Illustration Credit: Elad Lifshitz, Dov Abramson Studio
Commentary פַּרְשָׁנוּת
Aharon and his sons are finally ready to take charge of the work in the מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan, sanctuary for God in the wilderness). They offer many קָרְבָּנוֹת (korbanot, sacrifices) on the מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbei’ah, altar), for the first time ever. The story comes to an exciting, fiery climax:
וַתֵּ֤צֵא אֵשׁ֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י ה' וַתֹּ֙אכַל֙ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ אֶת־הָעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶת־הַחֲלָבִ֑ים וַיַּ֤רְא כׇּל־הָעָם֙ וַיָּרֹ֔נּוּ וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃
Fire came forth from God and consumed the sacrifice and the fat parts on the altar. All the people saw, and sang out, and bowed down.
Our פַּרְשָׁנִים (parshanim, commentators) wonder about the fire in this pasuk. When the Torah says “fire came forth,” where did it come from?
מִבֵּית קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים דֶּרֶךְ מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב לְהַקְטִיר קְטֹרֶת, שֶׁהוּא קֹדֶם לְהַקְטָרַת תָּמִיד…
וְשָׁם מָצָא בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן אֵצֶל מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב וּשְׂרָפָם, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יָצָא וּבָא לוֹ עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ.
This fire came from the holiest part of the mishkan. It traveled past the golden altar, where it burnt up the incense, which was always offered before the daily sacrifice. At the golden altar, the fire found the sons of Aharon and consumed them. Then the fire moved to the altar in the courtyard of the mishkan.
כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ אֵשׁ חֲדָשָׁה שֶׁיָּרְדָה מִשְּׁמֵי מָרוֹם וְלִחֲכָה עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֶת הָעֹלָה וְאֶת הַחֲלָבִים – פָּתְחוּ פִּיהֶם וְאָמְרוּ שִׁירָה.
When the people saw a new fire descending from the sky and lapping up the sacrifice and the fats on the altar, they opened their mouths in song.
Rashbam thinks one fire did two opposite things: one really upsetting (consuming Nadav and Avihu), and one really wonderful (consuming the sacrifices). Did you notice that the Torah uses the exact same words (”fire came forth”) in connection to both of these (9:24 and 10:2)? This is what Rashbam is noticing, and that's why he thinks it was really one fire.
- The Sifra thinks there was a special fire that came straight from heaven to consume Aharon's sacrifices. This must have been a really awesome thing to see! Can you find evidence that this is what happened?
- When you read the story, which interpretation do you find more meaningful? Which makes more sense for the parashah? Why?
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