The
intention of Nadav and Avihu was to sanctify themselves, but instead of
being rewarded, they were killed. Why? Because holiness without the
acceptance of the Yoke of Heaven is strange fire.
Without the
"Yoke of Heaven", all of the mitzvot lose their significance. For
example, someone might say: I observe Shabbat because I think it is
nice, and not because G-d commanded me to do so. Such a person does not
fulfill G-d's commandments, but rather is following his own thoughts
and ego. He is performing the act out of intellectual or emotional
"agreement", and is only reinforcing his own arrogance and conceit,
despite the fact that on an exterior level, he is performing the same
mitzvah just as you and me.
We have dealt with this concept on
many occasions, especially as it pertains to the vast numbers of
religious Jews who have difficulty relating to "national" mitzvot, such
as goyim in Eretz Yisrael, war, vengeance, etc. This, as we have
stated, is due to foreign influences, and the failure to accept the
Yoke of Heaven in it's entirety. Through the sin of Nadav and Avihu, we
will now deal with this concept from a different angle.
Many
explanations are given for the death of Nadav and Avihu. In any case,
we need not look beyond the simple understanding of the verses in our
parsha to gain the proper insight: "And they offered strange fire
before the Lord which He commanded them not." In other words, they
deviated from the exact instructions which they had been given by G-d
to perform the service. They added something extra, something strange.
In order to grasp the severity of their sin, we must understand the
background. We are talking about the eighth day of the consecration
service ("milieuim") of Aharon and sons. These were days of spiritual
elevation and preparation so that they can begin their service in the
Tabernacle. During these days, Moshe, Aharon, and his sons were set
apart from everyone else, occupied in the very special service G-d had
commanded them. The details of this service had been meticulously
described in parshas "TiZave" and "Tzav".
The eighth day was
the absolute climax of the service. On this day the Tabernacle was
erected, and the holy work inside it was to commence. Everyone was in a
state of holy-exuberance which had never yet beenexperienced. And
behold, Nadav and Avihu's love for G-d reached a new height, bursting
forth almost uncontrollably. In their boundless enthusiasm,they felt a
need to offer extra incense before G-d, something which they had not
been commanded to do. And then tragedy struck.
If this had
happened today, surely people would ask: That's a sin? On thecontrary,
all this stemmed from their feelings of holiness! They should be given
a prize! But here a great lesson is to be learned: There is no sanctity
outside of the framework which G-d has set down, which is the
"halacha". The Torah has a good reason for twice repeating in great
detail the halachot of the "milieuim" service, despite the fact that
these halachot are no longer applicable for today. It wants to teach us
that even the "gedolim", during grand moments of spiritual elevation,
must remember that there is a very specific procedure which G-d set
down for how one must sanctify himself. It is not "hefker". Any
deviation from the procedure which G-d determined, no matter how small
it may be, is liable to bring tragedy. Pay attention to the words of
the Torah in defining the sin of Nadav and Avihu: "And they offered a
strange fire before the Lord which He commanded them not". Their sin
was for doing something which was not included in what G-d commanded
them to do. This is in itself a sin: G-d gave a clear plan, and then
Nadav and Avihu came up with their own "agenda".
A lesson can
be learned here that is applicable to some of the approaches to Judaism
which are prevalent today. High spiritual elevation and enthusiasm
which exceeds the "dry" and "square" halacha, is something very
dangerous indeed. One who is trying to sanctify himself with holiness,
may often feel that the halacha is restricting him. At first glance,
such a feeling stems from a healthy aspiration for extra holiness. And
then,according to his personal discretion and intellect, he begins to
place emphasis on certain things. Without realizing it, he creates a
new religion. A "strange fire". What is really happening here, is that
he has broken off the "Yoke of Heaven", due to his ego and lack of
readiness to understand that the foundation to holiness is the
acceptance of the yoke of hisCreator, and the subjugation of his own
ego.
The way to sanctify oneself and cling to G-d - only G-d
Himself can determine. Just as it is clear that one cannot be
"religious" in his heart, without fulfilling mitzvot, so, too, is it
clear that our human intellect and personal emotions can never figure
out the proper way to cling to G-d. Such feelings are brief and
transient, blowing breezes which leave no real impression.
It
is likely that the commandment given to Aharon forbidding him to mourn
his children, is intended to complete this message. In other words,
because the death of his sons was due to the fact that they went after
their own inner emotions and ignored the "halacha", Aharon must prove
that even in the most tragic situation, one must overcome his emotions,
if Hashem commands it. And indeed: "And Aharon was silent". What
greatness! Aharon accepts the sentence, transcending all personal loss
and sorrow.
The Yoke of Heaven! Before we even "understand"
the Torah; before we even "agree" with the mitzvot - we must fulfill it
to the letter. Afterwards, one can try to understand. In the meantime,
do the mitzvah even if it seems togo against your "conscience". We will
do - and we will listen.
(written in 1998)
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