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Nadav and Avihu’s deaths occurred in the midst of the Tabernacle’s within marriage, this in no way detracts from Judaism’s fundamental
consecration, so Aaron thought that perhaps he should not eat all the imperative to engage life on its own physical terms.
sacrifices he had been commanded to. Indeed, perhaps, as mourners, Indeed, as mentioned briefly above, one of Nadav and Avihu’s
he and his remaining sons were forbidden to do so. This possibility fundamental errors was their philosophy concerning marriage. While
notwithstanding, Moses had received no such instructions from Judaism recognizes that sometimes people remain single because
God so he rebukes Aaron and his sons. However, he humbly accepts they have yet to find their soul mates, a philosophy of life that rejects
Aaron’s argument when he provides it. marriage is fundamentally antagonistic to Judaism. Nadav and
There is an exceedingly subtle but beautiful lesson about when to Avihu chose just such a path because they felt that their involvement
speak and when to remain silent that can be learned from the way in such mundane pursuits would compromise their commitment to
Aaron forcefully but respectfully spoke to Moses and how “Moses Torah and a life of holiness. The Torah not surprisingly alludes to
heard and he approved.” The lesson is especially powerful since this this prerequisite of marriage just two verses after mentioning Nadav
dialogue reverses the roles Moses and Aaron just played immediately and Avihu’s deaths.
after Nadav and Avihu’s deaths, when Moses spoke authoritatively Rashi notes that the phrase “bezot” has the numerical value of
and Aaron acquiesced silently: “Moses said to Aaron: ‘Of this did God 410, the number of years the First Temple stood in Jerusalem. The
speak, saying: “I will be sanctified through those who are nearest number 410 is also the numerical value of the Hebrew word for “holy”
Me, thus I will be honored before the entire people”’; and Aaron was (kadosh). This multiple remez alludes to a web of holiness stretching
silent” (Leviticus10:3). This rapid role reversal evokes Solomon’s from the Temple to the bonds of marriage and, in a broader sense, to
famous words in Ecclesiastes (3:1):“To everything there is a season the very make up of the world; for by engaging the physical world
and a time to every purpose under heaven.” One of the fourteen pairs on its own terms and elevating the sparks of holiness trapped in the
of “times” listed in the following verses is “a time to keep silent and shattered vessels, we redeem creation.
a time to speak.” Only a truly wise person knows when to speak and
when to remain silent.
The two incidents just referred to also illustrate the tremendous
respect Moses and Aaron had for each other. Each brother could
speak freely and even forcefully to the other when need be, yet at the £The Holy of Holies and the Sukkah£The Holy of Holies and the SukkahThe Holy of Holies and the Sukkah
£
same time each brother knew how to humbly accept the truth from
the other, when he was right.
One of Yom Kippur’s climactic moments occurs when the High
Priest enters the Holy of Holies with incense and a fire pan. While
in the Holy of Holies, the High Priest created a cloud of smoke that
filled the enclosed space. While obviously the smoke eventually
dissipated, Chassidut delving ever deeper asks what really happened
to this cloud of smoke? Taking this phenomenon to theoretical and
allegorical levels, Chassidut asks what happens to the passion of
the soul aroused to its very heights after Yom Kippur ends? Some
answer that the cloud of smoke, representing the soul’s passion,
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