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Orchard of Delights Shemini

that the ability to become masters of time, signified by being in tune According to some they had drunk wine and, hence, were inebriated
with and realizing the deep secrets contained in the calendar, was a at the time of the offering. According to others, their sin lay with
prerequisite to the redemption from Egypt. (See “Four Perspectives not requesting Moses’ permission to perform this offering, and their
on Time and the Mastery of Time.”) general lack of respect for their father and Moses. Others, noting
that neither one was married as should have been the case at their
Rosh Chodesh Nisan is also one of Judaism’s four New Year’s
days. Kings in the biblical era would count their reigns from this ages, attributed their bachelorhood to their innate arrogance, which
day. Furthermore, according to one rabbinic tradition the world was made them feel that no woman was good enough for them.
created on this day (this will be discussed at greater length in the From the sod, the mystical perspective, which teaches the
next section). And, finally, the cycle of the three major Pilgrimage centrality of reincarnation, Nadav and Avihu’s soul histories, both
Festivals of Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot begins in this month. before and after this incident, shed much fascinating light on their
Rosh Chodesh Nisan obviously manifests its importance in many actions. The Arizal, who devoted many of his teachings to the secrets
different ways, and therefore we must attempt to determine how all of reincarnation, taught that Nadav was from the ruach (spirit) of
the various aspects of this auspicious day are connected. the good side of Cain, and Avihu was from both the ruach and the
nefesh (the lowest level of soul) of Cain, and the nefesh of Adam (Gate
A hint to this connection may be discovered in the letter alef being
written especially small in the word “vayikra” in traditional Torah of Reincarnations, 33).
scrolls. The mystical tradition teaches that the 600,000 men between Since a simple reading of the Torah indicates that Cain slew
the ages of twenty and sixty who left Egypt represent the archetypal Abel after he became angry and jealous that God had accepted
root soul sparks of the entire Jewish nation. As the introduction to Abel’s offering instead of his (Genesis 4:3-5), Nadav and Avihu, as
this book discusses, these souls are further connected to the 600,000 reincarnations of Cain, may have been attempting to rectify Cain’s
letters of the Torah, as each Jewish soul spark has its own letter, its sin. Indeed, the traditional understanding of Genesis explains that
very own unique gate or pathway to understanding the Torah. Thus, while Cain had originally suggested bringing an offering to God,
one might suggest the following: Who is the wise one? One who sees ultimately, he brought an inferior offering and Abel brought the
the whole Torah shining through every portion, verse, word, and best he had. One could conjecture that on a deeply subconscious
even letter in the Torah. Rosh Chodesh Nisan, the day on which level, Nadav and Avihu’s desire to bring an offering on the day the
Moses was called with a small alef, possesses great significance for Tabernacle was dedicated was related to their attempt to rectify
each individual Jew in every generation, as the small alef represents Cain’s error of not bringing the best he had.
the service of God to which all Jews ultimately aspire. Furthermore, Such an interpretation also makes sense in terms of the general
the small alef, as we will see, alludes to the process of creation, its spirit of rectification that permeated the Tabernacle’s dedication. In
purpose, and the prospect of human beings relating to an Infinite the book of Numbers, in the portion of Naso, we will discuss at length
Creator within the temporal parameters of a finite world.
the intentions of the tribal princes when they brought offerings on
The Zohar (2:161b) teaches that “God looked into the Torah the day the Tabernacle was dedicated. Each offering was designed
and created the world.” The Torah’s depiction of the seven days to repair a different aspect of earlier history. As discussed previously
of creation not only recounts the unfolding of the Divine creative in Vayikra, the Tabernacle was dedicated on Rosh Chodesh Nisan, a
process, but also is the very blueprint that God employed before day pregnant with spiritual power and potential. Nadav and Avihu
speaking the world into existence. Just as scientists designate atoms, seem to have been moved by the same impulse to rectification.
particles, molecules, and elements as the building blocks of energy

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