5783/2023

In this week’s Parashah, Bnei Yisrael finally completes the

inauguration of the Mishkan and there is a tremendous

celebration. However, amidst the great Simcha of erecting the

Mishkan, Nadav and Avihu tragically pass away after bringing

an “זרה אש” ”Alien fire” before Hashem. Mefarshim discuss what

happened and why Nadav and Avihu were killed for their sin.

The Kli Yakar quotes seven seemingly independent reasons as

to why Aharon’s sons deserved to die:

1. They entered the Mishkan after drinking wine.

2. They entered the Mishkan without washing their

hands and feet with the Kior.

3. They went into the Mishkan lacking one of the Priestly

Garments.

4. They taught a Halachah in the presence of Moshe who

was their teacher.

5. They were eager for Moshe and Aharon to die so they

could take over.

6. They entered the Mishkan when they were not asked

to.

7. They did not want to get married and have children.

Although these answers appear to have nothing in common, I

would like to suggest that they are all rooted in the same Issur.

The big mistake Nadav and Avihu made was that although they

were great people and recognized this, they felt satisfied with

who they were and had no desire to grow. In their eyes, they

were so righteous that there was no point in striving for

greater religious and interpersonal achievements. Each one of

Kli Yakar’s answers can be rooted in this Issur:

1. Since Nadav and Avihu reached their potential, they

thought they could relax and therefore entered the

Mishkan in a drunken state

2. Similarly, because they viewed themselves as so holy,

they felt it was superfluous to purify themselves with

the water of the Kior.

3. Since they achieved perfection, they did not need the

atonement of the Bigdei Kehunah (Arachin 16), so they

performed the Avodah without it.

4. Nadav and Avihu viewed themselves as the greatest

people of the generation so they had no issue with

teaching Halachah in Moshe Rabbeinu’s presence.

5. Likewise, since they had reached such a high level,

they saw it fit that they should be the leaders of Klal

Yisrael, rather than Moshe and Aharon.

6. Just as Moshe could speak with Hashem whenever he

wanted, so too Nadav and Avihu thought they could

enter the Mishkan whenever they wanted.

7. For this same reason they did not get married: Since

Moshe had to divorce Tzipporah because Hashem

spoke to him so frequently, so too Nadav and Avihu felt

it unrealistic to have their own families as they

assumed Hashem would speak with them in the same

way he did with Moshe.

We must learn from Nadav and Avihu’s terrible mistake not to

feel complacent when we are successful, especially in areas of

Torah and Mitzvot. Although it is important to feel a sense of

accomplishment when we do well, we must not let that joy get

in the way of future goals. I recently finished a Masechta of

Gemara and the next day I felt a little demoralized to start again

from Daf ב, but I realized that I cannot be satisfied with what I

have learned until now. We must continue to push ourselves to

become greater because every single one of us has the

potential to be great. The Rambam describes in Hilchot

Teshuvah that everyone has the ability to be a Tzaddik like

Moshe or a Rasha like Yeravam. B’ezrat Hashem we should

continually desire to push beyond our current level and all

reach the potential that HaKadosh Baruch Hu gave us.