Sons of Aaron

Aaron, brother of Moses, had four sons, Nadav, Avihu, Elazar, and Itamar. After the tragic deaths of the two older sons, the younger sons take a leading role in the early Israelite priesthood.

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Lineage of the Priesthood

TANAKH

When Aaron and his descendants are granted the role of biblical priests, Aaron has four living sons. The book of Numbers lists them in its account of the census of the Israelites and notes the fate of Aaron's two elder sons, Nadav and Avihu.

This is the line of Aaron and Moses at the time that יהוה spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. These were the names of Aaron’s sons: Nadab, the first-born, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar; those were the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests who were ordained for priesthood. But Nadab and Abihu died by the will of יהוה, when they offered alien fire before יהוה in the wilderness of Sinai; and they left no sons. So it was Eleazar and Ithamar who served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron.

Numbers 3:1-4

The Death of Nadav and Avihu

TALMUD

God takes the lives of Aaron's two oldest sons, Nadav and Avihu when they attempt to offer a sacrifice without divine instructions. The Jerusalem Talmud in tractate Yoma wonders whether they disobeyed an explicit divine command and connects their punishment with the biblical instructions for the Yom Kippur ritual.

Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon said, I could think that punishment and warning had been said before the death of the two sons of Aaron, the verse says, after the death of the two sons of Aaron. If after the death of the two sons of Aaron. I could think that both had been said after the death of the two sons of Aaron, the verse says, for in a cloud I shall appear over the cover. How is that? The warning was said before the death of the two sons of Aaron, but the punishment was said after the death of the two sons of Aaron, Rebbi Zeˋura said…

Jerusalem Talmud Yoma 1:5:8

The Mystical Significance of the Priestly Line

COMMENTARY

The priesthood — made up of Aaron's descendants — was critical to the functioning of the Israelite society of the Torah as the only Israelites who could preside over sacrificial rites. Rabbi Menachem ben Binyamin Recanati, in his 13th-century kabbalistic commentary on the Torah, argues that the importance of the priesthood is also metaphysical and offers a mystical interpretation of their role in Israelite society.

You shall bring forward your brother Aaron, with his sons, from among the Israelites, to serve Me as priests, Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, Elazar and Itamar, the sons of Aharon: You already know that there is no sacrifice sacrificed without priests, Levites and Israelites, since they correspond to the three forefathers. Priests are from Chesed (Kindness). Hence, they atone, as 'iniquity is atoned by kindness.' And it is written (Isaiah 1:18), "Be your sins like crimson, they can turn snow-white." Levites are from the power of Gevurah (<might])…

Recanati on the Torah, Tetzaveh 1

The Fatal Fire of Nadav and Avihu

TANAKH

Aaron's two eldest sons, Nadav and Avihu, are among the first Israelite priests, but they die suddenly as punishment for a transgression. The book of Leviticus describes their sin and their divine punishment.

Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took his fire pan, put fire in it, and laid incense on it; and they offered before יהוה alien fire, which had not been enjoined upon them. And fire came forth from יהוה and consumed them; thus they died at the instance of יהוה.

Leviticus 10:1-2

But Not the Daughters of Aaron

COMMENTARY

Even texts as early as the Mishnah, the first codification of Jewish law from third-century land of Israel, take up questions of whether and why women may or may not perform various rituals. Contemporary Rabbi Dr. Judith Hauptman discusses whether women-priests, daughters of Aaron, could perform rituals in the Temple on behalf of Israel.

Laying on of hands [on the head of the sacrificial animal], waving [the minhah sacrifice], bringing it close [to the altar], …, sprinkling the blood, receiving [the blood from the neck of the animal to be sacrificed]—[these acts] are to be carried out by men but not by women [נוהגים באנשים ולא בנשים], except for the minhah [offering] of the sotah and the nezirah [person who vows not to drink wine or cut (his or) her hair for a specified period of time], that the women themselves wave…

Rereading the Rabbis; A Woman's Voice, 10 Ritual 28-31

Disqualification from Priesthood

COMMENTARY

Even among Aaron's direct male descendants, not everyone is eligible for the priesthood. Rashi, in his renowned 11th-century commentary on the Torah, explains priests born of a forbidden sexual union are disqualified from serving in the Temple cult.

בני אהרן — One might think that these duties may be performed also by חללים (priests who have lost their priestly status for reasons connected with their birth or marriage)! Scripture, however, adds הכהנים, the priests (i.e. they must not only be descendants of Aaron but also “priests” — fit for priesthood, and חללים are excluded from priestly functions) (Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Nedavah, Section 4 6).

Rashi on Leviticus 1:5:4

The Tragedy of Aaron's Sons

MIDRASH

The Torah mentions the deaths of Aaron's two eldest sons, Nadav and Avihu, several times, each time noting the sin for which they died. The early medieval Midrash Tanchuma explains why this sin in particular is so greatly emphasized in the biblical text.

In four places where < Scripture > mentions the death of Aaron's sons, [it also mentions their transgression. And why all this? To inform you that they had only this sin on their hands. R. Eleazar of Modim said: Go out and see how grievous the death of Aaron's sons was for the Holy One, for in every place that < Scripture > mentions their death, it mentions their transgression. And why all this? So as not to give those who come into the world a pretext for saying: Disgraceful acts were secretly < reckoned > to their < account >, because of which they died.

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Achrei Mot 7:1

Dividing the Priestly Duties

TANAKH

The descendants of Aaron served as priests throughout biblical times, holding various public offices during the reign of King David. The biblical book of Chronicles describes how King David allocated responsibilities to the many priestly families.

The divisions of the Aaronites were:
The sons of Aaron: Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. Nadab and Abihu died in the lifetime of their father, and they had no children, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests. David, Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar divided them into offices by their tasks. The sons of Eleazar turned out to be more numerous by male heads than the sons of Ithamar, so they divided the sons of Eleazar into sixteen chiefs of clans and the sons of Ithamar into eight clans…

I Chronicles 24:1-6

Keeping Aaron's Sons Humble

CHASIDUT

The sons of Aaron, the high priest, are placed in a position of sanctity and distinguished from among the rest of Israel, breeding the potential for haughtiness. In his 18th-century Torah commentary, Bat Ayin, Rabbi Avraham Dov Baer of Ovruch emphasizes the importance of humility and submission in the priestly role.

Or it can be said with this approach, according to the approach said by the holy Rabbi of Berditchev, may his memory be a blessing for life in the world to come, about the superfluous expression of the words, “the sons of Aharon” (Kedushat Levi on the Parsha, s.v. or it is understood): For behold the Creator, blessed be He, commanded there to be additional holiness upon the priests, beyond [that of] the Children of Israel. And on account of this, they could, God forbid, come to the aspect of haughtiness…

Bat Ayin, Emor 12-14

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