what he said when he pronounced the dead brothers to be those that are "close" to Him, sanctifiers of His name in life as well as in death, for Nadav and Avihu truly were servants of God. But the Deity does not brook unwarranted familiarity in the awesome act of worship even from His most loyal subjects.

Notice that Rabbi Eli'ezer did not simply charge the two with pronouncing any Halakhic ruling in Moshe's presence (a breach of etiquette that alone should have merited censure) but singled out their penchant for RELIGIOUS OVERENTHUSIASM in particular: "They reasoned the following: since the Torah states (concerning the burnt offering) that 'the sons of Aharon the priest shall place fire upon the altar' (Vayikra 1:7), therefore although the fire descends from the heavens, it is nevertheless a mitzva for it to be brought from a human source." And notice how Rabbi Yishma'el connected their indiscretion with INTOXICATION, for although strong drink is often cited as a source of emotional or spiritual inspiration, it can also cloud one's cognitive judgment, removing inhibitions that would otherwise cause a person to maintain their safe distance from flames that provide heat and light but also can consume the careless.

As for Aharon's silence, it is most fitting of all. Who realized more than the aged priest the great dangers inherent in unbridled religious enthusiasm? Who understood more than he did, as he stood powerless to stem the crowd excitedly clamoring for a golden calf, that the best intentioned acts of worship can so easily degrade into coarse and corrosive idolatry? His beloved children, whom he hoped would one day succeed him in the service of God, now lay dead at his feet, but how could he blame the Deity for their demise? Nadav and Avihu were consumed by an inner fire that could not but be matched by an outer fire from above. Did the poet king perhaps have them in mind when he bid his beloved to

And did God Himself perhaps have them in mind as well when He twice warned Moshe at the revelation at Sinai to distance the people and the priests from the mount, lest "they break forth to ascend towards God, and He then break forth upon them" (Shemot 19:24)?

All religions speak of Divine mercy and love, inviting us to lovingly embrace God in turn. And who is there that does not want to experience that connectedness and concern of God in their own life? Who is there that does not want to serve God sincerely with enthusiasm and passion? One of the most unique contributions of the Torah to religious discourse, however, is that worship of God, if it is to be genuine, must also be predicated upon reverence and fear, for reverence provides the restraints that love refuses to recognize. Nadav and Avihu tragically perished at the very moment that God's presence was most intensely felt. But through their death, the two brothers communicated a fundamental lesson that was to inform the service of the Mishkan and Temple (and for that matter the synagogue) for all time. "Moshe said to Aharon: this is in accordance with what God spoke, for He said that 'I will be sanctified by those that are close to Me, and I will be glorified in the sight of all of the people'."

Shabbat Shalom