Shooting High
By Shalom C. Augenbaum
Practical Advice to Save Oneself
From Punishment From Above
By Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis
Based on a shiur given by Rav Moshe
Shternbuch, Rosh Av Beis Din of the Eidah
Hachareidis of Yerushalayim, leil Shabbos
Parshas Shemini, in Beis Knesses HaGra
in Har Nof.
CLOSE AT A DISTANCE
“…Now I see that they [Nadav and
Avihu] are greater than us” (Rashi,
Vayikrah 10:3).
Despite their greatness, in the middle
of the simcha of the inauguration of the
Rav Moshe Shternbuch
Mishkan, Nadav and Avihu were killed
immediately for their transgressions on
that very same day. How can we
understand this?
Aveiros distance us from Hashem. Yet,
when describing the transgression of
Nadav and Avihu, the Torah writes that
they were sanctified when they came close
to Hashem and died. Why does the Torah
mention coming close to Hashem together
with their transgression?
Both Nadav and Avihu were extremely
righteous. However, by offering ketores in
the inner chambers of the Mishkan, they
attempted to perform an avodah reserved
for the Kohen Gadol on Yom Hakippurim.
In doing so, they were shooting too high,
and attempting to achieve a level that was
beyond their grasp.
Although their intention was to come
even closer to Hashem, in the midst of
their fervor they erred. Nadav and Avihu
were not Kohanim Gedolim, and for them,
offering ketores in the innermost sanctuary
was a transgression. As a result, they came
too close to Hashem and were punished
with immediate death.
PRAYING WITH JOY
According to another understanding,
Nadav and Avihu performed the avodah
while they were intoxicated. Again we
must ask, this is a clear violation of a Torah
prohibition. What motivated them to do
this?
Serving Hashem with joy helps
elevate a person to the highest levels. The
Arizal said about himself that all of his
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MAKEUP PAGE parsha pages 4 1/1/32, 6:54 AM
Remembrance
How wrong I was and how much of
accomplishments came as a result of the
simcha he had in his Divine service.
Drinking wine brings a person to greater
levels of simcha. As Dovid Hamelech said,
“Wine gladdens the heart of man”
(Tehillim 104).
Nadav and Avihu wanted to reach the
highest spiritual levels and thought to
infuse their service in the Bais Hamikdosh
with more joy by drinking a small amount
of wine beforehand. The Torah obligates
one to be 100% levelheaded during the
avodah and prohibits drinking wine.
Nadav’s and Avihu’s drive for greatness
led to their downfall.
While a person should try to elevate
himself spiritually, he must do so slowly
and carefully. Whoever tries to come too
close too quickly will surely fall. Each step
must be thought out carefully, so that one’s
passion should not lead one to
transgression.
WHEN WILL THEY DIE?
The Medrash relates that Nadav and
Avihu said, “When will Moshe and
Aharon die so that we can be the leaders
of Klal Yisroel?” At surface level, we
cannot fathom how they could make such
a crass statement. Even the lowest
individual would not say such a thing,
certainly not such tzaddikim.
Moshe and Aharon reached the height
of spiritual greatness. However, as leaders
of Klal Yisroel, they had to help others
solve their everyday issues. This obligated
them to come down to the level of the
people in order to deal with their problems.
Nadav and Avihu did not desire the
death of Moshe and Aharon. They wanted
the Jewish people to elevate themselves to a
level where the leaders would not have to
lower themselves to deal with their issues.
Their statement was another expression of
the conflict between their desire for greatness
and the limitations that life places upon us.
JUST PUNISHMENT
On the eighth day of the celebration
of the Mishkan, the simcha reached its
height. The death of Nadav and Avihu
affected everyone and plunged the simcha
YATED NE’EMAN
Just a thought, an idea, a notion if
you will,
That entered my mind during
Yom Tov and which lingers still.
It occurred, you see, on
Pesach’s last day,
As I was sitting in shul and
heard the rabbi say:
“Yizkor.”
A time to reflect and recall those
people no longer here,
Parents, in-laws, siblings, and all
those we hold dear.
Exiting the shul, my mind blank as
can be,
After all, Yizkor has nothing to do
with me.
Suddenly, it struck me, as I realized
with a start,
At the Shabbos Table
with Rabbi Juravel
(Continued on Page 57)
will contract cholera. I made good on my
promise. Can you do the same?”
Upon hearing this, Rav Chalfin
removed his shoes and sat down on the
ground. The rule is that one must
debase himself when he gets a nezifah
from a gadol. Rav Chalfin didn’t fear
what Rav Yisroel would do. Rather, he
debased himself because he felt
embarrassed by what he had said to Rav
Yisroel.
Likewise, when we get a punishment
from Hashem and we change our ways,
we remove the punishment, but there still
remains the embarrassment of Hashem
giving us a “potch.”
We find this idea in Parshas
Beha’aloscha when Hashem said that
Miriam should be embarrassed of her
tzoraas as if her father had spit in her face.
Rabbeinu Yonah says that part of teshuvah
is feeling embarrassed before Hashem for
having done an aveirah. If we feel this
busha and the need to get back into
Hashem’s goodwill, perhaps our teshuvah
will be more pleasing to Hashem.
into aveilus. Aharon Hakohen took the
hardest blow, since it was the death of his
children.
While human justice is generally only
able to consider those who are receiving
punishment, Hashem’s ways are
completely righteous, and He takes into
account how everyone will be affected
before meting out judgment. Somebody
may deserve to be punished, but if his
family or those surrounding him will
suffer, the Almighty will not punish him
even though he is deserving of it. If Nadav
and Avihu sinned, why did Aharon deserve
such a harsh punishment?
In truth, Aharon also transgressed
with his involvement in the creation of the
Eigel Hazohov, but Hashem did not punish
him for this right away. When his children
transgressed and had to be killed, Hashem
carried this out, simultaneously punishing
Yizkor I am a part.
Because I too must remember to be
thankful and aware,
Of all those people I take
for granted, whom I think will
be here year after year.
So, while spending Pesach
at Bubby and Zaidy with
kinderlach was no easy feat,
It was crowded, they were kvetchy,
and they never wanted to eat.
Yizkor reminds me to appreciate that
this is something which I can still do,
Some people would give anything
to have a Bubby and Zaidy to take their
children to.
I now understand that Yizkor is not
only about remembering the past,
It is about appreciating the present -
while it still lasts.
Good Hair Date
(Continued from Page 57)
As Pesach c ame to an end this week,
I mentioned to someone that finding one’s
shidduch is a geulah very similar to geulas
Mitzrayim. Just as with the Jewish nation
in Mitzrayim, the geulah did not come a
second earlier or later, but at the exact
moment Hashem saw fit, so too with
shidduchim.
I told a single young lady celebrating
her birthday, thinking about the fact that
she was a year older, “Not a second
before, but not a second later.” This is
the way geulah comes - at the exact
moment Hashem knows is perfect for
you. It is, of course, easy to say but
immeasurably more difficult to live.
Nevertheless, we work and strive to
internalize the words and message of the
kohen’s wife. Hashem indeed recognizes
and cares for each hair; He knows each
one of our zip codes, and He can bring
us our shidduch, even from China.
•••••
Rabbi Posnick and his wife are
shadchanim who work to assist those in
the parsha. They can be reached via email
at ymppep@gmail.com.
Aharon and his children. Had Ahron not
sinned, his children would not have been
punished since he would also suffer.
Aharon’s involvement with Klal
Yisroel was a shield to protect him, and were
it not for his part in the chet haEigel, Aharon
would have not been punished. From here
we can draw a fundamental principle: The
more we help the klal, the more likely we
are to be spared from any harm. Everyone
should try and help Klal Yisroel to the best
of his ability, and in the merit of his actions
he might be spared from pain or even death.
•••••
Rabbi Travis is a rosh kollel of Kollel
Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim, and is the
author of Shaylos U’Teshuvos Toras
Chaim and “Praying With Joy - A Daily
Tefilla Companion,” a practical daily
guide to improving one’s prayers,
available from Feldheim Publishers.
30 Nissan 5769 • April 24 2009