Deaths of Nodav and Avihu

Deaths of Nodav and Avihu

ויקחו בני אהרן נדב ואביהוא איש מחתתו ויתנו בהן אש וישימו עליה קטרת ויקריבו לפני ה' אש זרה אשר לא צוה אתם: (ויקרא י,א)

The Gemara Eiruvin 63a, Sanhedrin 52a, and numerous Medrashim give varied reasons for the death of Nodav and Avihu. Rabbi E.E. Dessler compiled a list of 12 reasons mentioned in the writings of our Rabbis (by no means is this exhaustive).

1. They ruled a Torah law while in the presence of their teacher Moshe.
2. They entered the Holy of Holies.
3. They offered a sacrifice, which they were not commanded to offer.
4. They brought a foreign fire, i.e. from an improper source.
5. They did not take counsel from each other, but proceeded independently.
6. They entered the Sanctuary while under the influence of wine.
7. They did the priestly servitude while not wearing all the required priestly vestments, "choseir me’il."
8. They did the priestly service without first going through the sanctification of their hands and feet from the laver.
9. They did not have children.
10. They did not have wives. They reasoned, "Our paternal uncle (Moshe) is a king, our maternal uncle is a tribal leader, our father is the Kohein Godol, we are Vice Kohanim Gedolim (seganim). Does there exist women who are worthy to become our wives?"
11. They said or thought, "When will these two elders (Moshe and Aharon) pass on, so that we may be in the position of leadership?"
12. They coarsened their hearts and satiated their eyes with a vision of the Holy One (Shmos 24,11).

The Chida writes that “these and these are the words of the Living G-d.” Therefore, most of the reasons are alluded to in the verse itself. הקריב"ם א"ש זר"ה

• They did not wear the Me’il (priestly garment) המעיל לא לבשו
• The entered the Holy of Holies קודש הקודשים נכנסו לפני ולפנים
• They saw Holiness at Har Sinai and eat ראו אלוקים ואכלו
• They chose to live without wives יחידים היו בלא נשים
• Punished for the sin of their father from the Calf בעוון עגל שעשה אביהם
• “When will these two elders die so that we may inherit their positions” מתי ימותו זקנים הללו ואנו יורשים מקומם
• They brought a foreign fire אש זרה הקריבו
• They entered the Sanctuary under the influence of wine שתויי יין נכנסו
• They did not have children זרע לא היה להם
• They did not wash their hands and legs as required רחיצה לא רחצו
• They taught a halacha in front of Moshe, their Rebbe הוראה הורו בפני משה