“The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they approached before the Lord, and they died” (Leviticus 16:1). “After the death of the two sons of Aaron.” Rabbi Shimon began: “Everything is as it is for everyone. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked” (Ecclesiastes 9:2). “For the righteous,” this is Noah, in whose regard it is stated: “A righteous man” (Genesis 6:9). Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili: When Noah emerged from the ark, a lion bit him and maimed him, and he was unfit to offer sacrifices, and Shem, his son, offered in his stead. “And for the wicked,” this is Pharaoh Nekho. When he sought to sit on Solomon’s throne, he did not know its protocols; a lion bit him and maimed him. This one died limping, and that one died limping. That is what is written: “There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked.” “For the good, for the pure, and for the impure” (Ecclesiastes 9:2). “For the good,” this is Moses, as it is stated: “She saw him, that he was good” (Exodus 2:2). Rabbi Meir said: That he was born circumcised. “For the pure,” this is Aaron, who was engaged in the purification of Israel, as it is stated: “He walked with Me in peace and uprightness and he returned many from iniquity” (Malachi 2:6). “For the impure,” these are the scouts. These1Moses and Aaron. spoke in praise of the Land of Israel and these2The scouts. spoke in its denigration. These did not enter and these did not enter. That is what is written: “For the good, for the pure and for the impure.” “For the one who sacrifices” (Ecclesiastes 9:2), this is Josiah, as it is stated: “Josiah donated to the members of the people from the flocks, lambs and goats” (II Chronicles 35:7). “And for the one who does not sacrifice” (Ecclesiastes 9:2), this is Ahab, who abolished offerings. That is what is written: “Ahab slaughtered for himself sheep and cattle in abundance” (II Chronicles 18:2). He slaughtered for himself, but not for offerings. This one died with arrows and that one died with arrows. That is what is written: “For the one who sacrifices and for the one who does not sacrifice.” “Like the good [katov], so is the sinner” (Ecclesiastes 9:2); “like the good,” this is David, as it is stated: “He sent and brought him. He was…of fine [tov] appearance” (I Samuel 16:12). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “Of fine appearance,” regarding halakha. Anyone who saw him would remember his studies. “So is the sinner,” this is Nebuchadnezzar, as it is stated: “Redeem your sins with charity” (Daniel 4:24).3This verse was stated to Nebuchadnezzar, indicating that he was a sinner and therefore needed to redeem his sins. This one built the Temple and reigned forty years, and that one destroyed the Temple and reigned forty years. That is, “there is one fate…” “One who takes an oath” (Ecclesiastes 9:2), this is Zedekiah, as it is stated: “He rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, too” (II Chronicles 36:13). “Like one who fears an oath” (Ecclesiastes 9:2), this is Samson, as it is stated: “Samson said to them: Take an oath to me that you will not smite me” (Judges 15:12). This one died with his eyes gouged, “and he blinded the eyes of Zedekiah” (II Kings 25:7); and that one died with his eyes gouged, “the Philistines seized him, and they gouged his eyes” (Judges 16:21). That is what is written: “There is one fate…for the one who takes an oath…” Another matter, “there is one fate,” these are the sons of Aaron, in whose regard it is written: “In peace and uprightness” (Malachi 2:6). “For the wicked,” this is the assembly of Koraḥ, in whose regard it is written: “Move, now [from the tents of these wicked men]” (Numbers 16:26). These entered to sacrifice in dispute and emerged burned, and these entered to sacrifice without dispute, and emerged burned.
Another matter, “after the death [of the two sons of Aaron]” (Leviticus 16:1). Rabbi Levi began: “I said to the revelers [laholelim]: Do not revel” (Psalms 75:5); laholelim, to the confused,4The word laholelim is being interpreted to mean mixed up, as in the verse “mixed [mahul] in water” (Isaiah 1:22) (Etz Yosef). those whose hearts are filled with wicked thoughts. Rabbi Levi would call them woe-generators, because they bring woe to the world. “And to the wicked, do not raise your horn” (Psalms 75:5). The Holy One blessed be He said to the wicked: ‘The righteous did not rejoice in My world, and you seek to rejoice?’ Reish Lakish said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya: The ball of the heel of Adam the first man would outshine the sun, all the more so the radiance of his face.5Nonetheless, despite his greatness, Adam did not rejoice, as he sinned almost immediately after his creation. Similarly, no man should rejoice (Maharzu, based on Tanḥuma, Aḥarei, 2). Do not wonder, as the way of the world is that if a person crafts bowls, one for himself and one for a member of his household, whose does he craft more beautifully? Is it not his? So too, Adam the first man was created for the service of the Holy One blessed be He, and the sun was created for the service of the creations. Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: The Holy One blessed be He tied thirteen canopies for him in the Garden of Eden, as it is stated: “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your canopy: ruby, topaz and clear quartz, beryl, onyx and chalcedony, sapphire, carbuncle, emerald and gold; the craftsmanship of your settings and your sockets was in you, on the day of your creation they were prepared” (Ezekiel 28:13). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said there were eleven [canopies] and the Rabbis said there were ten. But they do not disagree.6They do not disagree about the fact that the number of canopies is derived from the aforementioned verse in Ezekiel. The one who considers them thirteen considers “every precious stone was your canopy” as three.7He understands that the words every, precious, and stone allude to an additional three canopies, in addition to the ten types of precious stone listed explicitly in the verse, which each refer to a canopy crafted from that stone. Alternatively, he understands that the term “every” itself indicates three (see Maharzu). The one who considers them eleven considers it as one.8The phrase “every precious stone was your canopy” alludes to one additional canopy. The one who considers them ten does not consider it as one. After all this praise, “for you are dust and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).9Despite the great glory accorded Adam, God informs him that he is created from dust and will die and return to dust. [God said to the wicked:] ‘Abraham did not rejoice in My world and you seek to rejoice?’ A son was born to him at the age of one hundred, and ultimately, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Take now your son…[and offer him up there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains that I will tell you]” (Genesis 22:2). Abraham went on a three-day journey. After three days, he saw a cloud fixed on the mountaintop. He said to [Isaac]: ‘My son, do you see what I see?’ [Isaac] said to him: ‘Yes.’ ‘What do you see?’ He said to him: ‘I see a cloud fixed on the mountaintop.’ He said to Ishmael and to Eliezer: ‘Do you see anything?’ They said to him: ‘No.’ He said to them: ‘Since you do not see anything, and this donkey does not see, “stay here with the donkey [im haḥamor]”’ (Genesis 22:5), [indicating they were] peoples comparable to the donkey [am hadomim laḥamor]. He took Isaac his son, took him up mountains and took him down hills. He took him up on one of the mountains, built an altar, arranged the wood, set the arrangement, and took the knife to slaughter him. Had it not been that an angel called him from the heavens, he would have already been slaughtered. Know that it is so, as Isaac returned to his mother and she said to him: ‘Where have you been, my son?’ He said to her: ‘My father took me, took me up mountains, took me down hills…’ She said: ‘Woe unto the son of that woman full of grief, had it not been for the angel you would have already been slaughtered.’ He said to her: ‘Yes.’ At that moment she cried out six cries, corresponding to six shofar blasts.10By Torah law, the mitzva of shofar on Rosh Hashana requires three broken blasts (terua), each preceded and followed by a straight blast (tekia), for a total of nine blasts. The six straight blasts required correspond to Sarah’s six cries (Etz Yosef). They say that she did not complete them before she died. That is what is written: “Abraham came to lament Sarah and to weep over her” (Genesis 23:2). From where did he come? He came from Mount Moriah. Abraham had been ruminating in his heart, saying that perhaps, God forbid, some disqualification was found in [Isaac] and [therefore] his offering was not accepted. A Divine voice emerged and said to him: “Go, eat your bread with joy” (Ecclesiastes 9:7). ‘Israel did not rejoice in My world.’ It does not say “Israel rejoiced in its Maker,” but rather: “Israel will rejoice in its Maker” (Psalms 149:2). They are destined to rejoice in the deeds of the Holy One blessed be He in the future. As it were, the Holy One blessed be He did not rejoice in His world. It does not say: “The Lord rejoiced in His works,” but rather: “will rejoice” (Psalms 104:31). The Holy One blessed be He is destined to rejoice in the actions of the righteous in the future. Elisheva bat Aminadav did not rejoice in the world when she saw five crowns [attained by her relatives] on one day. Her brother-in-law11Moses. was king, her brother,12Naḥshon. a prince, her husband,13Aaron. High Priest, her two sons,14Nadav and Avihu. the two deputy priests, her grandson Pinḥas anointed for war. When her sons entered to sacrifice and were burned, her joy was transformed into mourning. That is what is written: “After the death of the two sons of Aaron.”
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana began: “Of laughter, I said it is confounded, [and of joy, what does it accomplish?]” (Ecclesiastes 2:2). If this laughter is confounded,15If the laughter is mixed with mourning, of what use is it? The term meholal, translated here as confounded, is understood in the sense of mixed, as above, based on Isaiah 1:22 (Etz Yosef). of what use is joy? There was an incident involving one of the prominent leaders of Kavul, who was marrying off his son. On his Wednesday,16Weddings were performed on Wednesdays (see Mishna Ketubot 1:1). he invited guests to join him. Once they ate, drank, and made their hearts merry, he said to his son: ‘Ascend and bring us a barrel [of wine] from the attic.’ When he ascended, he was bitten by a snake and he died. [The father] waited for him to descend, but he did not descend. He said: ‘I will ascend and see what the status of my son is.’ He ascended and found that a snake bit him and he died, and he was cast between the barrels. He waited until they finished their feast. He said to them: ‘My masters, did you not come to recite the blessing of the bridegrooms for my son? Recite over him the blessing of the mourners. Did you not come to bring my son into his wedding canopy? Come and bring him into his grave.’ Rabbi Zakkai of Kavul concluded: “Of laughter, I said it is confounded.”
Rabbi Yudan of Gaul began: “Does the eagle ascend at your directive?” (Job 39:27). The Holy One blessed be He said to Aaron: ‘Did I rest My Divine Presence upon the Ark by the word of your mouth, or did I remove My Divine Presence from upon the Ark by the word of your mouth?’17The verse the midrash is commenting upon is one in which God speaks to Job, and therefore some emend the text such that it reads: The Holy One blessed be He said to Job: Did I rest My Divine Presence upon the Ark by the word of your mouth, or did I remove My Divine Presence from upon the Ark by the word of your mouth, as I did by the word of the mouth of Aaron? (see Etz Yosef). “[On a rock it dwells and stays the night, on the crag of the rock and the stronghold” (Job 39:28).] “On a rock it dwells” – the first Temple; “and stays the night” – one lodging. The second Temple is “on the crag of the rock and the stronghold,” – many lodgings,18Just as one would lodge more permanently in a stronghold than on a rock, the second Temple lasted longer than the first (Rabbi David Luria). as we learned there: When the Ark was removed, the foundation stone was there.19Thus, the word rock alludes to the Temple. Why was it called that? Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta said: It is because from it, the world was founded. That is what is written: “From Zion, from the perfection of beauty” (Psalms 50:2).20The Talmud (Yoma 54b), in citing this verse, adds: From it was formed the beauty of the earth. What was the prayer of the High Priest on Yom Kippur when he emerged from the Inner Sanctum?21After emerging from the Holy of Holies, while still in the Sanctuary, the High Priest would say a prayer on behalf of the entire nation (Mishna Yoma 5:1). He said: ‘May it be Your will that this year will be rainy, hot, and dewy. A year of goodwill, a year of blessing, a year of inexpensiveness, a year of plenty, a year of commerce, and may Your people Israel not need one another. May Israel not exert authority upon one another. Do not turn to the prayers of the wayfarers.’22Travelers would not want rain to fall while they were traveling. However, if God were to grant the requests of each traveler in this regard, rain would never fall, which would have terrible consequences for all. The Rabbis of Caesarea said, regarding our brethren in Caesarea: ‘May they not exert authority.’ The Rabbis of the south said, regarding our brethren in the Sharon region: ‘May their houses not become their graves.’ “From there it searches for food” (Job 39:29); from there he would search for food to take for all the days of the year.23The High Priest would hope that through his prayer in the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, there would be plentiful sustenance for the entire year. “Its eyes look afar” (Job 39:29); from the beginning of the year, he would know what would be at its end. How so? When he would look and see the smoke of the arrangement ascending to the south, he would know that the south would be satiated; ascending to the west, he would know that the west would be satiated; ascending to the east, he would know that the east would be satiated; and the same is true of them all. If it ascended to the center of the heavens, he would know that the entire world would be satiated. After all this praise, “its fledglings swallow blood” (Job 39:30) – he saw his fledglings wallowing on the ground and was silent.24After all the greatness Aaron merited; the fact that God rested His Presence on the Ark through him, and the fact that his descendants would perform the service in the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur and thereby bring sustenance to the entire people, Aaron saw his sons, Nadav and Avihu, die in the Tabernacle, and he was silent (see Leviticus 10:3). “Where the slain are” (Job 39:30), Nadav and Avihu; “there it is” (Job 39:30), the Divine Presence. Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: “Approach, carry your brethren from before the Sanctuary” (Leviticus 10:4); it does not say: “From before the Ark,” but rather “from before the Sanctuary,” like a person who says to another: ‘Move this corpse from before this mourner, how long must this mourner suffer?’ That is what is written: “After the death of the two sons of Aaron.”
Rabbi Aḥa and Rabbi Ze’eira began: “Even at this my heart trembles veyitar from its place” (Job 37:1). What is veyitar? It is “and leaps,” just as it says: “To leap [lenater] with them from upon the earth” (Leviticus 11:21). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Will Aaron’s sons not be like his staff, that entered dry and emerged moist?’25See Numbers 17:16-24. The wicked Titus entered the chamber of the Holy of Holies with his sword drawn in his hand, stabbed the curtain, and his sword emerged full of blood. He entered in peace and emerged in peace. Aaron’s sons entered to sacrifice and emerged burned. That is what is written: “After the death of the two sons of Aaron, [when they approached before the Lord and they died].”
Rabbi Berekhya began: “To punish also the righteous is not good” (Proverbs 17:26). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Even though I punished Aaron and took his two sons from him, it “is not good.”’ However, “to strike the noble for their uprightness” (Proverbs 17:26);26Sometimes it is necessary to strike the righteous in order to influence the masses toward uprightness. that is what is written: “After the death.”27God speaks after the death of Nadav and Avihu, Aaron’s sons, and tells Aaron not to enter the Holy of Holies at all times and without the proper sacrificial service. The context of this command indicates that the death of his sons serves to motivate Aaron and other priests to observe these laws carefully and to maintain a perspective of awe toward the Temple. Rabbi Eliezer taught: Aaron’s sons died only because they issued halakhic rulings before Moses their teacher. There was an incident involving a certain disciple who issued a halakhic ruling before his teacher, Rabbi Eliezer. He said to Ima Shalom:28Rabbi Eliezer said to his wife, Ima Shalom, regarding his disciple. ‘Woe to this one’s wife; he will not complete this week.’ His week did not end before he died. The Sages came to him and they said to him: ‘Are you a prophet?’ He said to them: ‘“I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet” (Amos 7:14), but this is a tradition I received; anyone who issues a halakhic ruling before his teacher is liable to be put to death.’
Rabbi Eliezer taught: It is prohibited for a disciple to issue halakhic rulings before his teacher until he is at a distance of twelve mil from him, corresponding to the camp of Israel. That is what is written: “They encamped along the Jordan, [from Beit Yeshimot until Avel Shitim]” (Numbers 33:49). How much is that? It is twelve mil. Rabbi Tanḥum ben Rabbi Yirmeya was in Ḥefer. They would ask him and he would issue halakhic rulings. They said to him: ‘Did you not teach us in the study hall that it is prohibited for a disciple to issue halakhic rulings before his teacher until twelve mil, and is your teacher, Rabbi Manei, not in Tzippori?’ He said to them: ‘May [punishment] come upon me if I knew.’29He swore to them that he did not know his teacher was within twelve mil. From that time he did not issue halakhic rulings.
Bar Kappara said in the name of Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar: Due to four matters Aaron’s sons died: For drawing near; for sacrificing; for alien fire; and because they did not take counsel from one another. For drawing near, because they entered the innermost sanctum; for sacrificing, because they sacrificed an offering regarding which they were not commanded; for alien fire, they brought in fire from a stove; and because they did not take counsel from one another, as it is stated: “Each took his fire pan” (Leviticus 10:1), each on his own, as they did not take counsel from one another. Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said: In four places,30Leviticus 10:1, 16:1; Numbers 3:4, 26:61. it mentions the death of Aaron’s sons, and in all of them it mentions their sin. Why to that extent? It is to inform you that they had committed only this sin alone. Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i said: Come and see how difficult the death of Aaron’s sons was before the Holy One blessed be He, as every place that it mentions their death it mentions their sin. Why to that extent? It is to inform you [of their sin], so that all who enter the world will not have pretext to say: ‘They had clandestinely committed corrupt actions and that was the reason they died.’
Rabbi Manei of She’av, Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin, and Rabbi Yoḥanan in the name of Rabbi Levi said: Due to four matters Aaron’s sons died, and death is written regarding all of them. Because they were intoxicated with wine, and death is written in its regard, as it is stated: “You shall not drink wine or intoxicating drink, [you, nor your sons with you, upon your entry into the Tent of Meeting, that you not die]” (Leviticus 10:9). Because they were lacking vestments, and death is written in its regard, as it is stated: “They shall be on Aaron and his sons [whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting…so they will not bear iniquity and die]” (Exodus 28:43). What were they lacking? It was the robe, in whose regard death is written, as it is stated: “It shall be on Aaron to serve…[and he will not die]” (Exodus 28:35). Because they entered without washing hands and feet, as it is stated: “They shall wash their hands and their feet, and they will not die” (Exodus 30:21), and it is written: “When they come to the Tent of Meeting they shall wash in water” (Exodus 30:20). And because they did not have children, and death is written in its regard; that is what is written: “Nadav and Avihu died before the Lord…and they had no children” (Numbers 3:4). Abba Ḥanin says: It is because they did not have wives, as it is written: “And atone for himself and for his household” (Leviticus 16:6); “his household,” this is his wife.
Rabbi Levi said: They were arrogant. Many women were sitting unmarried, waiting for them. What would they say? ‘Our father’s brother is king, our mother’s brother is a prince, our father is the High Priest, and we are the two deputy priests; what woman is worthy of us?’ Rabbi Menaḥama said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Neḥemya: “Fire devoured His young men, [and His virgins had no wedding celebration]” (Psalms 78:63). Why did fire devour His young men? Because “His virgins had no wedding celebration.” Moreover, from this: “To Moses, He said: Ascend to the Lord, [you and Aaron, Nadav and Avihu]” (Exodus 24:1).31This is another indication of their haughtiness. The verse does not separate Moses and Aaron from Nadav and Avihu by a conjunction, presenting them all as though they are all on the same plane. This reflects the manner in which Nadav and Avihu viewed themselves, as is being presently explained by the midrash (Etz Yosef). This teaches that Moses and Aaron were walking ahead, Nadav and Avihu were walking behind them, and all of Israel behind them. They were saying: ‘When will these two old men die, and we will assert authority over the public?’ Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Aivu: They said it to one another with their mouths. Rabbi Pinḥas said: They contemplated it in their hearts. Rabbi Berekhya said: The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘“Do not glory in tomorrow” (Proverbs 27:1). Many young donkeys have died and their hides have been spread over their mothers.’32Their hides have been turned into saddle packs and placed on their mothers. The point is that sometimes children die while their parents are still alive and active. Moreover, from this: “Against the noble of the children of Israel, He did not extend His hand” (Exodus 24:11). Rabbi Pinḥas said: From here [it may be derived] that they were deserving of the hand being extended, as Rabbi Hoshaya said: Did cakes go up with them to Sinai, that it states: “They beheld God [and ate and drank]”? (Exodus 24:11). Rather, it teaches that they feasted their eyes on the Divine Presence. “They beheld God” like a person who looks at another while eating and drinking. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Actual nourishment, just as it says: “Life is in the light of the king’s countenance” (Proverbs 16:15).33Rabbi Yehoshua is saying that the verse refers to the noble of the children of Israel. i.e. Nadav and Avihu as eating and drinking as they beheld God, in order to indicate that they beheld God without the proper fear and seriousness. Rabbi Yoḥanan argues that they actually received nourishment from looking at God. Both agree, however, that they beheld God in an improper manner. Rabbi Tanḥuma says: It teaches that they exposed their heads, acted with arrogance, and feasted their eyes on the Divine Presence. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Moses did not feast his eyes on the Divine Presence and benefited from the Divine Presence. He did not feast his eyes on the Divine Presence, as it is stated: “Moses concealed his face [because he feared to look at God]” (Exodus 3:6). And from where is it derived that he benefited from the Divine Presence? “Moses did not know that his face was radiant” (Exodus 34:29). In reward for “[Moses] concealed,” he was privileged in: “The Lord spoke to Moses face to face” (Exodus 33:11). In reward for “because he feared” (Exodus 3:6), he was privileged in: “They feared to approach him” (Exodus 34:30). In reward for “[feared] to look [mehabit]” (Exodus 3:6), he was privileged to: “And beholds [yabit] the image of the Lord” (Numbers 12:8). Nadav and Avihu feasted their eyes on the Divine Presence and received no benefit from it. Moreover, from this: “Nadav and Avihu died before the Lord [when they presented strange fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children; Elazar and Itamar served as priests in the presence of Aaron, their father]” (Numbers 3:4). Did they, in fact, die before the Lord?34The midrash here adopts the view that Nadav and Avihu did not die in the Tabernacle itself, but in the courtyard of the Tabernacle (see Sifra, Shemini, Mekhilta deMiluim 35). Rather, it teaches that it is difficult before the Holy One blessed be He when the children of the righteous die during their lifetimes. Rabbi Yudan of Yafo raised a question before Rabbi Pinḥas bar Rabbi Ḥama in the name of Rabbi Simon. Here it says: “Before the Lord” (Leviticus 10:2), “before the Lord” (Numbers 3:4) – twice. But there, it says: “Before Aaron, their father” (I Chronicles 24:2) – once. This teaches that it was difficult before the Holy One blessed be He, twice as much as for their father. “In the wilderness of Sinai” (Numbers 3:4), Rabbi Meir said: Did they, in fact, die in the wilderness of Sinai?35They did die in the wilderness, but the verse should have been more specific and mentioned that they died in the Tent of Meeting. Rather, it teaches that they took their death sentence from Mount Sinai.36At the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, Nadav and Avihu gazed at God and became liable for the death penalty. This is analogous to a king who was marrying off his daughter and found in one of the members of the wedding party a matter of infamy. The king said: ‘If I kill him now, I will compromise my daughter’s celebration. Tomorrow, my celebration will come. It is preferable during my celebration and not during my daughter’s celebration.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If I kill them now, I will compromise the celebration of My daughter. Tomorrow, My celebration will come.’ His daughter, this is the Torah. That is what is written: “On the day of his wedding and on the day of the rejoicing of his heart” (Song of Songs 3:11). “On the day of his wedding,” this is Mount Sinai, “and on the day of the rejoicing of his heart,” this is the Tent of Meeting.37Instead of killing Nadav and Avihu at the time of the giving of the Torah, God waited until the celebration of the inauguration of the Tabernacle.
“They had no children” (Numbers 3:4). Rabbi Yaakov bar Avin said in the name of Rabbi Avin in the name of Rav Aḥa: If they had sons, they would have taken precedence over Elazar and Itamar, as we learned elsewhere: Anyone who takes precedence for inheritance takes precedence for honor, provided that he conducts himself in the manner of his ancestors. “Elazar and Itamar served as priests in the presence of Aaron, their father” (Numbers 3:4). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: During his lifetime. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Upon his death. According to the opinion of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, who said, upon his death, here it is written: “The presence of [penei],” and there it says: “Abraham arose from the presence of [penei] his dead” (Genesis 23:3); just as there it was upon her death, here, too it was upon his death. According to Rabbi Yitzḥak, who said, during his lifetime, here it is stated: “In the presence of [al penei],” and there it is stated: “Ḥaran died in the presence of [al penei] Teraḥ his father” (Genesis 11:28); just as there it was during his lifetime, so, too, here, it was during his lifetime. If impurity befell Aaron, Elazar served. If it befell Elazar, Itamar served. There was an incident involving Shimon ben Kimḥit,38A High Priest who served during the Second Temple. who went to speak with the Arab king. Spittle sprayed from [the king’s] mouth onto [Shimon’s] garments and impurified him, and Yehuda, his brother, entered and served in the high priesthood in his stead. That day, their mother saw her two sons as High Priests. They said: Kimḥit had seven sons and all of them served in the high priesthood. They sent to her and said to her: ‘What good deeds do you have to your credit?’ She said to them: ‘The beams of my house have never seen the hair of my head and the hem of my robe.’ They said: ‘All the flours are flour, but the flour of Kimḥit is fine flour.’ They read in her regard: “All the glory of the princess is within” (Psalms 45:14).39This is understood to express that modesty brings a woman great honor. According to Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, who said, upon his death, when Aaron died, Elazar served. When Elazar died, Itamar served.
Rabbi Abba bar Avina said: Why is the death of Miriam juxtaposed to the ashes of the heifer? It teaches that just as the ashes of the heifer atone, so the death of the righteous atones. Rabbi Yudan said: Why is the death of Aaron juxtaposed to the breaking of the tablets? It teaches that Aaron’s death was as difficult before the Holy One blessed be He as the breaking of the tablets. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: On the first of Nisan, Aaron’s sons died. Why, then, does it mention their death on Yom Kippur? It teaches that just as Yom Kippur atones, so, too, the death of the righteous atones. From where is it derived that Yom Kippur atones? As it is stated: “For on this day he shall atone for you, to purify you” (Leviticus 16:30). From where is it derived that the death of the righteous atones? As it is written: “They buried the bones of Saul” (II Samuel 21:14), and it is written: “and God acceded to the entreaty of the land thereafter” (II Samuel 21:14).
אַחֲרֵי מוֹת שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן (ויקרא טז, א), רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח (קהלת ט, ב): הַכֹּל כַּאֲשֶׁר לַכֹּל מִקְרֶה אֶחָד לַצַּדִּיק וְלָרָשָׁע, לַצַּדִּיק זֶה נֹחַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ (בראשית ו, ט): אִישׁ צַדִּיק, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי נֹחַ כְּשֶׁיָּצָא מִן הַתֵּבָה הִכִּישׁוֹ הָאֲרִי וּשְׁבָרוֹ וְלֹא הָיָה כָּשֵׁר לְהַקְרִיב, וְהִקְרִיב שֵׁם בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו. וְלָרָשָׁע זֶה פַּרְעֹה נְכֹה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ לֵישֵׁב עַל הַכִּסֵּא שֶׁל שְׁלֹמֹה לֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מִנְהָגָיו, הִכִּישׁוֹ אֲרִי וּשְׁבָרוֹ, זֶה מֵת צוֹלֵעַ וְזֶה מֵת צוֹלֵעַ, הַיְנוּ דִכְתִיב: מִקְרֶה אֶחָד לַצַּדִּיק וְלָרָשָׁע לַטּוֹב וְלַטָּהוֹר וְלַטָּמֵא, לַטּוֹב זֶה משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ב, ב): וַתֵּרֶא אֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא, רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר שֶׁנּוֹלַד מָהוּל, וְלַטָּהוֹר זֶה אַהֲרֹן, שֶׁהָיָה עוֹסֵק בְּטַהֲרָתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ב, ו): בְּשָׁלוֹם וּבְמִישׁוֹר הָלַךְ אִתִּי וְרַבִּים הֵשִׁיב מֵעָוֹן. וְלַטָּמֵא אֵלּוּ מְרַגְּלִים, אֵלּוּ אָמְרוּ שִׁבְחָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֵלּוּ אָמְרוּ גְנַאי, אֵלּוּ לֹא נִכְנְסוּ וְאֵלּוּ לֹא נִכְנְסוּ, הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב: לַטּוֹב וְלַטָּהוֹר וְלַטָּמֵא. (קהלת ט, ב): וְלַזֹּבֵחַ זֶה יֹאשִׁיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב לה, ז): וַיָּרֶם יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ לִבְנֵי הָעָם צֹאן כְּבָשִׂים וּבְנֵי עִזִּים. (קהלת ט, ב): וְלַאֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ זֹבֵחַ, זֶה אַחְאָב שֶׁבִּטֵּל קָרְבָּנוֹת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברי הימים ב יח, ב): וַיִּזְבַּח לוֹ אַחְאָב צֹאן וּבָקָר לָרֹב, זָבַח לוֹ זֶבַח וְלֹא קָרְבָּנוֹת, זֶה מֵת בְּחִצִּים וְזֶה מֵת בְּחִצִּים, הַיְנוּ דִכְתִיב: לַזֹּבֵחַ וְלַאֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ זֹבֵחַ. (קהלת ט, ב): כַּטּוֹב כַּחֹטֶא, כַּטּוֹב זֶה דָּוִד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א טז, יב): וַיִּשְׁלַח וַיְבִיאֵהוּ וְהוּא טוֹב רֹאִי, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק טוֹב רֹאִי בַּהֲלָכָה, כָּל הָרוֹאֵהוּ נִזְכַּר לְתַלְמוּדוֹ. כַּחֹטֶא זֶה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל ד, כד): וַחֲטָאָךְ בְּצִדְקָה פְרֻק, זֶה בָּנָה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וּמָלַךְ אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, וְזֶה הֶחְרִיב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וּמָלַךְ אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, הֱוֵי: מִקְרֶה אֶחָד וגו', (קהלת ט, ב): הַנִּשְׁבָּע, זֶה צִדְקִיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב לו, יג): וְגַם בַּמֶּלֶךְ נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר מָרָד. (קהלת ט, ב): כַּאֲשֶׁר שְׁבוּעָה יָרֵא, זֶה שִׁמְשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שופטים טו, יב): וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם שִׁמְשׁוֹן הִשָּׁבְעוּ לִי פֶּן תִּפְגְּעוּן בִּי. זֶה מֵת בְּנִקּוּר עֵינַיִם (מלכים ב כה, ז): וְאֶת עֵינֵי צִדְקִיָּהוּ עִוֵּר, וְזֶה מֵת בְּנִקּוּר עֵינַיִם (שופטים טז, כא): וַיֹּאחֲזוּהוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיְנַקְּרוּ אֶת עֵינָיו, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: מִקְרֶה אֶחָד לַנִּשְׁבָּע וגו'. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מִקְרֶה אֶחָד, אֵלּוּ בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן, דִּכְתִיב בְּהוֹן (מלאכי ב, ו): בְּשָׁלוֹם וּבְמִישׁוֹר. לָרָשָׁע, זֶה עֲדַת קֹרַח, דִּכְתִיב בְּהוֹן (במדבר טז, כו): סוּרוּ נָא וגו', אֵלּוּ נִכְנְסוּ לְהַקְרִיב בְּמַחְלֹקֶת וְיָצְאוּ שְׂרוּפִין וְאֵלּוּ נִכְנְסוּ לְהַקְרִיב שֶׁלֹּא בְמַחְלֹקֶת וְיָצְאוּ שְׂרוּפִין.
“The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they approached before the Lord, and they died” (Leviticus 16:1).
“After the death of the two sons of Aaron.” Rabbi Shimon began: “Everything is as it is for everyone. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked” (Ecclesiastes 9:2). “For the righteous,” this is Noah, in whose regard it is stated: “A righteous man” (Genesis 6:9). Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili: When Noah emerged from the ark, a lion bit him and maimed him, and he was unfit to offer sacrifices, and Shem, his son, offered in his stead. “And for the wicked,” this is Pharaoh Nekho. When he sought to sit on Solomon’s throne, he did not know its protocols; a lion bit him and maimed him. This one died limping, and that one died limping. That is what is written: “There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked.”
“For the good, for the pure, and for the impure” (Ecclesiastes 9:2). “For the good,” this is Moses, as it is stated: “She saw him, that he was good” (Exodus 2:2). Rabbi Meir said: That he was born circumcised. “For the pure,” this is Aaron, who was engaged in the purification of Israel, as it is stated: “He walked with Me in peace and uprightness and he returned many from iniquity” (Malachi 2:6). “For the impure,” these are the scouts. These1Moses and Aaron. spoke in praise of the Land of Israel and these2The scouts. spoke in its denigration. These did not enter and these did not enter. That is what is written: “For the good, for the pure and for the impure.”
“For the one who sacrifices” (Ecclesiastes 9:2), this is Josiah, as it is stated: “Josiah donated to the members of the people from the flocks, lambs and goats” (II Chronicles 35:7). “And for the one who does not sacrifice” (Ecclesiastes 9:2), this is Ahab, who abolished offerings. That is what is written: “Ahab slaughtered for himself sheep and cattle in abundance” (II Chronicles 18:2). He slaughtered for himself, but not for offerings. This one died with arrows and that one died with arrows. That is what is written: “For the one who sacrifices and for the one who does not sacrifice.”
“Like the good [katov], so is the sinner” (Ecclesiastes 9:2); “like the good,” this is David, as it is stated: “He sent and brought him. He was…of fine [tov] appearance” (I Samuel 16:12). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “Of fine appearance,” regarding halakha. Anyone who saw him would remember his studies. “So is the sinner,” this is Nebuchadnezzar, as it is stated: “Redeem your sins with charity” (Daniel 4:24).3This verse was stated to Nebuchadnezzar, indicating that he was a sinner and therefore needed to redeem his sins. This one built the Temple and reigned forty years, and that one destroyed the Temple and reigned forty years. That is, “there is one fate…”
“One who takes an oath” (Ecclesiastes 9:2), this is Zedekiah, as it is stated: “He rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, too” (II Chronicles 36:13). “Like one who fears an oath” (Ecclesiastes 9:2), this is Samson, as it is stated: “Samson said to them: Take an oath to me that you will not smite me” (Judges 15:12). This one died with his eyes gouged, “and he blinded the eyes of Zedekiah” (II Kings 25:7); and that one died with his eyes gouged, “the Philistines seized him, and they gouged his eyes” (Judges 16:21). That is what is written: “There is one fate…for the one who takes an oath…”
Another matter, “there is one fate,” these are the sons of Aaron, in whose regard it is written: “In peace and uprightness” (Malachi 2:6). “For the wicked,” this is the assembly of Koraḥ, in whose regard it is written: “Move, now [from the tents of these wicked men]” (Numbers 16:26). These entered to sacrifice in dispute and emerged burned, and these entered to sacrifice without dispute, and emerged burned.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, אַחֲרֵי מוֹת, רַבִּי לֵוִי פָּתַח (תהלים עה, ה): אָמַרְתִּי לַהוֹלְלִים אַל תָּהוֹלוּ, לַהוֹלְלִים, לִמְעַרְבְּבַיָּא, אֵלּוּ שֶׁלִּבָּם מָלֵא עֲלֵיהֶם חַלְחוֹלִיּוֹת רָעוֹת, רַבִּי לֵוִי הֲוָה צָוַח לְהוֹן אַלְלַיָיא, שֶׁמְבִיאִין אַלְלַי לָעוֹלָם. (תהלים עה, ה): וְלָרְשָׁעִים אַל תָּרִימוּ קָרֶן, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָרְשָׁעִים, הַצַּדִּיקִים לֹא שָׂמְחוּ בְּעוֹלָמִי וְאַתֶּם מְבַקְּשִׁין לִשְׂמֹחַ. רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן מְנַסְיָא אָמַר תַּפּוּחַ עֲקֵבוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן הָיָה מַכְּהֶה גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה, קְלַסְתֵּר פָּנָיו עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, וְאַל תִּתְמַהּ, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם אָדָם עוֹשֶׂה דִיסְקָרִי, אֶחָד לוֹ וְאֶחָד לְבֵיתוֹ, שֶׁל מִי עוֹשֶׂה נָאֶה לֹא אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ, כָּךְ אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן נִבְרָא לְתַשְׁמִישׁ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְגַלְגַּל חַמָּה לְתַשְׁמִישָׁן שֶׁל בְּרִיּוֹת. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא, שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה חֻפּוֹת קָשַׁר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּגַן עֵדֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל כח, יג): בְּעֵדֶן גַּן אֱלֹהִים הָיִיתָ כָּל אֶבֶן יְקָרָה מְסֻכָתֶךָ אֹדֶם פִּטְדָה וְיַהֲלֹם תַּרְשִׁישׁ שֹׁהַם וְיָשְׁפֵה סַפִּיר נֹפֶךְ וּבָרְקַת וְזָהָב מְלֶאכֶת תֻּפֶּיךָ וּנְקָבֶיךָ בָּךְ בְּיוֹם הִבָּרַאֲךָ כּוֹנָנוּ. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אָמַר חַד עֲשַׂר, וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי עֲשַׂר, וְלָא פְּלִיגֵי מַאן דַעֲבַד לְהוֹן תְּלַת עֲשַׂר עָבֵיד כָּל אֶבֶן יְקָרָה מְסֻכָתֶךָ תְּלַת, מַאן דַּעֲבַד לְהוֹן חַד סַר, עֲבֵיד לְהוּ חָדָא, מַאן דַעֲבַד לְהוֹן עֲשָׂרָה לָא עֲבֵיד חַד מִנְהוֹן, וְאַחַר כָּל הַשֶּׁבַח הַזֶּה (בראשית ג, יט): כִּי עָפָר אַתָּה וְאֶל עָפָר תָּשׁוּב. אַבְרָהָם לֹא שָׂמַח בְּעוֹלָמִי וְאַתֶּם מְבַקְּשִׁים לִשְמֹחַ. נוֹלַד לוֹ בֵּן לְמֵאָה שָׁנָה וּבַסּוֹף אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (בראשית כב, ב): קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ, וְהָלַךְ אַבְרָהָם מַהֲלַךְ שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים, לְאַחַר שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים רָאָה עָנָן קָשׁוּר עַל גַּב הָהָר, אָמַר לוֹ בְּנִי רוֹאֶה אַתָּה מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי רוֹאֶה, אָמַר לֵיהּ הֵן, מָה אַתָּה רוֹאֶה אָמַר לֵיהּ עָנָן קָשׁוּר עַל גַּב הָהָר אֲנִי רוֹאֶה, אָמַר לְיִשְׁמָעֵאל וְלֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר רוֹאִים אַתֶּם כְּלוּם, אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ לָאו, אָמַר לָהֶם הוֹאִיל וְאֵינְכֶם רוֹאִים כְּלוּם וַחֲמוֹר זֶה אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה (בראשית כב, ה): שְׁבוּ לָכֶם פֹּה עִם הַחֲמוֹר, עַם הַדּוֹמִים לַחֲמוֹר. נָטַל אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וְהֶעֱלָהוּ הָרִים וְהוֹרִידוֹ גְּבָעוֹת, הֶעֱלָהוּ עַל אֶחָד מִן הֶהָרִים וּבָנָה מִזְבֵּחַ וְסִדֵּר עֵצִים וְעָרַךְ מַעֲרָכָה וְנָטַל אֶת הַסַּכִּין לְשָׁחֲטוֹ, וְאִלּוּלֵי שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ מַלְאָךְ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם כְּבָר הָיָה נִשְׁחָט. תֵּדַע שֶׁכֵּן, שֶׁחָזַר יִצְחָק אֵצֶל אִמּוֹ, וְאָמְרָה לוֹ אָן הָיִיתָ בְּרִי, אָמַר לָהּ נְטָלַנִּי אָבִי וְהֶעֱלַנִי הָרִים וְהוֹרִידַנִּי גְבָעוֹת וכו', אָמְרָה וַוי עַל בְּרִי דְרֵיוָתָא, אִלּוּלֵי הַמַּלְאָךְ כְּבָר הָיִיתָ שָׁחוּט, אָמַר לָהּ אִין. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה צָוְחָה שִׁשָּׁה קוֹלוֹת כְּנֶגֶד שִׁשָּׁה תְּקִיעוֹת, אָמְרוּ לֹא הִסְפִּיקָה אֶת הַדָּבָר עַד שֶׁמֵּתָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית כג, ב): וַיָּבֹא אַבְרָהָם לִסְפֹּד לְשָׂרָה וְלִבְכֹּתָהּ, וּמֵהֵיכָן בָּא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר מֵהַר הַמּוֹרִיָה בָּא, וְהָיָה אַבְרָהָם מְהַרְהֵר בְּלִבּוֹ וְאוֹמֵר שֶׁמָּא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם נִמְצָא בּוֹ פְּסוּל וְלֹא נִתְקַבֵּל קָרְבָּנוֹ, יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאוֹמֶרֶת לוֹ (קהלת ט, ז): לֵךְ אֱכֹל בְּשִׂמְחָה לַחְמֶךָ. יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׂמְחוּ בְּעוֹלָמִי, שָׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֹשָׂיו אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר אֶלָּא (תהלים קמט, ב): יִשְׂמַח, עֲתִידִין הֵן לִשְׂמֹחַ בְּמַעֲשָׂיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. כִּבְיָכוֹל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא שָׂמַח בְּעוֹלָמוֹ, שָׂמַח ה' בְּמַעֲשָׂיו אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר, אֶלָּא (תהלים קד, לא): יִשְׂמַח, עָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִשְׂמֹחַ בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. אֱלִישֶׁבַע בַּת עֲמִינָדָב לֹא שָׂמְחָה בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁרָאֲתָה חֲמִשָּׁה כְּתָרִים בְּיוֹם אֶחָד, יְבָמָהּ מֶלֶךְ, אָחִיהָ נָשִׂיא, בַּעֲלָהּ כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, שְׁנֵי בָּנֶיהָ שְׁנֵי סְגָנֵי כְּהֻנָּה, פִּנְחָס בֶּן בְּנָהּ מְשׁוּחַ מִלְחָמָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ בָּנֶיהָ לְהַקְרִיב וְנִשְׂרְפוּ, נֶהְפְּכָה שִׂמְחָתָהּ לְאֵבֶל, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: אַחֲרֵי מוֹת שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן.
Another matter, “after the death [of the two sons of Aaron]” (Leviticus 16:1). Rabbi Levi began: “I said to the revelers [laholelim]: Do not revel” (Psalms 75:5); laholelim, to the confused,4The word laholelim is being interpreted to mean mixed up, as in the verse “mixed [mahul] in water” (Isaiah 1:22) (Etz Yosef). those whose hearts are filled with wicked thoughts. Rabbi Levi would call them woe-generators, because they bring woe to the world.
“And to the wicked, do not raise your horn” (Psalms 75:5). The Holy One blessed be He said to the wicked: ‘The righteous did not rejoice in My world, and you seek to rejoice?’ Reish Lakish said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya: The ball of the heel of Adam the first man would outshine the sun, all the more so the radiance of his face.5Nonetheless, despite his greatness, Adam did not rejoice, as he sinned almost immediately after his creation. Similarly, no man should rejoice (Maharzu, based on Tanḥuma, Aḥarei, 2). Do not wonder, as the way of the world is that if a person crafts bowls, one for himself and one for a member of his household, whose does he craft more beautifully? Is it not his? So too, Adam the first man was created for the service of the Holy One blessed be He, and the sun was created for the service of the creations.
Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: The Holy One blessed be He tied thirteen canopies for him in the Garden of Eden, as it is stated: “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your canopy: ruby, topaz and clear quartz, beryl, onyx and chalcedony, sapphire, carbuncle, emerald and gold; the craftsmanship of your settings and your sockets was in you, on the day of your creation they were prepared” (Ezekiel 28:13). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said there were eleven [canopies] and the Rabbis said there were ten. But they do not disagree.6They do not disagree about the fact that the number of canopies is derived from the aforementioned verse in Ezekiel. The one who considers them thirteen considers “every precious stone was your canopy” as three.7He understands that the words every, precious, and stone allude to an additional three canopies, in addition to the ten types of precious stone listed explicitly in the verse, which each refer to a canopy crafted from that stone. Alternatively, he understands that the term “every” itself indicates three (see Maharzu). The one who considers them eleven considers it as one.8The phrase “every precious stone was your canopy” alludes to one additional canopy. The one who considers them ten does not consider it as one. After all this praise, “for you are dust and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).9Despite the great glory accorded Adam, God informs him that he is created from dust and will die and return to dust.
[God said to the wicked:] ‘Abraham did not rejoice in My world and you seek to rejoice?’ A son was born to him at the age of one hundred, and ultimately, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Take now your son…[and offer him up there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains that I will tell you]” (Genesis 22:2). Abraham went on a three-day journey. After three days, he saw a cloud fixed on the mountaintop. He said to [Isaac]: ‘My son, do you see what I see?’ [Isaac] said to him: ‘Yes.’ ‘What do you see?’ He said to him: ‘I see a cloud fixed on the mountaintop.’ He said to Ishmael and to Eliezer: ‘Do you see anything?’ They said to him: ‘No.’ He said to them: ‘Since you do not see anything, and this donkey does not see, “stay here with the donkey [im haḥamor]”’ (Genesis 22:5), [indicating they were] peoples comparable to the donkey [am hadomim laḥamor]. He took Isaac his son, took him up mountains and took him down hills. He took him up on one of the mountains, built an altar, arranged the wood, set the arrangement, and took the knife to slaughter him. Had it not been that an angel called him from the heavens, he would have already been slaughtered.
Know that it is so, as Isaac returned to his mother and she said to him: ‘Where have you been, my son?’ He said to her: ‘My father took me, took me up mountains, took me down hills…’ She said: ‘Woe unto the son of that woman full of grief, had it not been for the angel you would have already been slaughtered.’ He said to her: ‘Yes.’ At that moment she cried out six cries, corresponding to six shofar blasts.10By Torah law, the mitzva of shofar on Rosh Hashana requires three broken blasts (terua), each preceded and followed by a straight blast (tekia), for a total of nine blasts. The six straight blasts required correspond to Sarah’s six cries (Etz Yosef). They say that she did not complete them before she died. That is what is written: “Abraham came to lament Sarah and to weep over her” (Genesis 23:2). From where did he come? He came from Mount Moriah. Abraham had been ruminating in his heart, saying that perhaps, God forbid, some disqualification was found in [Isaac] and [therefore] his offering was not accepted. A Divine voice emerged and said to him: “Go, eat your bread with joy” (Ecclesiastes 9:7).
‘Israel did not rejoice in My world.’ It does not say “Israel rejoiced in its Maker,” but rather: “Israel will rejoice in its Maker” (Psalms 149:2). They are destined to rejoice in the deeds of the Holy One blessed be He in the future. As it were, the Holy One blessed be He did not rejoice in His world. It does not say: “The Lord rejoiced in His works,” but rather: “will rejoice” (Psalms 104:31). The Holy One blessed be He is destined to rejoice in the actions of the righteous in the future.
Elisheva bat Aminadav did not rejoice in the world when she saw five crowns [attained by her relatives] on one day. Her brother-in-law11Moses. was king, her brother,12Naḥshon. a prince, her husband,13Aaron. High Priest, her two sons,14Nadav and Avihu. the two deputy priests, her grandson Pinḥas anointed for war. When her sons entered to sacrifice and were burned, her joy was transformed into mourning. That is what is written: “After the death of the two sons of Aaron.”
רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא פָּתַח (קהלת ב, ב): לִשְׂחוֹק אָמַרְתִּי מְהוֹלָל, אִם הָדֵין דְּחוֹכָא מְעֹרָב מָה חֶדְוָתָא מְהַנְיָא, מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאֶחָד מִגְדוֹלֵי כָּבוּל שֶׁהָיָה מַשִּׂיא אֶת בְּנוֹ, וּבָרְבִיעִי שֶׁלּוֹ זִמֵּן אֶצְלוֹ אוֹרְחִים, מִשֶּׁאָכְלוּ וְשָׁתוּ וְהֵיטִיבוּ אֶת לִבָּם אָמַר לִבְנוֹ עֲלֵה וְהָבֵא לָנוּ חָבִית אֶחָד מִן הָעֲלִיָּה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָלָה הִכִּישׁוֹ נָחָשׁ וּמֵת, הִמְתִּין לוֹ לֵירֵד וְלֹא יָרַד, אָמַר אֲנִי עוֹלֶה וְרוֹאֶה מַה טִּיבוֹ שֶׁל בְּנִי, עָלָה וּמְצָאוֹ שֶׁהִכִּישׁוֹ נָחָשׁ וּמֵת וּמוּטָל בֵּין הֶחָבִיּוֹת, הִמְתִּין עַד שֶׁגָּמְרוּ סְעוּדָתָן, אָמַר לָהֶם רַבּוֹתַי לֹא לְבָרֵךְ אֶת בְּנִי בִּרְכַּת חֲתָנִים בָּאתֶם, אֶלָּא בֵּרְכוּ עָלָיו בִּרְכַּת אֲבֵלִים, לֹא לְהַכְנִיס אֶת בְּנִי לַחֻפָּה בָּאתֶם בּוֹאוּ וְהַכְנִיסוּהוּ לְקִבְרוֹ. הִפְטִיר עָלָיו רַבִּי זַכַּאי דְּמִן כָּבוּל: לִשְׂחוֹק אָמַרְתִּי מְהוֹלָל.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana began: “Of laughter, I said it is confounded, [and of joy, what does it accomplish?]” (Ecclesiastes 2:2). If this laughter is confounded,15If the laughter is mixed with mourning, of what use is it? The term meholal, translated here as confounded, is understood in the sense of mixed, as above, based on Isaiah 1:22 (Etz Yosef). of what use is joy? There was an incident involving one of the prominent leaders of Kavul, who was marrying off his son. On his Wednesday,16Weddings were performed on Wednesdays (see Mishna Ketubot 1:1). he invited guests to join him. Once they ate, drank, and made their hearts merry, he said to his son: ‘Ascend and bring us a barrel [of wine] from the attic.’ When he ascended, he was bitten by a snake and he died. [The father] waited for him to descend, but he did not descend. He said: ‘I will ascend and see what the status of my son is.’ He ascended and found that a snake bit him and he died, and he was cast between the barrels. He waited until they finished their feast. He said to them: ‘My masters, did you not come to recite the blessing of the bridegrooms for my son? Recite over him the blessing of the mourners. Did you not come to bring my son into his wedding canopy? Come and bring him into his grave.’ Rabbi Zakkai of Kavul concluded: “Of laughter, I said it is confounded.”
רַבִּי יוּדָן דְּגַלְיָיה פָּתַח (איוב לט, כז): אִם עַל פִּיךָ יַגְבִּיהַּ נָשֶׁר, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְאַהֲרֹן עַל מֵימַר פּוּמָךְ הָיִיתִי מַשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָתִי עַל גַּבֵּי הָאָרוֹן, אוֹ עַל מֵימַר פּוּמָךְ הָיִיתִי מְסַלֵּק שְׁכִינָתִי מֵעַל גַּבֵּי הָאָרוֹן. (איוב לט, כח): סֶלַע יִשְׁכֹּן, מִקְדָּשׁ רִאשׁוֹן. (איוב לט, כח): וְיִתְלֹנָן, לִינָה אֶחָת. מִקְדָּשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי (איוב לט, כח): עַל שֶׁן סֶלַע וּמְצוּדָה, לִינוֹת הַרְבֵּה. דְּתָנִינַן תַּמָּן מִשֶּׁנִּטַּל הָאָרוֹן הָיְתָה שָׁם אֶבֶן שְׁתִיָּה, וְלָמָּה נִקְרֵאת כֵּן, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן רַבִּי חֲלַפְתָּא שֶׁמִּמֶּנָּה הוּשְׁתַּת הָעוֹלָם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים נ, ב): מִצִּיּוֹן מִכְלַל יֹפִי. כֵּיצַד הָיְתָה תְּפִלָּתוֹ שֶׁל כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים בְּצֵאתוֹ מִן הַקֹּדֶשׁ, אוֹמֵר: יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ שֶׁתְּהֵא שָׁנָה זוֹ גְשׁוּמָה שְׁחוּנָה וּטְלוּלָה שְׁנַת רָצוֹן שְׁנַת בְּרָכָה שְׁנַת זוֹל שְׁנַת שׂוֹבַע שְׁנַת מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן וְאַל יִצְטָרְכוּ בָהּ עַמְךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵלּוּ לָאֵלּוּ וְאַל יַגְבִּיהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׂרָרָה אֵלּוּ עַל אֵלּוּ וְאַל תִּפְנֶה לִתְפִלַּת עוֹבְרֵי דְרָכִים. רַבָּנָן דְּקֵיסָרִין אָמְרוּ עַל אַחֵינוּ שֶׁבְּקֵסָרִין שֶׁלֹּא יַגְבִּיהוּ שְׂרָרָה. רַבָּנָן דְּדָרוֹמָא אָמְרוּ עַל אַחֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁרוֹן שֶׁלֹּא יֵעָשׂוּ בָּתֵּיהֶן קִבְרֵיהֶן, (איוב לט, כט): מִשָּׁם חָפַר אֹכֶל, מִשָּׁם הָיָה מְיַלֵּל נוֹטֵל אֹכֶל שֶׁל כָּל יְמוֹת הַשָּׁנָה, (איוב לט, כט): לְמֵרָחוֹק עֵינָיו יַבִּיטוּ, מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מַה בְּסוֹפָהּ, הָא כֵיצַד בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיָה צוֹפֶה וְרוֹאֶה עָשָׁן שֶׁל מַעֲרָכָה עוֹלֶה לַדָּרוֹם הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַדָּרוֹם שָׂבֵעַ, עוֹלֶה לַמַּעֲרָב הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַמַּעֲרָב שָׂבֵעַ, עוֹלֶה לַמִּזְרָח הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַמִּזְרָח שָׂבֵעַ, וְכֵן כֻּלָּם, עוֹלֶה בְּאֶמְצַע הָרָקִיעַ יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ שָׂבֵעַ, אַחַר כָּל הַשֶּׁבַח הַזֶּה (איוב לט, ל): וְאֶפְרֹחָו יְעַלְעוּ דָם, רָאָה אֶפְרוֹחָיו מִגַּעְגְּעִין בָּאֲדָמָה וְשָׁתַק, אֶלָּא (איוב לט, כט): וּבַאֲשֶׁר חֲלָלִים, נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּ, (איוב לט, כט): שָׁם הוּא, הַשְּׁכִינָה. רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי וְרַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא אָמְרוּ (ויקרא י, ד): קִרְבוּ שְׂאוּ אֶת אֲחֵיכֶם מֵאֵת פְּנֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ, מֵאֵת פְּנֵי הָאָרוֹן אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר אֶלָּא מֵאֵת פְּנֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ, כְּאָדָם שֶׁאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ הַעֲבֵר הַמֵּת הַזֶּה מֵאֵת פְּנֵי הָאָבֵל הַזֶּה, עַד מָתַי אָבֵל זֶה מִצְטָעֵר, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: אַחֲרֵי מוֹת שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן.
Rabbi Yudan of Gaul began: “Does the eagle ascend at your directive?” (Job 39:27). The Holy One blessed be He said to Aaron: ‘Did I rest My Divine Presence upon the Ark by the word of your mouth, or did I remove My Divine Presence from upon the Ark by the word of your mouth?’17The verse the midrash is commenting upon is one in which God speaks to Job, and therefore some emend the text such that it reads: The Holy One blessed be He said to Job: Did I rest My Divine Presence upon the Ark by the word of your mouth, or did I remove My Divine Presence from upon the Ark by the word of your mouth, as I did by the word of the mouth of Aaron? (see Etz Yosef). “[On a rock it dwells and stays the night, on the crag of the rock and the stronghold” (Job 39:28).] “On a rock it dwells” – the first Temple; “and stays the night” – one lodging. The second Temple is “on the crag of the rock and the stronghold,” – many lodgings,18Just as one would lodge more permanently in a stronghold than on a rock, the second Temple lasted longer than the first (Rabbi David Luria). as we learned there: When the Ark was removed, the foundation stone was there.19Thus, the word rock alludes to the Temple. Why was it called that? Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta said: It is because from it, the world was founded. That is what is written: “From Zion, from the perfection of beauty” (Psalms 50:2).20The Talmud (Yoma 54b), in citing this verse, adds: From it was formed the beauty of the earth.
What was the prayer of the High Priest on Yom Kippur when he emerged from the Inner Sanctum?21After emerging from the Holy of Holies, while still in the Sanctuary, the High Priest would say a prayer on behalf of the entire nation (Mishna Yoma 5:1). He said: ‘May it be Your will that this year will be rainy, hot, and dewy. A year of goodwill, a year of blessing, a year of inexpensiveness, a year of plenty, a year of commerce, and may Your people Israel not need one another. May Israel not exert authority upon one another. Do not turn to the prayers of the wayfarers.’22Travelers would not want rain to fall while they were traveling. However, if God were to grant the requests of each traveler in this regard, rain would never fall, which would have terrible consequences for all. The Rabbis of Caesarea said, regarding our brethren in Caesarea: ‘May they not exert authority.’ The Rabbis of the south said, regarding our brethren in the Sharon region: ‘May their houses not become their graves.’ “From there it searches for food” (Job 39:29); from there he would search for food to take for all the days of the year.23The High Priest would hope that through his prayer in the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, there would be plentiful sustenance for the entire year. “Its eyes look afar” (Job 39:29); from the beginning of the year, he would know what would be at its end. How so? When he would look and see the smoke of the arrangement ascending to the south, he would know that the south would be satiated; ascending to the west, he would know that the west would be satiated; ascending to the east, he would know that the east would be satiated; and the same is true of them all. If it ascended to the center of the heavens, he would know that the entire world would be satiated.
After all this praise, “its fledglings swallow blood” (Job 39:30) – he saw his fledglings wallowing on the ground and was silent.24After all the greatness Aaron merited; the fact that God rested His Presence on the Ark through him, and the fact that his descendants would perform the service in the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur and thereby bring sustenance to the entire people, Aaron saw his sons, Nadav and Avihu, die in the Tabernacle, and he was silent (see Leviticus 10:3). “Where the slain are” (Job 39:30), Nadav and Avihu; “there it is” (Job 39:30), the Divine Presence. Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: “Approach, carry your brethren from before the Sanctuary” (Leviticus 10:4); it does not say: “From before the Ark,” but rather “from before the Sanctuary,” like a person who says to another: ‘Move this corpse from before this mourner, how long must this mourner suffer?’ That is what is written: “After the death of the two sons of Aaron.”
רַבִּי אַחָא וְרַבִּי זְעִירָא פָּתַח (איוב לז, א): אַף לְזֹאת יֶחֱרַד לִבִּי וְיִתַּר מִמְקוֹמוֹ, מַהוּ וְיִתַּר, וְקָפַץ, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר (ויקרא יא, כא): לְנַתֵּר בָּהֵן עַל הָאָרֶץ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא יִהְיוּ בָּנָיו שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן דּוֹמִין לְמַטֵּהוּ שֶׁנִּכְנַס יָבֵשׁ וְיָצָא לַח. טִיטוּס הָרָשָׁע נִכְנַס לְבֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה בְּיָדוֹ, גִּדֵּר אֶת הַפָּרֹכֶת וְיָצָאת חַרְבּוֹ מְלֵאָה דָּם, נִכְנַס בְּשָׁלוֹם וְיָצָא בְּשָׁלוֹם, וּבָנָיו שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן נִכְנְסוּ לְהַקְרִיב וְיָצְאוּ שְׂרוּפִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: אַחֲרֵי מוֹת שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן.
Rabbi Aḥa and Rabbi Ze’eira began: “Even at this my heart trembles veyitar from its place” (Job 37:1). What is veyitar? It is “and leaps,” just as it says: “To leap [lenater] with them from upon the earth” (Leviticus 11:21). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Will Aaron’s sons not be like his staff, that entered dry and emerged moist?’25See Numbers 17:16-24. The wicked Titus entered the chamber of the Holy of Holies with his sword drawn in his hand, stabbed the curtain, and his sword emerged full of blood. He entered in peace and emerged in peace. Aaron’s sons entered to sacrifice and emerged burned. That is what is written: “After the death of the two sons of Aaron, [when they approached before the Lord and they died].”
רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה פָּתַח (משלי יז, כו): גַּם עֲנוֹשׁ לַצַּדִּיק לֹא טוֹב, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעָנַשְׁתִּי אֶת אַהֲרֹן וְלָקַחְתִּי שְׁנֵי בָּנָיו מִמֶּנּוּ, לֹא טוֹב, אֶלָּא (משלי יז, כו): לְהַכּוֹת נְדִיבִים עֲלֵי ישֶׁר, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: אַחֲרֵי מוֹת. תָּנֵי רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, לֹא מֵתוּ בָּנָיו שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהוֹרוּ הֲלָכָה בִּפְנֵי משֶׁה רַבָּן, וּמַעֲשֶׂה בְּתַלְמִיד אֶחָד שֶׁהוֹרָה לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אָמַר לְאִמָּא שָׁלוֹם אִי לְאִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל זֶה אֵינוֹ מוֹצִיא שַׁבַּתּוֹ, לֹא בָאת שַׁבַּתּוֹ עַד שֶׁמֵּת, נִכְנְסוּ חֲכָמִים אֶצְלוֹ אָמְרוּ לוֹ נָבִיא אַתָּה, אָמַר לָהֶם (עמוס ז, יד): לֹא נָבִיא אָנֹכִי וְלֹא בֶן נָבִיא, אֶלָּא כָּךְ מְקֻבְּלַנִּי כָּל הַמּוֹרֶה הֲלָכָה לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ חַיָּב מִיתָה.
Rabbi Berekhya began: “To punish also the righteous is not good” (Proverbs 17:26). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Even though I punished Aaron and took his two sons from him, it “is not good.”’ However, “to strike the noble for their uprightness” (Proverbs 17:26);26Sometimes it is necessary to strike the righteous in order to influence the masses toward uprightness. that is what is written: “After the death.”27God speaks after the death of Nadav and Avihu, Aaron’s sons, and tells Aaron not to enter the Holy of Holies at all times and without the proper sacrificial service. The context of this command indicates that the death of his sons serves to motivate Aaron and other priests to observe these laws carefully and to maintain a perspective of awe toward the Temple.
Rabbi Eliezer taught: Aaron’s sons died only because they issued halakhic rulings before Moses their teacher. There was an incident involving a certain disciple who issued a halakhic ruling before his teacher, Rabbi Eliezer. He said to Ima Shalom:28Rabbi Eliezer said to his wife, Ima Shalom, regarding his disciple. ‘Woe to this one’s wife; he will not complete this week.’ His week did not end before he died. The Sages came to him and they said to him: ‘Are you a prophet?’ He said to them: ‘“I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet” (Amos 7:14), but this is a tradition I received; anyone who issues a halakhic ruling before his teacher is liable to be put to death.’
תָּנֵי רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָסוּר לְתַלְמִיד לְהוֹרוֹת לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה רָחוֹק לוֹ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִיל כְּמַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (במדבר לג, מט): וַיַּחֲנוּ עַל הַיַּרְדֵּן, וְכַמָּה הֵם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִיל. רַבִּי תַּנְחוּם בֶּן רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה הֲוָה בְּחֵפֶר, הֲווֹ שָׁיְילִין בֵּיהּ וְהוּא מוֹרֶה, אָמְרוּ לוֹ לָא כֵן אֲלַפִין בֵּי מִדְרָשָׁא אָסוּר לְתַלְמִיד לְהוֹרוֹת לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ עַד שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִיל, וְהָא רַבִּי מָנֵי רַבָּךְ יָתֵיב בְּצִפּוֹרִי, אֲמַר לְהוֹן יֵתֵי עָלַי אִין יְדָעִית, מִן הַהִיא עָנְתָה לָא אוֹרֵי.
Rabbi Eliezer taught: It is prohibited for a disciple to issue halakhic rulings before his teacher until he is at a distance of twelve mil from him, corresponding to the camp of Israel. That is what is written: “They encamped along the Jordan, [from Beit Yeshimot until Avel Shitim]” (Numbers 33:49). How much is that? It is twelve mil.
Rabbi Tanḥum ben Rabbi Yirmeya was in Ḥefer. They would ask him and he would issue halakhic rulings. They said to him: ‘Did you not teach us in the study hall that it is prohibited for a disciple to issue halakhic rulings before his teacher until twelve mil, and is your teacher, Rabbi Manei, not in Tzippori?’ He said to them: ‘May [punishment] come upon me if I knew.’29He swore to them that he did not know his teacher was within twelve mil. From that time he did not issue halakhic rulings.
בַּר קַפָּרָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר בִּשְׁבִיל אַרְבָּעָה דְבָרִים מֵתוּ בָּנָיו שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, עַל הַקְרִיבָה, וְעַל הַקְרָבָה, עַל אֵשׁ זָרָה, וְעַל שֶׁלֹּא נָטְלוּ עֵצָה זֶה מִזֶּה. עַל הַקְרִיבָה, שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ לִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים. וְעַל הַהַקְרָבָה, שֶׁהִקְרִיבוּ קָרְבָּן שֶׁלֹּא נִצְטַוּוּ. עַל אֵשׁ זָרָה, אֵשׁ מִבֵּית כִּירַיִם הִכְנִיסוּ. וְעַל שֶׁלֹּא נָטְלוּ עֵצָה זֶה מִזֶּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא י, א): אִישׁ מַחְתָּתוֹ, אִישׁ מֵעַצְמוֹ עָשׂוּ שֶׁלֹּא נָטְלוּ עֵצָה זֶה מִזֶּה. אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר בְּאַרְבָּעָה מְקוֹמוֹת מַזְכִּיר מִיתָתָן שֶׁל בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן וּבְכֻלָּן מַזְכִּיר סָרְחָנָן, כָּל כָּךְ לָמָּה, לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בְּיָדָם אֶלָּא עָוֹן זֶה בִּלְבָד. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַמּוֹדָעִי בּוֹא וּרְאֵה כַּמָּה מִיתָתָן שֶׁל בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן יְקָרָה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁכָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁמַּזְכִּיר מִיתָתָן מַזְכִּיר סָרְחָנָם, כָּל כָּךְ לָמָּה, לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְבָאֵי עוֹלָם לוֹמַר מַעֲשִׂים מְקֻלְקָלִים הָיוּ בְּיָדָם בַּסֵּתֶר שֶׁעַל יְדֵי כֵן מֵתוּ.
Bar Kappara said in the name of Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar: Due to four matters Aaron’s sons died: For drawing near; for sacrificing; for alien fire; and because they did not take counsel from one another. For drawing near, because they entered the innermost sanctum; for sacrificing, because they sacrificed an offering regarding which they were not commanded; for alien fire, they brought in fire from a stove; and because they did not take counsel from one another, as it is stated: “Each took his fire pan” (Leviticus 10:1), each on his own, as they did not take counsel from one another.
Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said: In four places,30Leviticus 10:1, 16:1; Numbers 3:4, 26:61. it mentions the death of Aaron’s sons, and in all of them it mentions their sin. Why to that extent? It is to inform you that they had committed only this sin alone. Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i said: Come and see how difficult the death of Aaron’s sons was before the Holy One blessed be He, as every place that it mentions their death it mentions their sin. Why to that extent? It is to inform you [of their sin], so that all who enter the world will not have pretext to say: ‘They had clandestinely committed corrupt actions and that was the reason they died.’
רַבִּי מָנֵי דִּשְׁאָב וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמְרוּ בִּשְׁבִיל אַרְבָּעָה דְּבָרִים מֵתוּ בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן, וּבְכֻלָּן כְּתִיב בָּהֶן מִיתָה, עַל שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן, וּכְתִיב בּוֹ מִיתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא י, ט): יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר אַל תֵּשְׁתְּ. וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיוּ מְחֻסְרֵי בְּגָדִים, וּכְתִיב בּוֹ מִיתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כח, מג): וְהָיוּ עַל אַהֲרֹן וְעַל בָּנָיו, וּמָה הָיוּ חֲסֵרִין, מְעִיל, שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ מִיתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כח, לה): וְהָיָה עַל אַהֲרֹן לְשָׁרֵת, וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ בְּלֹא רְחִיצַת יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ל, כא): וְרָחֲצוּ יְדֵיהֶם וְרַגְלֵיהֶם וְלֹא יָמֻתוּ, וּכְתִיב (שמות ל, כ): בְּבֹאָם אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד יִרְחֲצוּ מַיִם, וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ לָהֶם בָּנִים, וּכְתִיב בּוֹ מִיתָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (במדבר ג, ד): וַיָּמָת נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא. אַבָּא חָנִין אוֹמֵר עַל יְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ לָהֶם נָשִׁים, דִּכְתִיב (ויקרא טז, ו): וְכִפֶּר בַּעֲדוֹ וּבְעַד בֵּיתוֹ, בֵּיתוֹ זוֹ אִשְׁתּוֹ.
Rabbi Manei of She’av, Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin, and Rabbi Yoḥanan in the name of Rabbi Levi said: Due to four matters Aaron’s sons died, and death is written regarding all of them. Because they were intoxicated with wine, and death is written in its regard, as it is stated: “You shall not drink wine or intoxicating drink, [you, nor your sons with you, upon your entry into the Tent of Meeting, that you not die]” (Leviticus 10:9). Because they were lacking vestments, and death is written in its regard, as it is stated: “They shall be on Aaron and his sons [whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting…so they will not bear iniquity and die]” (Exodus 28:43). What were they lacking? It was the robe, in whose regard death is written, as it is stated: “It shall be on Aaron to serve…[and he will not die]” (Exodus 28:35). Because they entered without washing hands and feet, as it is stated: “They shall wash their hands and their feet, and they will not die” (Exodus 30:21), and it is written: “When they come to the Tent of Meeting they shall wash in water” (Exodus 30:20). And because they did not have children, and death is written in its regard; that is what is written: “Nadav and Avihu died before the Lord…and they had no children” (Numbers 3:4). Abba Ḥanin says: It is because they did not have wives, as it is written: “And atone for himself and for his household” (Leviticus 16:6); “his household,” this is his wife.
רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר שְׁחָצִים הָיוּ, הַרְבֵּה נָשִׁים הָיוּ יוֹשְׁבוֹת עֲגוּנוֹת מַמְתִּינוֹת לָהֶם, מָה הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים, אֲחִי אָבִינוּ מֶלֶךְ, אֲחִי אִמֵּנוּ נָשִׂיא, אָבִינוּ כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל וְאָנוּ שְׁנֵי סְגָנֵי כְּהֻנָּה, אֵי זוֹ אִשָּׁה הוֹגֶנֶת לָנוּ. רַבִּי מְנַחְמָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר (תהלים עח, סג): בַּחוּרָיו אָכְלָה אֵשׁ, לָמָּה בַּחוּרָיו אָכְלָה אֵשׁ, מִשּׁוּם (תהלים עח, סג): בְּתוּלֹתָיו לֹא הוּלָּלוּ. וְעוֹד מִן הֲדָא (שמות כד, א): וְאֶל משֶׁה אָמַר עֲלֵה אֶל ה', מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן הוֹלְכִין תְּחִלָּה וְנָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא מְהַלְּכִין אַחֲרֵיהֶן וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרֵיהֶן, וְאוֹמְרִים מָתַי שְׁנֵי זְקֵנִים הַלָּלוּ מֵתִים וְאָנוּ נוֹהֲגִין שְׂרָרָה עַל הַצִּבּוּר. רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַיְבוּ אָמַר בְּפִיהֶם אָמְרוּ זֶה לָזֶה. רַבִּי פִּנְחָס אָמַר בְּלִבָּם הִרְהֲרוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (משלי כז, א): אַל תִּתְהַלֵּל בְּיוֹם מָחָר, הַרְבֵּה סְיָחִין מֵתוּ וְנַעֲשׂוּ עוֹרוֹתֵיהֶן שְׁטוּחִין עַל גַּבֵּי אִמּוֹתֵיהֶן. וְעוֹד מִן הֲדָא (שמות כד, יא): וְאֶל אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס מִכָּאן שֶׁהָיוּ רְאוּיִן לְהַשְׁלָחַת יָד, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה וְכִי קִילוֹרִין עָלַת עִמָּהֶן מִסִּינַי דְּאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות כד, יא): וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁזָּנוּ עֵינֵיהֶם מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה, וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים, כְּאָדָם שֶׁמַּבִּיט בַּחֲבֵרוֹ מִתּוֹךְ מַאֲכָל וּמִשְׁתֶּה. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר אֲכִילָה וַדַּאי, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (משלי טז, טו): בְּאוֹר פְּנֵי מֶלֶךְ חַיִּים, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁפָּרְעוּ אֶת רָאשֵׁיהֶן וְגִיְסוּ לִבָּם וְזָנוּ עֵינֵיהֶם מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר משֶׁה לֹא זָן עֵינָיו מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה וְנֶהֱנָה מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה, לֹא זָן עֵינָיו מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ג, ו): וַיַּסְתֵּר משֶׁה פָּנָיו, וְנֶהֱנָה מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לד, כט): וּמשֶׁה לֹא יָדַע כִּי קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו, בִּשְׂכַר וַיַּסְתֵּר זָכָה (שמות לג, יא): וְדִבֶּר ה' אֶל משֶׁה פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים, בִּשְׂכַר (שמות ג, ו): כִּי יָרֵא זָכָה (שמות לד, ל): וַיִּירְאוּ מִגֶּשֶׁת אֵלָיו, בִּשְׂכַר (שמות ג, ו): מֵהַבִּיט, זָכָה (במדבר יב, ח): וּתְמֻנַת ה' יַבִּיט, נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא זָנוּ עֵינֵיהֶם מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה וְלֹא נֶהֱנוּ מִמֶּנָּה. וְעוֹד מִן הֲדָא (במדבר ג, ד): וַיָּמָת נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא לִפְנֵי ה', וְכִי לִפְנֵי ה' מֵתוּ, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה קָשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבְּנֵיהֶם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים מֵתִים בְּחַיֵּיהֶם. רַבִּי יוּדָן דְּיָפוֹ בְּעָא מִנֵּיהּ רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בַּר רַבִּי חָמָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי סִימוֹן הָכָא אַתְּ אָמַר (ויקרא י, ב): לִפְנֵי ה' (במדבר ג, ד): לִפְנֵי ה' שְׁנֵי פְּעָמִים, וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברי הימים א כד, ב): לִפְנֵי אַהֲרֹן אֲבִיהֶם, פַּעַם אֶחָת, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה קָשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כִּפְלַיִים מֵאֲבִיהֶן. (דברי הימים א כד, ב): בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי, אָמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר וְכִי בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי מֵתוּ, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמֵּהַר סִינַי נָטְלוּ אַפּוֹפָּסִין שֶׁלָּהֶם לְמִיתָה. מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה מַשִּׂיא בִּתּוֹ וְנִמְצָא בְּשׁוֹשְׁבִינָהּ דָּבָר שֶׁל שִׁמְצָה, אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אִם הוֹרְגוֹ אֲנִי עַכְשָׁיו אֲנִי מְעַרְבֵּב שִׂמְחַת בִּתִּי, אֶלָּא לְמָחָר שִׂמְחָתִי בָּאָה וְהוּא טַב בְּשִׂמְחָתִי וְלֹא בְּשִׂמְחַת בִּתִּי. כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם אֲנִי הוֹרְגָן עַכְשָׁיו הֲרֵינִי מְעַרְבֵּב שִׂמְחַת בִּתִּי, לְמָחָר שִׂמְחָתִי בָּאָה. בִּתִּי זוֹ הַתּוֹרָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שיר השירים ג, יא): בְּיוֹם חֲתֻנָּתוֹ וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַת לִבּוֹ, בְּיוֹם חֲתֻנָּתוֹ זֶה הַר סִינַי, וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַת לִבּוֹ זֶה אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.
Rabbi Levi said: They were arrogant. Many women were sitting unmarried, waiting for them. What would they say? ‘Our father’s brother is king, our mother’s brother is a prince, our father is the High Priest, and we are the two deputy priests; what woman is worthy of us?’ Rabbi Menaḥama said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Neḥemya: “Fire devoured His young men, [and His virgins had no wedding celebration]” (Psalms 78:63). Why did fire devour His young men? Because “His virgins had no wedding celebration.”
Moreover, from this: “To Moses, He said: Ascend to the Lord, [you and Aaron, Nadav and Avihu]” (Exodus 24:1).31This is another indication of their haughtiness. The verse does not separate Moses and Aaron from Nadav and Avihu by a conjunction, presenting them all as though they are all on the same plane. This reflects the manner in which Nadav and Avihu viewed themselves, as is being presently explained by the midrash (Etz Yosef). This teaches that Moses and Aaron were walking ahead, Nadav and Avihu were walking behind them, and all of Israel behind them. They were saying: ‘When will these two old men die, and we will assert authority over the public?’ Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Aivu: They said it to one another with their mouths. Rabbi Pinḥas said: They contemplated it in their hearts. Rabbi Berekhya said: The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘“Do not glory in tomorrow” (Proverbs 27:1). Many young donkeys have died and their hides have been spread over their mothers.’32Their hides have been turned into saddle packs and placed on their mothers. The point is that sometimes children die while their parents are still alive and active.
Moreover, from this: “Against the noble of the children of Israel, He did not extend His hand” (Exodus 24:11). Rabbi Pinḥas said: From here [it may be derived] that they were deserving of the hand being extended, as Rabbi Hoshaya said: Did cakes go up with them to Sinai, that it states: “They beheld God [and ate and drank]”? (Exodus 24:11). Rather, it teaches that they feasted their eyes on the Divine Presence. “They beheld God” like a person who looks at another while eating and drinking. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Actual nourishment, just as it says: “Life is in the light of the king’s countenance” (Proverbs 16:15).33Rabbi Yehoshua is saying that the verse refers to the noble of the children of Israel. i.e. Nadav and Avihu as eating and drinking as they beheld God, in order to indicate that they beheld God without the proper fear and seriousness. Rabbi Yoḥanan argues that they actually received nourishment from looking at God. Both agree, however, that they beheld God in an improper manner. Rabbi Tanḥuma says: It teaches that they exposed their heads, acted with arrogance, and feasted their eyes on the Divine Presence.
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Moses did not feast his eyes on the Divine Presence and benefited from the Divine Presence. He did not feast his eyes on the Divine Presence, as it is stated: “Moses concealed his face [because he feared to look at God]” (Exodus 3:6). And from where is it derived that he benefited from the Divine Presence? “Moses did not know that his face was radiant” (Exodus 34:29). In reward for “[Moses] concealed,” he was privileged in: “The Lord spoke to Moses face to face” (Exodus 33:11). In reward for “because he feared” (Exodus 3:6), he was privileged in: “They feared to approach him” (Exodus 34:30). In reward for “[feared] to look [mehabit]” (Exodus 3:6), he was privileged to: “And beholds [yabit] the image of the Lord” (Numbers 12:8). Nadav and Avihu feasted their eyes on the Divine Presence and received no benefit from it.
Moreover, from this: “Nadav and Avihu died before the Lord [when they presented strange fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children; Elazar and Itamar served as priests in the presence of Aaron, their father]” (Numbers 3:4). Did they, in fact, die before the Lord?34The midrash here adopts the view that Nadav and Avihu did not die in the Tabernacle itself, but in the courtyard of the Tabernacle (see Sifra, Shemini, Mekhilta deMiluim 35). Rather, it teaches that it is difficult before the Holy One blessed be He when the children of the righteous die during their lifetimes. Rabbi Yudan of Yafo raised a question before Rabbi Pinḥas bar Rabbi Ḥama in the name of Rabbi Simon. Here it says: “Before the Lord” (Leviticus 10:2), “before the Lord” (Numbers 3:4) – twice. But there, it says: “Before Aaron, their father” (I Chronicles 24:2) – once. This teaches that it was difficult before the Holy One blessed be He, twice as much as for their father.
“In the wilderness of Sinai” (Numbers 3:4), Rabbi Meir said: Did they, in fact, die in the wilderness of Sinai?35They did die in the wilderness, but the verse should have been more specific and mentioned that they died in the Tent of Meeting. Rather, it teaches that they took their death sentence from Mount Sinai.36At the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, Nadav and Avihu gazed at God and became liable for the death penalty. This is analogous to a king who was marrying off his daughter and found in one of the members of the wedding party a matter of infamy. The king said: ‘If I kill him now, I will compromise my daughter’s celebration. Tomorrow, my celebration will come. It is preferable during my celebration and not during my daughter’s celebration.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If I kill them now, I will compromise the celebration of My daughter. Tomorrow, My celebration will come.’ His daughter, this is the Torah. That is what is written: “On the day of his wedding and on the day of the rejoicing of his heart” (Song of Songs 3:11). “On the day of his wedding,” this is Mount Sinai, “and on the day of the rejoicing of his heart,” this is the Tent of Meeting.37Instead of killing Nadav and Avihu at the time of the giving of the Torah, God waited until the celebration of the inauguration of the Tabernacle.
וּבָנִים לֹא הָיוּ לָהֶם (במדבר ג, ד), רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אָבִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אָבִין בְּשֵׁם רַב אַחָא אָמַר אִלּוּ הָיוּ לָהֶם בָּנִים הָיוּ קוֹדְמִין לְאֶלְעָזָר וּלְאִיתָמָר, דְּתָנִינַן תַּמָּן כָּל הַקּוֹדֵם לְנַחֲלָה קוֹדֵם לְכָבוֹד וּבִלְבָד שֶׁיְהֵא נוֹהֵג כְּמִנְהַג אֲבוֹתָיו. (במדבר ג, ד): וַיְכַהֵן אֶלְעָזָר וְאִיתָמָר עַל פְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן אֲבִיהֶם, רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר בְּחַיָּיו, רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר בְּמוֹתוֹ. עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא דְּאָמַר בְּמוֹתוֹ, כְּתִיב הָכָא פְּנֵי, וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (בראשית כג, ג): וַיָּקָם אַבְרָהָם מֵעַל פְּנֵי מֵתוֹ, מַה לְּהַלָּן בְּמוֹתוֹ, אַף כָּאן בְּמוֹתוֹ. עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יִצְחָק דְּאָמַר בְּחַיָּיו, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן עַל פְּנֵי, וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (בראשית יא, כח): וַיָּמָת הָרָן עַל פְּנֵי תֶּרַח אָבִיו, מַה לְּהַלָּן בְּחַיָּיו אַף כָּאן בְּחַיָּיו. אֵירַע טֻמְאָה בְּאַהֲרֹן שִׁמֵּשׁ אֶלְעָזָר, אֵירַע בְּאֶלְעָזָר שִׁמֵּשׁ אִיתָמָר. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּשִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן קִמְחִית שֶׁיָּצָא לְדַבֵּר עִם הַמֶּלֶךְ הָעַרְבִי, נִתְּזָא צִנּוֹרָא מִפִּיו עַל בְּגָדָיו וְטִמְאַתּוּ, וְנִכְנַס יְהוּדָה אָחִיו וְשִׁמֵּשׁ תַּחְתָּיו בִּכְהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה, אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם רָאֲתָה אִמָּם שְׁנֵי בָּנֶיהָ כֹּהֲנִים גְּדוֹלִים. אָמְרוּ שִׁבְעָה בָּנִים הָיוּ לָהּ לְקִמְחִית וְכֻלָּם שִׁמְשׁוּ בִּכְהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה, שָׁלְחוּ אַחֲרֶיהָ אָמְרוּ לָהּ מַה מַּעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים יֵשׁ בְּיָדֵךְ, אָמְרָה לָהֶם מֵעוֹלָם לֹא רָאוּ קוֹרוֹת בֵּיתִי שַׂעֲרוֹת רֹאשִׁי וְאִמְרַת חֲלוּקִי. אָמְרוּ כָּל קִמְחַיָּא קֶמַח וְקֶמַח דְּקִמְחִית סֹלֶת, וְקָרוֹן עֲלָהּ (תהלים מה, יד): כָּל כְּבוּדָהּ בַת מֶלֶךְ פְּנִימָה. עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא דְּאָמַר בְּמוֹתוֹ, מֵת אַהֲרֹן שִׁמֵּשׁ אֶלְעָזָר, מֵת אֶלְעָזָר שִׁמֵּשׁ אִיתָמָר.
“They had no children” (Numbers 3:4). Rabbi Yaakov bar Avin said in the name of Rabbi Avin in the name of Rav Aḥa: If they had sons, they would have taken precedence over Elazar and Itamar, as we learned elsewhere: Anyone who takes precedence for inheritance takes precedence for honor, provided that he conducts himself in the manner of his ancestors.
“Elazar and Itamar served as priests in the presence of Aaron, their father” (Numbers 3:4). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: During his lifetime. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Upon his death. According to the opinion of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, who said, upon his death, here it is written: “The presence of [penei],” and there it says: “Abraham arose from the presence of [penei] his dead” (Genesis 23:3); just as there it was upon her death, here, too it was upon his death. According to Rabbi Yitzḥak, who said, during his lifetime, here it is stated: “In the presence of [al penei],” and there it is stated: “Ḥaran died in the presence of [al penei] Teraḥ his father” (Genesis 11:28); just as there it was during his lifetime, so, too, here, it was during his lifetime.
If impurity befell Aaron, Elazar served. If it befell Elazar, Itamar served. There was an incident involving Shimon ben Kimḥit,38A High Priest who served during the Second Temple. who went to speak with the Arab king. Spittle sprayed from [the king’s] mouth onto [Shimon’s] garments and impurified him, and Yehuda, his brother, entered and served in the high priesthood in his stead. That day, their mother saw her two sons as High Priests. They said: Kimḥit had seven sons and all of them served in the high priesthood. They sent to her and said to her: ‘What good deeds do you have to your credit?’ She said to them: ‘The beams of my house have never seen the hair of my head and the hem of my robe.’ They said: ‘All the flours are flour, but the flour of Kimḥit is fine flour.’ They read in her regard: “All the glory of the princess is within” (Psalms 45:14).39This is understood to express that modesty brings a woman great honor. According to Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, who said, upon his death, when Aaron died, Elazar served. When Elazar died, Itamar served.
אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר אֲבִינָא מִפְּנֵי מָה נִסְמְכָה פָּרָשַׁת מִיתַת מִרְיָם לְאֵפֶר פָּרָה, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵפֶר הַפָּרָה מְכַפֵּר כָּךְ מִיתַת הַצַּדִּיקִים מְכַפֶּרֶת. אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן מִפְּנֵי מָה נִסְמְכָה מִיתַת אַהֲרֹן לִשְׁבִירַת לוּחוֹת, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה קָשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִיתָתוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן כִּשְׁבִירַת לוּחוֹת. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא, בְּאֶחָד בְּנִיסָן מֵתוּ בָּנָיו שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, וְלָמָּה מַזְכִּיר מִיתָתָן בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכְּשֵׁם שֶׁיּוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר כָּךְ מִיתָתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים מְכַפֶּרֶת. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁיּוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא טז, ל): כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם, וּמִנַיִן שֶׁמִּיתָתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים מְכַפֶּרֶת, דִּכְתִיב (שמואל ב כא, יד): וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֶת עַצְמוֹת שָׁאוּל, וּכְתִיב (שמואל ב כא, יד): וַיֵּעָתֵר אֱלֹהִים לָאָרֶץ אַחֲרֵי כֵן.
Rabbi Abba bar Avina said: Why is the death of Miriam juxtaposed to the ashes of the heifer? It teaches that just as the ashes of the heifer atone, so the death of the righteous atones. Rabbi Yudan said: Why is the death of Aaron juxtaposed to the breaking of the tablets? It teaches that Aaron’s death was as difficult before the Holy One blessed be He as the breaking of the tablets. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: On the first of Nisan, Aaron’s sons died. Why, then, does it mention their death on Yom Kippur? It teaches that just as Yom Kippur atones, so, too, the death of the righteous atones. From where is it derived that Yom Kippur atones? As it is stated: “For on this day he shall atone for you, to purify you” (Leviticus 16:30). From where is it derived that the death of the righteous atones? As it is written: “They buried the bones of Saul” (II Samuel 21:14), and it is written: “and God acceded to the entreaty of the land thereafter” (II Samuel 21:14).