One of the deepest and enigmatic stories in the entire Torah is that of the death of Nadav and Avihu in this week's portion. There are many different levels on which this story can be treated, fueled by many differing statements by the Sages and later commentaries as to what their sin or mistake exactly was and the meaning of their death. The actual incident is treated in just three sentences:
"The sons of Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, each took his fire pan, they put fire in them and placed incense upon it, and they brought it before God, a strange fire that He had not commanded them. A fire came forth from before God and consumed them and they died before God. Moses said to Aaron: Of this did God speak, saying: 'I will be sanctified before those who are nearest Me, this I will be honored before the entire people;' and Aaron was silent" (Leviticus 10:1-3).
Despite the fact that it is clear that something wrong was done here (and the Sages have many different explanations of what exactly they did wrong) it is hard to ignore that although the laws of Yom Kippur had yet to be given Nadav and Avihu did what the high Priest at the climatic point of Yom Kippur would eventually be commanded to do, that is, bring incense on a fire pan into the Holy of Holies!
We can learn from this that although something obviously was amiss in their actions there also must have been something deeply meaningful for it to be repeated on the very holiest day of the year. This is alluded to in the words of Moses: "I will be sanctified by those nearest to me." It is further strengthened by the comments of Rashi that Moses comforted his brother Aaron by telling him that he knew through prophesy that through someone God's glory would be sanctified on the day the Tabernacle was dedicated and Moses thought it would be Aaron or him. Now he understood that Nadav and Avihu are greater than both of them.
To understand this deeper we must look at the connection of Yom Kippur to Nadav and Avihu. Yom HaKippurim, in a play on words, is referred to as "a day like Purim," alluding to the idea that there is something about Purim even higher than Yom Kippur. This at first strikes us as strange. How can the holiest day of the year be compared to a seemingly "light" holiday like Purim. The answer will help us understand the meaning of the deed of Nadav and Avihu.
Although Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year it in fact does not serve as an example of the ideal state of man. On Yom Kippur we refrain from eating, drinking, sexual relations, and the comforts of leather shoes and anointing with oils. We dress in white like angels and pray nearly the entire day. For many, certain moments on Yom Kippur lift us to heights of consciousness unattainable the rest of the year. Where would be without this yearly experience?
Yet, despite this, the main emphasis of the Torah is how to be a human being living in this world. In general, the Torah and the Sages spurned all forms of asceticism and encouraged a well rounded life incorporating all the various drives and desires of a human being. And this is what Purim represents - the ability to be holy even within the mundane and how to unite physical and spiritual in a unified holistic manner. For this reason the Sages taught that after Mashiach comes all the holidays will be come nullified except Purim. Purim represents the ideal state of unifying the holy and profane.
What Nadav and Avihu did by approaching God cannot stand as the norm in the service of God, yet at the same time where would we be without the passion and pure love of God that they exemplified? Their action bordered on self-sacrifice and their intent was on a level beyond our comprehension. Therefore, although their action paved the way for the deep connection we feel to God on Yom Kippur and their passionate service of God is inspiring, it remains the exception rather than the rule. We need the energy of Nadav and Avihu, but by their doing that which was not commanded of them, they overstepped the bounds of behavior that could be held up as the norm. This answers much of the ambivalence and mystery surrounding their actions.
