Why Nadab and Abihu's Childlessness Mattered for Priestly Honor

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Achrei Mot 9:1

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

(Numbers 3:4:) "AND THEY HAD NO CHILDREN." Rabbi Jacob bar Abbayi said in the name of Rabbi Aha: Had they had children, those children would have taken precedence over Eleazar and Ithamar, since whoever takes precedence with respect to inheritance takes precedence with respect to honor, provided that he conducts himself according to the custom of his forebears.

Themes

PriesthoodWisdomAdam EveKingsTorah

Biblical References

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Avot DeRabbi NatanRabbi Eliezer on Let the Honour of Your Fellow Be Dear to You as YourTHEY EACH SAID THREE THINGS. R. ELIEZER SAID: LET THE HONOUR OF YOUR FELLOW BE DEAR TO YOU AS YOUR OWN; BE NOT EASILY MOVED TO ANGER; REPENT ONE DAY BEFORE YOURExempla of the Rabbis (Gaster, 1924)The respect of Dima bThe respect that Dama ben Netina showed his father was legendary among the sages of Israel. And Dama was not even Jewish. He was a gentile merchant in Ashkelon,Midrash AggadahWhy the Torah Was Given in Threes in the Third MonthWhy does the verse linger on the number three? Listen, and count with me. When Israel came to Sinai "in the third month," the Sages saw that all of it was wovenVayikra RabbahPriestly TeachingsOur ancestors grappled with similar feelings, and the rabbis of old explored this through beautiful metaphors in the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary).Sifra, Mekhilta deMiluimThe Holy Mitzvot Woven Into the Garments of IsraelWhen Aaron was clothed for the service of the Mishkan, the sages saw a deeper truth folded into every cloth: that garments themselves carry the commandments of Kalach Pitchei ChokhmahMalchut as the Sovereign Ground of All BeingKalach Pitchei Chokhmah turns to Malchut as the Sovereign Ground of All Being. Malchut – that’s usually translated as "kingdom" or "sovereignty," but it's so mu