Sifra (Torat Kohanim) Reader

21) At that time destruction "sprang upon" Nadav and Avihu. Others say: It accrued to them from Sinai. They saw Moses and Aaron going first, themselves going after them, and all of Israel after them — whereupon Nadav said to Avihu: Soon these two old ones will die and we will lead the congregation — at which the Holy One Blessed be He said: We shall see who shall bury whom. They will bury you, and they will lead the congregation!

22) (Vayikra 8:24): "And he brought forward Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tnuch of their right ear": This is the middle wall. "and upon the thumb of their right hand": This is the middle joint.

22) A different view: When the sons of Aaron saw that all the offerings had been sacrificed and all the services performed and that the shechinah had not descended for Israel, Nadav said to Avihu: Now is there such a thing as cooking a meal without fire? — whereupon they took a strong fire and entered the holy of holies, viz. (Tehillim 33:24): "And the sons of Aaron took, each his coal pan, and they put the fire therein" — at which the Holy One Blessed be He said to them: I will honor you more than you have honored Me. You have brought before Me an impure fire; I will burn you with a pure fire.

23) (Vayikra 8:25): "And he took the fat": There is no thing (i.e., there is no gift given to a man) where there is no mitzvah for the L–rd (Thus, "And he took the fat, etc."): Fruits have many mitzvoth: terumoth, ma'asroth, challah, bikkurim, leket, shikchah, and peah. The gates of houses and of provinces have their mitzvoth to the L–rd, (Devarim 6:9): "And you shall write them on the doorposts (mezuzoth) of your house and on your gates."

23) What was their death like? Two strands of fire came forth from the holy of holies and parted into four. Two entered the nostrils of one, and two, the nostrils of the other, burning their bodies and leaving their garments intact, viz. (Tehillim 33:25): "And a fire came forth from before the L–rd (i.e., from the holy of holies) etc." Aaron stood in astonishment, saying: Woe unto me! There must be transgression in me and in my sons that such has befallen me! Thereupon Moses entered and comforted him, saying: Aaron, my brother, from Sinai it was revealed to me: I (the L–rd) am destined to consecrate this house (the mishkan) — I will do so with a great man. I thought to myself that the house will be consecrated either through me or through you. We find now that your two sons are greater than both of us, the house having been consecrated through them. When Aaron heard this, he vindicated G d's judgment upon him and he was silent, as it is written (Vayikra 10:3): "And Aaron kept his peace." And the righteous are wont to vindicate G d's judgment upon them. Abraham did so, viz. (Bereshith 18:27): "… and I am dust and ashes." Jacob did so, viz. (Bereshith 32:11): "I am too small for all of the lovingkindness and for all of the truth that You have conferred upon Your servant."

24) Garments have their mitzvah to the L–rd, viz. (Devarim 22:11): "You shall not wear sha'atnez." A ta'alith, (Devarim 22:12): "Fringes shall you make for yourself."

24) David did so, viz. (Tehillim 38:6): "My wounds have oozed forth and putrefied (my flesh) because of my wrongdoing."

25) A clean beast has its mitzvah to the L–rd, viz. (Devarim 15:19): "Every firstling (bechor) which is born in your herd and in your flock, the male, shall you consecrate to the L–rd your G d."

25) (Vayikra 10:4): "And Moses called to Mishael and to Eltzafan, the sons of Uziel, the uncle of Aaron (Uziel was Amram's brother)":

26) An unclean beast has its mitzvah to the L–rd, viz. (Shemoth 34:20): "And the firstling of an ass you shall redeem with a lamb." An animal of the wild and a bird flying in the air — Scripture has exhorted us concerning them that when they come to your hand they should not be lacking a mitzvah, viz. (Vayikra 17:13): "A man of the children of Israel … that shall hunt a hunting of animal or bird that may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth." And other beasts and animals, unspecified by name, are subsumed in a general ruling so that they not be lacking in mitzvoth, viz. (Vayikra 27:28): Every devotion (cherem) which a man shall devote to the L–rd, etc." — Thus, for consecrations outside of the Temple. With Temple consecrations, there are levels upon levels. How so? Of bullocks that are to be burned and he-goats that are to be burned, Scripture states that their blood and devoted portions are to go to the altar.

26) From here we see that Cohanim do not make themselves tamei for the dead. For Elazar and Ithamar (the brothers of Nadav and Avihu) were Cohanim and they did not make themselves tamei for them. Who did make themselves tamei for them? The Levites (Mishael and Eltzafan).

27) Of a burnt-offering, which is to be entirely burned, Scripture states that their hide is to go to the Cohanim. Of peace-offerings, that are eaten by the owners, Scripture states that their blood and devoted portions are to go to the altar, wherefore Scripture states (Vayikra 8:25): "And he took the fat and the fat-tail … and the right shok" as their terumah to the altar.

27) (Vayikra 10:5): "And they drew near and they carried them in their (the dead ones') tunics.": We are hereby taught that the L–rd was more solicitous for them in their deaths than in their lives. For if their bodies had been burned and their garments not been intact, they would have been exposed and despised. But their bodies were burned and their garments left intact. Now does this not follow a fortiori: If for these, who had angered the L–rd, having entered before Him against His will, He did thus, how much more so, for the other righteous ones!

28) (Vayikra 10:6): "And Moses said to Aaron and to Elazar and to Ithamar, his sons: Your hair do not grow long … (Vayikra 10:7) and from the door of the tent of meeting do not go out.": From here they ruled: Those who were executed by beth-din are not to be attended upon for any purpose. "and from the door of the tent of meeting do not go out": From here they ruled: If a high-priest lost one of his kin, he does not follow the litter. When they (the members of the funeral cortege) are concealed (from his sight), he may reveal himself. When they are revealed, he must conceal himself. Lest you say: We shall go to our houses and mourn and grieve and wail, has the L–rd not commanded us not to leave the sanctuary? (Vayikra 10:6): "And let your brethren, the entire house of Israel, mourn the burning that the L–rd has burned … (Vayikra 10:7): and they did according to the word of Moses": They vindicated G d's judgment upon them and they were silent.

29) (Vayikra 8:27) ("and he waved them as a wave offering before the L–rd."): We are hereby taught (the procedure for) the waving of the offerings. (Vayikra 8:28): "And Moses took them from their hands": We are hereby taught how he takes the meal-offering from the hands of the sotah and waves it.

29) (Vayikra 9:22): "And Aaron lifted his hands to the people and he blessed them (the priestly blessing), and he came down from offering the sin-offering and the burnt-offering and the peace-offerings." The verse is (to be understood as) inverted, (i.e., First "he came down, etc." and then "Aaron lifted his hands, etc."). In going down, he lifted his hands and blessed the people. "and he blessed them": while standing. You say "while standing," but perhaps (it could be done) standing or not standing! It is, therefore, written (Devarim 10:8): "to stand before the L–rd to serve Him and to bless in His name." Blessing is being likened to serving. Just as serving is "standing," so is blessing. And thus is it written (II Divrei Hayamim 30:27): "And the Cohanim and the Levites stood up, and He heard their voice, and their prayer came to His holy abode in heaven." In the generation of Chizkiyahu, king of Judah, when they occupied themselves with Torah, what is written of them? "and their prayer came to His holy abode in heaven." In other generations, when they served idolatry, what is written of them? (Isaiah 1:15): "And when you spread out your hands (in prayer), (I will hide My eyes from you, etc.")

30) (Vayikra 8:28): "They are a miluim (investiture) offering for a sweet savor": We are hereby taught that the miluim offering is called "a sweet savor." And does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If a king of flesh and blood who acquires a lover makes a festival for him, the King of kings, the Holy One Blessed be He, who invests a Cohein for Himself, how much more so!