The Tzaddik Was Held Accountable for Not Protecting His Generation
(א טז) “וימתו ‘ה לפני בקרבתם אהרן בני שני מות אחרי משה אל ‘ה וידבר”
Chazal say (Vayikra Rabbah 10 5) that initially, all four of Aharon’s sons were supposed to die because of Aharon’s role in the cheit ha’eigel. But Moshe davened for them, and his tefillah was effective in saving half of them, Elazar and Isamar.
Harav Chaim Vital explains that HaKadosh Baruch Hu was angry at Moshe for not davening again that the decree be nullified from Nadav and Avihu as well, even though he saw that his tefillah had been partially accepted. Therefore, the passuk uses the term “Vayedaber” regarding their passing, which is a harsher language (Makkos 11a).
As proof of the fact that the tzaddik bears responsibility for those in his generation, and he is then held accountable for not protecting them with his tefillah, Harav Chaim Vital cites the Gemara (ibid) that when a person was killed near the home of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, Eliyahu Hanavi did not speak with him for three days.
