Rabbi Hoffman took a precipitous turn for the worse over Yom Tov, is now unresponsive, and the doctors are battling the pneumonia and septic shock that now threaten his life.
He is now in room 755,
Montefiore Einstein Hospital, Jack D. Weiler Division, Bronx, NY

Please daven for
משה יהושע בן יונינה
בתוך שאר חולי ישראל

Not in Your Hands

by Rabbi Moses Joshua Hoffman

In this week's sidra, Nadav and Avihu, in the course of the celebration of the inauguration of the Mishkan, bring a strange fire that they were not commanded, and a fire comes from before G-d and kills them.

It seems strange that they should have merited this penalty.

We know from many sources that they were holy men, and that certainly they intended to get closer to G-d. Perhaps if we look at the sin on a deeper level, however, the punishment will make more sense.

There is a machlokes (difference of opinion) between Rashi and Ramban as to whether the Mishkan was commanded before or after the sin of the eigel (golden calf). For Rashi, it was commanded after, because prior to that sin there was no need for the kapparos (atonements) offered by the Mishkan and its karbanos (sacrifices). For Ramban, however, the Mishkan had an additional purpose, namely to serve as a center for the shechina (Divine presence) revealed at Har Sinai to dwell among the people.

The Shem MiShmuel says, that even for Ramban, once the Mishkan was commanded by G-d, it served as a kapparah as well.

What was the sin of the eigel?

Rav Yehudah HaLevi, in his Kuzari, says that the people wanted a physical object to look at, to make it easier to connect to G-d. The problem with this is that they decided it in contradiction to the Divine command not to make graven images.

According to Rav Yehudah HaLevi, Yahadus (Judaism) comes from above down to us on earth below. They were in essence, then, contradicting a basic fundamental of our faith. Observing all the fine details of the Mishkan and karbanos would serve as a kapparah. Nadav and Avihu bringing their strange fire that had not been commanded, on the other hand, were repeating the same mistake as the eigel, which therefore led to grave consequences.

Note from Eliyahu L., who continues to extend himself greatly to help Rabbi Hoffman:

Rabbi Hoffman is not conscious at this time. He is battling a serious infection, and remains on a ventilator. He wrote this week's Netvort last week while he was on it, with tremendous determination and perseverance. We pray for his Refuah Shelaima and that he should be able to continue to be marbitz Torah. (Please have in mind in prayer) Moshe Yehoshua ben Yonina (among the ill of the nation in general).