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Orchard of Delights

The notion that Nadav and Avihu’s sin was drinking wine before
making the offering has stronger textual support (that is to say, it Vayikra א ָר ְקִּיַו
is closer to peshat) than any other interpretation mentioned above,
as immediately after the incident the Torah warns Aaron and his
sons not to drink wine before performing the Tabernacle service. In
an intriguing mixture of peshat and sod, Rabbi Ari Kahn artfully
explains how Nadav and Avihu’s inebriation was deliberate; they £The Small Alef in VayikraThe Small Alef in VayikraThe Small Alef in Vayikra
££
were attempting to mend what Adam had rent asunder by eating
from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, for according to one
rabbinic tradition, the Tree of Knowledge was a grape vine (Genesis In Hebrew, the book of Leviticus is called Vayikra, which means “and
Rabbah 15:7). Furthermore, Rabbi Kahn argues that by approaching He called.” The book of Leviticus begins with the word “vayikra,”
God in the Tabernacle, Nadav and Avihu attempted to fix Adam as God calls to Moses from the Tabernacle inviting him to initiate
and Eve’s mistake of hiding from God after they ate from the Tree of the Tabernacle service, the model or template for all future Divine
Knowledge of Good and Evil. (See Rabbi Ari Kahn’s Explorations, service. God’s call to Moses on Rosh Chodesh Nisan (the first day of
Parashat Shemini for further elaboration.)
Nisan) is related to the Sage’s statement, “Who is the wise one? One
It is interesting to note that Noah also attempted to rectify Adam who sees that which is born” (Tamid 32a). In context, the answer
and Eve’s sin of eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and refers to one who comprehends the birth of the new moon, but in a
Evil by planting a vineyard after the flood waters had subsided. broader sense, it refers to one who discerns what consequences an
Since Adam and Eve had been banished from Eden as a result of initial act may lead to.
the corrupting influence of wine, Noah hoped to rectify their sin The Midrash calls Rosh Chodesh Nisan “the day of the ten
and begin rebuilding the world anew on the right foot by planting a crowns,” a phrase alluding to the ten rituals that were performed for
vineyard. However, not only did he fail to rectify Adam and Eve’s the first time on this day, for it was on this day that Moses erected
sin, his subsequent intoxication led to a further rip in the fabric of the Tabernacle in the desert and the cohanim began performing
existence (“Noah’s Tragic Flaws”).
the Tabernacle service on Israel’s behalf (Bereishit Rabbah 3:12).
On an even deeper level, Nadav and Avihu’s offering can be Parenthetically, this service was also performed in the Temple and
understood in the context of their father’s recent actions. Aaron had even became the basis for synagogue prayer after both Temples
been reluctant to stand up to the people during the sin of the Golden were destroyed. (For further elaboration, see “The Tabernacle, the
Calf. (Although some commentators have praised Aaron’s reluctance, Temple, and the Synagogue.”)
claiming that by participating – after trying to stall until Moses’ return Rosh Chodesh Nisan is also significant for several other reasons. The
– he prevented the children of Israel from committing the additional first mitzvah the Jewish people received as a nation was to establish
heinous sin of killing him, we will take a different approach here.) Nisan as the year’s first month and to set up the Jewish calendar
In order to understand Aaron’s actions better it is useful to realize according to the secrets that God taught Moses. This first mitzvah
that the Arizal taught that Aaron was a reincarnation of Haran, is publicly recited once a year before Rosh Chodesh Nisan as part of
Abraham’s brother (this is alluded to by the following remez: the last Parashat Hachodesh one of the four special portions read between the
three Hebrew letters of Aaron’s name form Haran’s Hebrew name). new moon of Adar, the last month of the year, and Pesach, which
Abraham’s revolutionary monotheistic teachings and his attacks on occurs in the first month of the year, in Nisan. We learned above

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