Divrei Torah Shmini
Torah Table of Contents
What Goes Down, Must Come Back Up, Divrei Yisrael
The Sin of "Strange Fire", Divrei Yisrael, Parshas Shmini.
A Dvar Torah from Reb Motti Rosen z"l, Parshas Shmini.
Vayehi B'yom Hashmini... - And it was on the Eighth Day...(Vayikra 9:1)
The Divrei Yisroel quotes Rashi that this refers to the 8 Days of Dedication of the Mishkan, which culminated on the 1st of Nisan. But the Divrei Yisroel is puzzled by what Rashi then adds - "The Mishkan was erected that very day. Because each day during the entire week of Dedication, Moshe assembled and disassembled the Mishkan". What is Rashi trying to add by this point? What lesson does the assembly and disassembly teach us?
The Divrei Yisroel explains that this pasuk indeed hints at a central lesson for all of us. Moshe Rabbeinu assembled
and disassembled the Mishkan because, as stated in Mishlei/Proverbs: "Sheva Yipol Tzaddik, V'kam
- A Tzaddik may fall [even] 7 times, but he [always] rises back up. That if a G-dfearing Jew finds himself
"down and out" financially, things just don't seem to work, he shouldn't fear, because certainly Hashem will "pick
him up" shortly, and he will rise again, refreshed, just as the Tzaddik does.
Translated by Reb Eliezer Weger of Rechovot, a Modzitzer Chasid
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based on a Ma'amar from the Divrei Yisrael, Parshas Shmini
..and they (Nadav and Avihu) brought a strange fire before Hashem, for which he did not command them. A fire came forth from before Hashem...(Vayikra, 10:1-2)
What can we learn from this incident to help us in our Avodas Hashem, our Divine service? The Divrei Yisrael gives us an insight, and refers us to two verses in Parshas Mishpatim. "When a fire goes out, and reaches thorns..."(Shemos, 22:5) can teach us that we should strive for a state where "my heart is warm inside of me" (Tehillim). When the enthusiasm is only on the outside, the result will not be fruitful; on the contrary, it will only "reach the thorns". The lesson from the second verse is based on a "play on words" in Hebrew. " M'leiascha v'dimacha lo s'acher" (literally: Do not delay your offerings of newly ripened (full) produce and tithes. Shemos, 22:28). However, it can mean, M'leiascha, that which you are full (malei) of, your Torah learning, and dimacha, your tears, which you pour out to Hashem (in prayer), don't show to others (acher).
In his glosses on the Divrei Yisrael, (his son) Rav Shaul Yedidya Elazar of Modzitz explains the above with two short anecdotes about the Avi HaShosheles, Rebbe Yechezkel of Kuzmir. One year on the first night of Pesach, many Kuzmirer Chassidim gathered at the Rebbe's home, in anticipation of joining the Rebbe in his private quarters for the Seder. However, the Rebbe refused them entry, and the door to the room remained closed. Undaunted, they remained outside the room, with the hope of possibly hearing something through the wall. Upon finishing the Seder, the Rebbe came out and greeted the Chassidim with the following: "Did you ever see anyone come into a kitchen and look at a covered pot - he can't really know what is cooking there! The only way he can tell is if the pot boils over. But what can he do then? Whatever overflows is immediately consumed by the fire! However, if one has a keen sense of smell, even if the pot doesn't overflow, he can sense what is cooking in the pot..."
Another time, Rebbe Yechezkel did not allow his Chassidim to join him for the kindling of the Chanuka candles. He later told them that our Sages teach us that one should not look at women when they are standing (by the river) to wash the laundry. "Women" are a remez (hint) to neshama (soul, nashim and haNeshama are equal in gematria). This can mean that one should not gaze when the souls of the Jewish people are "washing" their eyes (crying) before their Father in Heaven.
Now the Divrei Yisrael continues to explain our verse: "they brought a strange fire" can mean that they tried to show their fiery enthusiasm to strangers, which is really a form of bragging and excessive pride. This indeed was said earlier about Nadav and Avihu, when they gazed at the Divine (Shemos, 24:11) - Rashi explains that it was with a "haughty heart". Therefore, this was something not bidden by Hashem.
The point is further emphasized by the verse in an earlier parsha (Tzav), wherein it says, "The fire on the altar shall burn within" (Vayikra, 6:6). This again hints to the holy enthusiasm that should be kept to oneself and not shown to others. Such enthusiasm will not be extinguished.
Finally, the Divrei Yisrael tells us that their punishment was a fitting one: "And a fire came forth from before Hashem," not one that was before strangers. How careful we must be that even when we are inspired to enthusiasm, we shouldn't spoil it by falling into haughtiness.
Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid
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What does Hashem Elokecha ask from you, but to fear Hashem Elokecha and to walk in His ways? (Dvorim, 10:13)
A Dvar Torah from Reb Motti Rosen z"l, grandson of Harav Shaul the Second Rebbe
"Darash Darash Moshe" (10:16). Aharon HaCohen had four sons Nadav, Avihu, Elazar, and Eesamar. The first two were killed after bringing a strange fire into the Bais Hamikdash. Soon after their deaths, we have Moshe instructing Elazar and Eesamar regarding certain Karbanos during their time of mourning.
The Pasuk tells us that in regards to the "Sieer Hachatas," the offering of the goat, Moshe became angry with the remaining sons of Aharon. There are a number of questions that can be asked about this Inyan.
First, why did Moshe get angry? Second, why does the Pasuk refer to them as the "remaining sons of Aharon," instead of by name? Third, the Chumash tells us that Aharon answered Moshe, why didn't his sons answer for themselves.
On the words "Darash, Darash," the Divrei Yisrael explains that Moshe darshaned that the gematria of the word "Sieer," goat, was the same as "suraf," burn. The Maharal explains that if two things are gematria each other that is their metziyos. For example, we say "Nichnas Yayin, Tezeh Sod," which means when a person drinks wine he lets out secrets. We know this is true because the words Yaayin and Sod have the same gematria. So, Moshe darshaned first that the goat should be burned and then darshaned that Elazar and Eesamar had already burned it.
Why did Moshe get angry? Because they had paskaned a Halacha before their Rav, (Moshe). This was the reason that Nadav and Avihu had been killed. Moshe was afraid the same thing would happen here. This is also why they are referred to as the remaining sons - to remind us about the other two who had died doing the same thing.
However, Aharon answered Moshe that it was not his sons who paskaned the Halacha - it was him. And as Kohen Gadol, that was his right.
Therefore, the Chumash ends the whole Inyan with the words, "VaYishmah Moshe Vayitav B'Enav," Moshe heard and
it was good in his eyes.
Submitted by Chumi Friedman, daughter of Reb Motti Rosen z"l
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