Understanding the Parsha According to the Rebbe

Understanding the Parsha according to the Rebbe

QUESTION: How did two holy people like Nadav and Avihu do an act that they became liable for death?
ANSWER: Nadav & Avihu erred in their yearning so much for G-d, that their souls shed their bodies; their yearning was not balanced with a commitment to worldly service. All Jews have times like Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, when they feel the deep connection to G-d. At these times, one must remember our main purpose is to make an effect in this world. (לקוטי שיחות כרך ג, עמ' 987 )

QUESTION: What does the language of אני ה' אלקיכם mean at the beginning of the section regarding the laws of forbidden relations (usually means faithful to provide reward and punishment when occurs after the end of a section)?
ANSWER: Rashi’s interpretations of the verse: 1) the verse is an instruction in itself for decrees above intellect; 2) to avert a tragic “disconnection” in Jewish heritage, greater stress needed in the introduction to this section. (Ultimately, we fulfill the Mitzvos as decrees of G-d even if they seemingly contradict human intellect.) (לקוטי שיחות כרך יב, עמ' 85 )