Why God Burns the Proud - The Fire of Self-Exaltation in Tzav

Another interpretation: COMMAND AARON and so forth (Leviticus 6:2). What is the matter of Aaron here? Here Israel were bringing offerings, and Aaron held back. Yet the Scripture says, COMMAND AARON. Now behold, it is written, "Command the children of Israel, and say to them: My offering, My bread for My fire-offerings" (Numbers 28:2), and here it says, COMMAND AARON: THIS IS THE TORAH OF THE BURNT-OFFERING (ha-olah). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Whoever exalts himself, his end is to go into the fire, [as it is said] "It is the one that ascends (ha-olah) upon its firewood" and so forth (Leviticus 6:2). The generation of the Flood, because of what they said, "What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit should we have if we pray to Him?" (Job 21:15) — therefore they were judged by fire. And likewise the Sodomites, as it is said, "And the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire" (Genesis 19:24). Pharaoh, who said, "Who is the Lord [that I should hearken to His voice]?" (Exodus 5:2), and exalted himself, and said, "My river is my own, and I have made myself" (Ezekiel 29:3) — therefore "upon its firewood," for so it says, "The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forth His voice; hailstones and coals of fire" (Psalms 18:14). And also Sennacherib, who exalted himself and said, "I have ascended the height of the mountains, the innermost parts of Lebanon" and so forth (II Kings 19:23) — what happened to him? "And the angel of the Lord went forth and smote in the camp of Assyria" and so forth (II Kings 19:35). He blasphemed by means of a messenger; therefore, "And the angel of the Lord went forth and smote in the camp of Assyria." And what did He do to him? "And under his glory there shall be kindled a burning like the burning of fire" (Isaiah 10:16). What is "under his glory"? That He burned him from within, and left his garments on the outside, for the glory of a person is his clothing. Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, leave their garments? Because they were the sons of Shem, as it is said, "The sons of Shem: Elam and Asshur" and so forth (Genesis 10:22). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I am indebted to Shem their father, who took the garment and covered the nakedness of his father, as it is said, "And Shem and Japheth took the garment" and so forth (Genesis 9:23). Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, left their garments and burned their bodies: "It is the one that ascends upon its firewood" and so forth. And so too Nebuchadnezzar exalted himself; he said, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High" (Isaiah 14:14). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Wicked one, was it not enough for you that you said, "I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will raise my throne" (Isaiah 14:13), but that you also said, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds," from above? And so he said to Hananiah and his companions, "[And who is the god that shall deliver you out of my hand?]" (Daniel 3:15). His house I have burned, and His people I have exiled, and He did not stand against me in His house — and in my house shall He prevail against me? What did he do? He cast them into the fiery furnace. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He gave a sign to the furnace, and it became a wide road. Whoever was fit to be burned [was not burned, and whoever was not fit to be burned] was burned, and the fire went forth and burned half of the nations. For you find that when they gathered at first for the dedication of the image, there were eight nations, [as it is said,] "Then were gathered together the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces" (Daniel 3:3) — behold, eight nations. And when they entered to see Hananiah and his companions, only four nations are written there: "And there gathered together the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, and the king's counselors" (Daniel 3:27). [And where are the four nations?] Rather, "the flame of the fire slew them" (Daniel 3:22). And Nebuchadnezzar too was burned by the fire, and a scorching came upon him. And why was not all of him burned? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Leave this wicked one half of himself, that he may know against whom he blasphemed. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Wicked one, did you not say, "I do not wish to go with the children of men, but I will ascend above the heights of the clouds"? [By your life,] "and they shall drive you from among men" and so forth (Daniel 4:22). Just as He brought plagues upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt, so He brought upon Nebuchadnezzar, as it is said, "The signs and wonders that the Most High God has wrought toward me, it seemed good before me to declare" (Daniel 3:32) — for a scorching fell upon him. Therefore it is said, "It is the one that ascends upon its firewood" and so forth.