Aharon and Nadav and Avihu: A Case Study in Parental Responsibility

Many reasons are given for the tragic death of Nadav and Avihu, spanning the Talmud, the Medrash, and the early commentators. 

They range from them not having been married and having been inebriated to having chosen the wrong fire for the incense offering, and having had the umbrage to rule on a legal matter in the presence of Moshe Rabbeinu. 

There is one point, oft-overlooked, though, that only struck me now - and that is, that Hashem places no blame on Aharon for the misdeeds of his son. I think that that's a salient, and even poignant message, and all the more so in the modern era. 

The sons of even the greatest scholars have gone astray and left the path of Judaism. My father likes to quote the saying, "a parent is only as happy as his unhappiest child." With that said, though, despite the human tragedy implicit in the demise of one's sons, physically or spiritually, vis a vis Aharon, it would seem, that the untimely death of Nadav and Avihu only brought him closer to Hashem. Moshe told Aharon, "It is through those close to me, that my name becomes sanctified," and Rashi relates that because of Aharon's acceptance of the divine decree, a whole chapter or parasha in the Torah, the 4 verses relating to sobriety during temple service, were related only to him and to him alone. 

In a certain respect Aharon's deeds encapsulate what is referred to as the 6 constant commands or mitzvot, regarding which the Mishna Brura cites the Sefer Ha'chinuch, who shares that our love for our Creator must surpass even that we felt for our sons. It's a statement that can put chills down our spines, and few, if any, besides Aharon were on that level, but that notwithstanding, in my humble opinion what the Torah is teaching us as well is that though naches is a good thing, no parent can be made the scapegoat for his or her children's actions, and that our children are ours to guide and direct, but as the Talmud teaches, the destiny of our children is more a matter of mazal than anything else (Moed Katan, 28.).

Shabbat shalom,

Yoav

 

Comments

  1. kaballah99April 8, 2021 at 12:04 PM

    B"H

    what a surprise!! i have contrary thoughts to what chazal states about nadav and avihu.

    if nadav and avihu were so holy, why would they have brought aish zarah (an alien fire) before Hashem? what were they thinking? the reasons you listed above to me are nothing but excuses for what they did.

    and a few pasukim later the Torah speaks of Aaron's "remaining sons." Rashi, Ramban, and Or HaChaim HaKodesh all bring down that the phrase "remaining sons" means the elezar and itamar were on a lower level than nadav and avihu.

    i don't see this at all. elezar and itamar served KBH for years and years faithfully performing their duties. elezar as the cohen gadol and itamar as the deputy cohen gadol. who was in charge of packing up everything when the jewish people moved from place to place over the 40 years spent in the midbar? is there anything in the Torah, the Midrash, or from the early or the later commentators that says they did not perform their duties in a true, faithful, and holy way? not that i have seen. elezar and itamar served KBH according to what they were supposed to do.

    and nadav and avihu? what did they do? how did they comply with KBH's commandments? all they was to bring an incense offer that was beyond what they were commanded to do. and they were fried for what they did.

    the greatest lesson we can learn from what nadav and abihu did is to just do what KBH commands us to do. no more and no less.

    i fully agree that no parent is responsible for the actions of their children. there are plenty of examples of jewish children raised in a proper way, who have left the derek. and there are plenty of examples of jewish children raised in less than a proper way who have returned to the derek.

    good Shabbos! good Shabbos!! good Shabbos!!!


    raphael

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yoav Gedalia BarthApril 15, 2021 at 8:24 PM

    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete

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