The term “man” (adam) excludes one who is not married, his offering being no offering and blessings not resting on him, either above or below. For he is deficient and is called “blemished”, and nothing blemished may approach the altar.
Said R. Abba: ‘The incense is the most excellent of all offerings, for through it are blessed both those above and those below. Therefore they were not worthy to bring this offering, because they were not married.
It may still be asked, however, why were they burnt? The following parable will explain. A man came before the queen to inform her that the king intended to visit her and enjoy her company. He then presented himself to the king, who saw that he was physically defective. Said the king: “It comports not with my dignity that through the agency of this cripple I should be presented to the queen.” Meanwhile the queen had prepared the room for the king. When she saw that the king was prevented from coming to her by that man, she ordered him to be put to death.
So when Nadab and Abihu took the incense, the Matrona saw and rejoiced and prepared to meet the King. When the King, however, saw that they were defective, he did not wish to be introduced to her through them, and kept aloof. When the Matrona saw that through them the King kept aloof, straightway “a fire went forth from the Lord and consumed them”.
OF THE CATTLE. This is the general term. OF THE HERD AND OF THE FLOCK: these are the particular terms. The Scripture particularises those animals which are proper to eat. Those which are not proper to eat may not be brought as an offering. The difference between those that are proper and those that are not proper to eat is stated elsewhere.
תָּא חֲזִי, אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב, לַאֲפוּקֵי מַאן דְּלָא אִתְנְסִיב, דְּהָא קָרְבָּנֵיהּ לָאו קָרְבָּן, וּבִרְכָּאן לָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחָן לְגַבֵּיהּ, (ס"א על ידיה) לָא לְעֵילָּא, וְלָא לְתַתָּא. מִמַּשְׁמַע דִּכְתִּיב אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב, שָׁאנֵי הָכָא, דְּלָאו אִיהוּ אָדָם, וְלָא בִּכְלָלָא דְּאָדָם הוּא, וּשְׁכִינְתָּא לָא שַׁרְיָא עָלוֹהִי, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ פָּגִים, וְאִקְרֵי בַּעַל מוּם, וּמָארֵי דְּמוּמָא אִתְרַחֲקָא מִכֹּלָּא, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן לְמַדְבְּחָא לְקָרְבָא קָרְבְּנָא.
The term “man” (adam) excludes one who is not married, his offering being no offering and blessings not resting on him, either above or below. For he is deficient and is called “blemished”, and nothing blemished may approach the altar.
ונָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא אוֹכָחָן, דִּכְתִּיב, (ויקרא ט׳:כ״ד) וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנִי יְיָ'. וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ כְּתִיב, אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם קָרְבָּן לַיְיָ', אָדָם דְּאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא, הַאי חֲזֵי לְקָרְבָא קָרְבְּנָא דָּא, ולָא אָחֳרָא.
The proof is in the fate of Nadab and Abihu.
וְאָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאוּקְמוּהָ לְנָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא בְּמִלָּה אָחֳרָא, הָכִי הוּא ודַּאי. אֲבָל קְטֹרֶת, עִלָּאָה הוּא מִכָּל קָרְבְּנִין דְּעָלְמָא, דְּעָלֵיהּ אִתְבָּרְכָן עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי. וְקָרְבְּנָא דָּא דְּאִיהוּ לְעֵילָּא מִכָּל קָרְבְּנִין לָא אִתְחָזוּן אִינּוּן לְקָרְבָא, דְּהָא לָא אִתְנְסִיבוּ, לְקָרְבָּנָא לָא אִתְחֲזוּן, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן לְמִלִּין עִלָּאִין, דְּיִתְבָּרְכוּן עַל יְדַיְיהוּ.
Said R. Abba: ‘The incense is the most excellent of all offerings, for through it are blessed both those above and those below. Therefore they were not worthy to bring this offering, because they were not married.
וְאִי תֵּימָא וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי יְיָ' וַתֹּאכַל אוֹתָם, אֲמַאי. לְבַּר נָשׁ דְּאָתָא קָמֵי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא, לְבַשְּׂרָא לָהּ דְּהָא מַלְכָּא אָתֵי לְבֵיתָהּ, וְיִשְׁרֵי בָּהּ בְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, לְמֶחְדֵּי עִמָּהּ. אָתָא לְקָמֵי מַלְכָּא, חָמָא מַלְכָּא הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִיהוּ מָארֵי דְּמוּמִין. אָמַר מַלְכָּא, לָאו הוּא יְקָרָא דִּילִי, דְּעַל יְדוֹי דְּהַאי פָּגִים, אִיעוּל לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא. אַדְּהָכִי אַתְקְנַת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא בֵּיתָא לְמַלְכָּא, כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָאת דְּמַלְכָּא הֲוָה זַמִּין לְמֵיתֵי לְגַבָּהּ, וְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ גָּרִים לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מַלְכָּא מִינָּהּ, כְּדֵין פְּקִידַת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא לְקָטְלָא לְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ.
It may still be asked, however, why were they burnt? The following parable will explain. A man came before the queen to inform her that the king intended to visit her and enjoy her company. He then presented himself to the king, who saw that he was physically defective. Said the king: “It comports not with my dignity that through the agency of this cripple I should be presented to the queen.” Meanwhile the queen had prepared the room for the king. When she saw that the king was prevented from coming to her by that man, she ordered him to be put to death.
כַּךָ בְּזִמְנָא דְּעָאלוּ נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא, וּקְטֹרֶת בִּידַיְיהוּ, חַדָּת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא, וְאִתְתַּקְּנַת לְקַבְּלָא לְמַלְכָּא. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא מַלְכָּא אִינּוּן גֻּבְרִין פְּגִימִין, מָארֵי דְּמוּמִין, לָא בָּעָא מַלְכָּא דְּעַל יְדַיְיהוּ יֵיתֵי לְמִשְׁרֵי עִמָּהּ, וְאִסְתְּלַּק מַלְכָּא מִנָּהּ. כַּד חֲמַת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא דִּבְגִינֵיהוֹן אִסְתַּלָּק מַלְכָּא מִנָּהּ, מִיַּד וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי יְיָ' וַתֹּאכַל אוֹתָם.
So when Nadab and Abihu took the incense, the Matrona saw and rejoiced and prepared to meet the King. When the King, however, saw that they were defective, he did not wish to be introduced to her through them, and kept aloof. When the Matrona saw that through them the King kept aloof, straightway “a fire went forth from the Lord and consumed them”.
וכָל דָּא בְּגִין דְּמַאן דְּלָא אִתְנְסִיב הוּא פָּגִים. מָארֵיהּ דְּמוּמִין קֳדָם מַלְכָּא, קְדוּשָּׁה דְּמַלְכָּא אִסְתַּלָּק מִנֵּיהּ, וְלָא שַׁרְיָא בִּפְגִּימוּ. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם קָרְבָּן, מַאן דְּאִקְרֵי אָדָם יַקְרִיב, וּמַאן דְּלָא אִקְרֵי אָדָם לָא יַקְרִיב.
All this because a man who is not married is defective, and the holiness of the King flees from him.’
מִן הַבְּהֵמָה כְּלָל. מִן הַבָּקָר וּמִן הַצֹּאן פְּרָט, לְבָתַר אִלֵּין דְּכַשְׁרִין לְמֵיכַל, וּדְלָא כַּשִּׁרְיָן לְמֵיכַל אָסִיר לְקָרְבָא. וְלַאֲתַר אָחֳרָא אִסְתָּלִיקוּ אִינּוּן דְּכַשְׁרָן וְאִינּוּן דְּלָא כַּשְׁרָן.
OF THE CATTLE. This is the general term. OF THE HERD AND OF THE FLOCK: these are the particular terms. The Scripture particularises those animals which are proper to eat. Those which are not proper to eat may not be brought as an offering. The difference between those that are proper and those that are not proper to eat is stated elsewhere.