Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 9

24Fire went forth from before God, and consumed the ascent-offering and the fats upon the Altar. All the people saw this, sang praises, and fell upon their faces, prostrating themselves.   כדוַתֵּ֤צֵא אֵשׁ֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וַתֹּ֨אכַל֙ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ אֶת־הָֽעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶת־הַֽחֲלָבִ֑ים וַיַּ֤רְא כָּל־הָעָם֙ וַיָּרֹ֔נּוּ וַיִּפְּל֖וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם:
וַיָּרֹנּוּ - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: “and they praised.   וַיָּרֹנּוּ.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 10

1Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, each took a fire pan, put coals that were on fire in it, placed incense upon the fire, and thus brought before God a fire that was foreign, inasmuch as He had not commanded them to offer it up.   אוַיִּקְח֣וּ בְנֵי־אַֽ֠הֲרֹ֠ן נָדָ֨ב וַֽאֲבִיה֜וּא אִ֣ישׁ מַחְתָּת֗וֹ וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ בָהֵן֙ אֵ֔שׁ וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ עָלֶ֖יהָ קְטֹ֑רֶת וַיַּקְרִ֜יבוּ לִפְנֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ אֵ֣שׁ זָרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹ֦א צִוָּ֖ה אֹתָֽם:
2Fire went forth from before God and consumed them, and they died before God.   בוַתֵּ֥צֵא אֵ֛שׁ מִלִּפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה וַתֹּ֣אכַל אוֹתָ֑ם וַיָּמֻ֖תוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ - Fire went forth. Rabbi Eliezer says: The sons of Aaron died only because they decided a matter of halachah – to offer up the incense – in the presence of their teacher, Moses. Rabbi Yishmael says: They died because they entered the Sanctuary after drinking wine. You may know that this is so, for after their death, God warned those remaining not to enter the Sanctuary after drinking wine. About this there is a parable of a king who had a household member, as stated in Vayikra Rabbah. 1   וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ.  רַ' אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר לֹא מֵתוּ בְנֵי אַהֲרֹן אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהוֹרוּ הֲלָכָה בִּפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה רַבָּן, רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן נִכְנְסוּ לַמִּקְדָּשׁ, תֵּדַע, שֶׁאַחַר מִיתָתָן הִזְהִיר הַנּוֹתָרִים שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנְסוּ שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן לַמִּקְדָּשׁ, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בֶן בַּיִת וְכוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא בְּוַיִּקְרָא רַבָּה:
3Moses said to Aaron, “This is what God spoke about when He said, ‘I will be sanctified through those nearest to Me, and in this way I will be honored before all the people.’” Aaron was silent.   גוַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֜ה אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֗ן ה֩וּא אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה | לֵאמֹר֙ בִּקְרֹבַ֣י אֶקָּדֵ֔שׁ וְעַל־פְּנֵ֥י כָל־הָעָ֖ם אֶכָּבֵ֑ד וַיִּדֹּ֖ם אַֽהֲרֹֽן:
הוּא אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר וגו' - This is what [God] spoke about… Where had He spoken about this? “There I will convene with the Israelites, and it will be sanctified through My glory (בִּכְבֹדִי).” 2 Do not read בִּכְבֹדִי but בִּמְכֻבָּדַי “through My honored ones.” Moses said to Aaron: “Aaron, my brother. I was aware that this House would be sanctified by the death of those intimate with the Omnipresent, but I assumed it would be either through me or through you. I see now they are even greater than me and you.”   הוּא אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר וגו'.  הֵיכָן דִּבֵּר? וְנֹעַדְתִּי שָׁמָּה לִבְנֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל וְנִקְדַּשׁ בִּכְבֹדִי (שמות כ"ט), אַל תִּקְרֵי בִּכְבֹדִי אֶלָּא בִּמְכֻבָּדַי; אָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה לְאַהֲרֹן, אַהֲרֹן אָחִי, יוֹדֵעַ הָיִיתִי שֶׁיִּתְקַדֵּשׁ הַבַּיִת בִּמְיֻדָּעָיו שֶׁל מָקוֹם, וְהָיִיתִי סָבוּר אוֹ בִי אוֹ בְךָ, עַכְשָׁיו רוֹאֶה אֲנִי שֶׁהֵם גְּדוֹלִים מִמֶּנִּי וּמִמְּךָ (ספרא):
וַיִּדֹּם אַֽהֲרֹן - Aaron was silent. He received reward for his silence. What reward did he receive? That he received a direct communication from God, for only to him was addressed the passage dealing with intoxication by wine.   וַיִּדֹּם אַֽהֲרֹן.  קִבֵּל שָׂכָר עַל שְׁתִיקָתוֹ, וּמַה שָּׂכָר קִבֵּל? שֶׁנִּתְיַחֵד עִמּוֹ הַדִּבּוּר — שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרָה לוֹ לְבַדּוֹ פָּרָשַׁת שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן (ויקרא רבה י"ב):
בִּקְרֹבַי - Through those nearest to Me - i.e., through My chosen ones.   בִּקְרֹבַי.  בִּבְחִירַי:
וְעַל־פְּנֵי כָל־הָעָם אֶכָּבֵד - And I will be honored before all the people. When the Holy One, blessed be He, executes judgment upon the righteous, He becomes feared, exalted, and praised: If such punishment is meted out to these people, all the more so for the wicked! Similarly, it says: נוֹרָא אֱלֹהִים מִמִּקְדָּשֶׁיךָ “You are feared, God, (lit.) from Your Sanctuary” 3 – do not read מִמִּקְדָּשֶׁיךָ, but מִמְּקֻדָּשֶׁיךָ “through Your holy ones.”   וְעַל־פְּנֵי כָל־הָעָם אֶכָּבֵד.  כְּשֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה דִין בַּצַּדִּיקִים מִתְיָרֵא וּמִתְעַלֶּה וּמִתְקַלֵּס, אִם כֵּן בְּאֵלּוּ, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן בָּרְשָׁעִים; וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר נוֹרָא אֱלֹהִים מִמִּקְדָּשֶׁיךָ (תהלים ס"ח), אַל תִּקְרֵי מִמִּקְדָּשֶׁיךָ אֶלָּא מִמְּקֻדָּשֶׁיךָ:
4Moses summoned Misha’el and Eltzafan, the sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzi’el, and said to them, “Draw near; carry your dead relatives from before the Sanctuary outside of the camp.”   דוַיִּקְרָ֣א משֶׁ֗ה אֶל־מִֽישָׁאֵל֙ וְאֶ֣ל אֶלְצָפָ֔ן בְּנֵ֥י עֻזִּיאֵ֖ל דֹּ֣ד אַֽהֲרֹ֑ן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם קִ֠רְב֞וּ שְׂא֤וּ אֶת־אֲחֵיכֶם֙ מֵאֵ֣ת פְּנֵֽי־הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ אֶל־מִח֖וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:
דֹּד אַֽהֲרֹן - Aaron’s uncle. Uzi’el was the brother of Amram, as it says: “The sons of Kehat….” 4   דֹּד אַֽהֲרֹן.  עֻזִּיאֵל אֲחִי עַמְרָם הָיָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וּבְנֵי קְהָת וְגוֹ' (שמות ו'):
שְׂאוּ אֶת־אֲחֵיכֶם וגו' - Carry your relatives…. like a person says to his fellow: “Remove the deceased from before the bride,” so as not to mitigate the Israelites’ joy over the dedication of the Tabernacle.   שְׂאוּ אֶת־אֲחֵיכֶם וגו'.  כְּאָדָם הָאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ, הַעֲבֵר אֶת הַמֵּת מִלִּפְנֵי הַכַּלָּה שֶׁלֹּא לְעַרְבֵּב אֶת הַשִּׂמְחָה:
5So they approached and carried them in their tunics outside the camp, as Moses had spoken.   הוַיִּקְרְב֗וּ וַיִּשָּׂאֻם֙ בְּכֻתֳּנֹתָ֔ם אֶל־מִח֖וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֑ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר משֶֽׁה:
בְּכֻתֳּנֹתָם - In their tunics - i.e., of the dead. This teaches us that their garments were not burned, only their souls – i.e., the form of two threads of fire entered their nostrils and consumed them from inside.   בְּכֻתֳּנֹתָם.  שֶׁל מֵתִים; מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא נִשְׂרְפוּ בִגְדֵיהֶם אֶלָּא נִשְׁמָתָם, כְּמִין שְׁנֵי חוּטִין שֶׁל אֵשׁ נִכְנְסוּ לְתוֹךְ חָטְמֵיהֶם (ספרא):
6Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Itamar, “Do not let your head’s hair grow and do not rend your garments, so that you not die, and lest He be angry with the entire community. Rather, let your brothers, the entire house of Israel, bewail the victims of the conflagration that God has set ablaze.   ווַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֣ה אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֡ן וּלְאֶלְעָזָר֩ וּלְאִֽיתָמָ֨ר | בָּנָ֜יו רָֽאשֵׁיכֶ֥ם אַל־תִּפְרָ֣עוּ | וּבִגְדֵיכֶ֤ם לֹֽא־תִפְרֹ֨מוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א תָמֻ֔תוּ וְעַ֥ל כָּל־הָֽעֵדָ֖ה יִקְצֹ֑ף וַֽאֲחֵיכֶם֙ כָּל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יִבְכּוּ֙ אֶת־הַשְּׂרֵפָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר שָׂרַ֥ף יְהֹוָֽה:
אֶל־תִּפְרָעוּ - means: do not let your hair grow. From here we deduce that a mourner is ordinarily forbidden to have his hair cut – but as for you, do not disturb the joy of the Omnipresent by observing mourning practices.   אַל־תִּפְרָעוּ.  אַל תְּגַדְּלוּ שֵׂעָר, מִכָּאן שֶׁאָבֵל אָסוּר בְּתִסְפֹּרֶת, אֲבָל אַתֶּם אַל תְּעַרְבְּבוּ שִׂמְחָתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם (מועד קטן י"ד):
וְלֹא תָמֻתוּ - So that you not die. From this is implied that if you do these things, you will die.   וְלֹא תָמֻתוּ.  הָא אִם תַּעֲשׂוּ תָּמוּתוּ (ספרא):
וַֽאֲחֵיכֶם כָּל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל - Your brothers, the entire house of Israel. From this a precedent is derived that all must participate in grieving when Torah scholars are in mourning.   וַֽאֲחֵיכֶם כָּל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל.  מִכָּאן שֶׁצָּרָתָן שֶׁל תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים מֻטֶּלֶת עַל הַכֹּל לְהִתְאַבֵּל בָּהּ (מועד קטן כ"ח):
7And do not go out of the entrance to the Courtyard of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die, because God’s anointing oil has been placed upon you.” They did as Moses told them.   זוּמִפֶּ֩תַח֩ אֹ֨הֶל מוֹעֵ֜ד לֹ֤א תֵֽצְאוּ֙ פֶּן־תָּמֻ֔תוּ כִּי־שֶׁ֛מֶן מִשְׁחַ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֖וּ כִּדְבַ֥ר משֶֽׁה:
8God spoke to Aaron, saying,   חוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר:
9“Do not drink wine in such a way that will lead to intoxication, neither you nor your sons with you when you enter the Tent of Meeting, so that you not die. This is an eternal statute for your generations.   טיַ֣יִן וְשֵׁכָ֞ר אַל־תֵּ֣שְׁתְּ | אַתָּ֣ה | וּבָנֶ֣יךָ אִתָּ֗ךְ בְּבֹֽאֲכֶ֛ם אֶל־אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד וְלֹ֣א תָמֻ֑תוּ חֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֖ם לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר - i.e., wine in an intoxicating manner.   יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר.  יַיִן דֶּרֶךְ שִׁכְרוּתוֹ (ספרא):
בְּבֹֽאֲכֶם אַל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד - When you enter the Tent of Meeting. From these words, I would have understood that this applies only when they enter the Sanctuary. From where do I know that it applies also when they approach the Altar that is outside the Sanctuary? The answer is: Entering the Tent of Meeting is mentioned here, and entering the Tent of Meeting is mentioned also regarding washing the hands and feet. 5 Just as there, Scripture equates approaching the Altar to entering the Tent of Meeting, so, too, here it equates approaching the Altar to entering the Tent of Meeting.   בְּבֹֽאֲכֶם אֶל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.  אֵין לִי אֶלָּא בְּבֹאֲכֶם לַהֵיכָל, בְּגִשְׁתָּם לַמִּזְבֵּחַ מִנַּיִן? נֶאֱמַר כָּאן בִּיאַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְנֶאֱמַר בְּקִדּוּשׁ יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם בִּיאַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, מַה לְּהַלָּן עָשָׂה גִישַׁת מִזְבֵּחַ כְּבִיאַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, אַף כָּאן עָשָׂה גִישַׁת מִזְבֵּחַ כְּבִיאַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד (שם):
10Only when you are sober is it relevant for you to distinguish between which actions render the sacrifices you offer up holy and which disqualify them, rendering them profane, and between priests who are ritually defiled and those who are not ritually defiled.   יוּֽלֲהַבְדִּ֔יל בֵּ֥ין הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ וּבֵ֣ין הַחֹ֑ל וּבֵ֥ין הַטָּמֵ֖א וּבֵ֥ין הַטָּהֽוֹר:
וּֽלֲהַבְדִּיל - (lit.) And to distinguish - i.e., in order that you distinguish between holy service and profaned service. From this you learn that if a priest served while intoxicated, his service is invalid.   וּֽלֲהַבְדִּיל.  כְּדֵי שֶׁתַּבְדִּילוּ בֵּין עֲבוֹדָה קְדוֹשָׁה לִמְחֻלֶּלֶת, הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁאִם עָבַד עֲבוֹדָתוֹ פְסוּלָה (שם):
11Similarly, only a sober person is fit to instruct the Israelites regarding all the rules that God has spoken to them through Moses.”   יאוּלְהוֹרֹ֖ת אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֵ֚ת כָּל־הַ֣חֻקִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהֹוָ֛ה אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם בְּיַד־משֶֽׁה:
וּלְהוֹרֹת - (lit.) And to instruct. This teaches us that an intoxicated person is forbidden to make a halachic decision. I might think that in such a case he would be liable for the death penalty; Scripture therefore states: “neither you nor your sons with you…so that you not die” 6implying that priests who officiate while intoxicated incur the death penalty, but sages who render decisions while intoxicated do not incur the death penalty.   וּלְהוֹרֹת.  לִמֵּד שֶׁאָסוּר שִׁכּוֹר בְּהוֹרָאָה, יָכוֹל יְהֵא חַיָּב מִיתָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ אִתָּךְ, וְלֹא תָמֻתוּ, כֹּהֲנִים בַּעֲבוֹדָתָם בְּמִיתָה, וְאֵין חֲכָמִים בְּהוֹרָאָתָן בְּמִיתָה (שם):