Nadav and Avihu were very great tzaddikim, yet their act of bringing a voluntary offering not requested of them resulted in their death. Superficially it would seem that this was a minor offense that did not warrant such a severe punishment. Yet, our sages tell us (Bava Kamma 50a) that Hashem “is scrupulous with the righteous even to the extent of a hairsbreadth.”
The Alexander Rebbe, the Yismach Yisrael, cites the great tzaddik R’ Berish of Biala, that the offense of Nadav and Avihu was that they stumbled in their effort to reach an elevated level of holiness. One must always be modest in his service of Hashem, slowly ascending the ladder of spirituality, ensuring that each upward movement is executed in a timely fashion.
Although the act of Nadav and Avihu was noble, and one of self-sacrifice, it was not performed at the proper time. It is for that reason that they were punished.
The Emunas Moshe finds the words of the Yismach Yisrael difficult because seemingly the deed of Nadav and Avihu was correct and pleased Hashem; it was merely not done at the appropriate time. However, Rashi cites the opinions of R’ Eliezer and R’ Yishmael who respectively give other reasons for their severe punishment. R’ Eliezer says they rendered a halachic decision in the presence of their teacher, Moshe Rabbeinu. R’ Yishmael says they died because they entered the Bais HaMikdash after drinking wine. According to these opinions, then, the offering and their deed was, in fact, misguided and improper, and it was not merely that they had brought it at the wrong time.
The Emunas Moshe states that when a person acts in accordance with the will of Hashem, then he will be protected from spiritual and physical harm, as it says (Koheles 8:5), “Whoever keeps the commandment shall know no evil.” Hashem wanted the offering of Nadav and Avihu, however they had acted before Hashem commanded them to bring one. They, therefore, did not have the protection that accompanies the mitzvos. Because of this, Divine Providence activated the other factors that determined their ultimate fate. If they would have waited for Hashem’s commandment they would have attained an elevated level of spirituality, would have merited Divine protection and not transgressed.
The Talmud in Pesachim (8a) teaches, “Those who are involved in a mitzvah are not harmed.” This is when one does a mitzvah as commanded. It is explained, that when an individual climbs a ladder he should do so carefully, one step at a time, otherwise there is a danger of falling. Likewise, when one is attempting to achieve spiritual heights, he should ascend in small increments, assuring that he is stable in his position before he moves forward.
R’ Yitzchak Kahana related that a serious, diligent and refined Torah student, who studied in one of the acclaimed yeshivos in Eretz Yisrael, became very ill. Every day his fellow classmates visited him, and many of the shiurim were often given in his hospital room.
It was determined that the young man needed major surgery, but on that day no one happened to stop in. Staff came and took the young man from his room to the operating room and positioned him outside as he was the first one on the schedule.
When the head nurse came by, she noticed that the young man was wearing his tzitzis and she notified him that he would have to remove them before surgery. The young man, who was especially meticulous about his observance of mitzvos had taken the extreme measure of sanitizing his tzitzis and only removed the garment from its protective covering right before he had been taken down to the operating room. He carefully explained the precautions he had taken and informed the head nurse that he wanted to wear the tzitzis while in surgery.
The nurse was adamant, however, insisting that hospital regulations did not allow any additional clothing, and she very firmly instructed him that he would have to remove the tzitzis. The young man did not want to argue, and he just lay there quietly without responding.
The nurse became very frustrated and told him in no uncertain terms that as long as he continued to wear the tzitzis he would not be taken in for his surgery.
As the young man lay outside the operating room, one of the doctors passed him and asked, “Why are you still out in the hall? Haven’t you been here for quite some time?”
The young man explained his plight to the doctor. His interest piqued, the doctor then asked why he was having surgery, and the two discussed his condition.
“Let me go into the operating room and look at your charts. I will speak to the head nurse myself.”
A little while later the doctor emerged from the operating room with tears in his eyes and informed the young man that the situation had been resolved and he would be able to wear his tzitzis while in surgery. “I will explain what happened after your surgery, when you are recuperating,” he said.
The surgery was a success, and two days later the good Samaritan came to visit. “I must tell you about this incredible miracle. When I went to look at your chart, I saw that the wrong procedure had erroneously been entered. Had the surgeon gone through with that procedure your life would have been greatly endangered. Thank G-d I was able to quickly rectify that entry and avoid heartache.
“I want you to know,” said the doctor, “those tzitzis saved your life.”
The young man told the doctor, “It’s not only the tzitzis; any mitzvah can save one’s life. Not only mine, but yours and anyone else’s, as it says, ‘Whoever keeps the commandment shall know no evil.’”
