(א) וַיִּקְח֣וּ בְנֵֽי־אַ֠הֲרֹן נָדָ֨ב וַאֲבִיה֜וּא אִ֣ישׁ מַחְתָּת֗וֹ וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ בָהֵן֙ אֵ֔שׁ וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ עָלֶ֖יהָ קְטֹ֑רֶת וַיַּקְרִ֜בוּ לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֵ֣שׁ זָרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹ֦א צִוָּ֖ה אֹתָֽם׃ (ב) וַתֵּ֥צֵא אֵ֛שׁ מִלִּפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה וַתֹּ֣אכַל אוֹתָ֑ם וַיָּמֻ֖תוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן הוּא֩ אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהוָ֤ה ׀ לֵאמֹר֙ בִּקְרֹבַ֣י אֶקָּדֵ֔שׁ וְעַל־פְּנֵ֥י כָל־הָעָ֖ם אֶכָּבֵ֑ד וַיִּדֹּ֖ם אַהֲרֹֽן׃
(1) 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 the LORD alien fire, which He had not enjoined upon them. (2) And fire came forth from the LORD and consumed them; thus they died at the instance of the LORD. (3) Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when He said: Through those near to Me I show Myself holy, And gain glory before all the people.” And Aaron was silent.
Questions:
- What details are left out of the story above?
- Why was Aaron silent?
- What details are left out of the story above?
- Why was Aaron silent?
The Torah: A Modern Commentary, Revised, p. 709
Aaron was silent. He refrained from weeping and from complaints against God. In the rabbinic phrase, he "acknowledged the justice of the decree."
Aaron was silent. He refrained from weeping and from complaints against God. In the rabbinic phrase, he "acknowledged the justice of the decree."
Ramban on Leviticus 10:3:2
VAYIDOM AHARON’ (AND AARON WAS SILENT). This means that he had cried aloud, but then he became silent. Or perhaps the meaning thereof is as in the verse, let not the apple of thine eye ‘tidom’ (cease).72Lamentations 2:18. Here then the meaning would be: “and Aaron ceased to shed tears.” According to the first interpretation, he was silent, not crying out aloud, but he still shed tears. But according to the second interpretation he was calmed completely.
VAYIDOM AHARON’ (AND AARON WAS SILENT). This means that he had cried aloud, but then he became silent. Or perhaps the meaning thereof is as in the verse, let not the apple of thine eye ‘tidom’ (cease).72Lamentations 2:18. Here then the meaning would be: “and Aaron ceased to shed tears.” According to the first interpretation, he was silent, not crying out aloud, but he still shed tears. But according to the second interpretation he was calmed completely.
Abarvanel
Aharon his heart turned to lifeless stone and he did not weep and mourn like a bereaved father nor did he accept Moses consolation, for his soul had left him and he was speechless.
Biur
In my opinion this does not denote a mere absence of weeping but also resignation and inner composure… as in “Rest in the Eternal and wait patiently for him (Ps. 37:7) Similarly Aaron overcame his grief and his soul adhered to God, who is sanctified through His holy men.
Aharon his heart turned to lifeless stone and he did not weep and mourn like a bereaved father nor did he accept Moses consolation, for his soul had left him and he was speechless.
Biur
In my opinion this does not denote a mere absence of weeping but also resignation and inner composure… as in “Rest in the Eternal and wait patiently for him (Ps. 37:7) Similarly Aaron overcame his grief and his soul adhered to God, who is sanctified through His holy men.
(ד) וַיִּקְרָ֣א מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֶל־מִֽישָׁאֵל֙ וְאֶ֣ל אֶלְצָפָ֔ן בְּנֵ֥י עֻזִּיאֵ֖ל דֹּ֣ד אַהֲרֹ֑ן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם קִ֠רְב֞וּ שְׂא֤וּ אֶת־אֲחֵיכֶם֙ מֵאֵ֣ת פְּנֵי־הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ אֶל־מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ (ה) וַֽיִּקְרְב֗וּ וַיִּשָּׂאֻם֙ בְּכֻתֳּנֹתָ֔ם אֶל־מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (ו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֡ן וּלְאֶלְעָזָר֩ וּלְאִֽיתָמָ֨ר ׀ בָּנָ֜יו רָֽאשֵׁיכֶ֥ם אַל־תִּפְרָ֣עוּ ׀ וּבִגְדֵיכֶ֤ם לֹֽא־תִפְרֹ֙מוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א תָמֻ֔תוּ וְעַ֥ל כָּל־הָעֵדָ֖ה יִקְצֹ֑ף וַאֲחֵיכֶם֙ כָּל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יִבְכּוּ֙ אֶת־הַשְּׂרֵפָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר שָׂרַ֥ף יְהוָֽה׃ (ז) וּמִפֶּתַח֩ אֹ֨הֶל מוֹעֵ֜ד לֹ֤א תֵֽצְאוּ֙ פֶּן־תָּמֻ֔תוּ כִּי־שֶׁ֛מֶן מִשְׁחַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֖וּ כִּדְבַ֥ר מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (פ)
(4) Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come forward and carry your kinsmen away from the front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.” (5) They came forward and carried them out of the camp by their tunics, as Moses had ordered. (6) And Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not bare your heads and do not rend your clothes, lest you die and anger strike the whole community. But your kinsmen, all the house of Israel, shall bewail the burning that the LORD has wrought. (7) And so do not go outside the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die, for the LORD’s anointing oil is upon you.” And they did as Moses had bidden.
Rashbam
Do not mourn, do not weep, and do not stop the service. For what I am telling you is what the lord meant when he said: “Through those near to me I show myself holy. Through the High priests who come near to me to serve me. I wish to be sanctified. I do not want them to profane my name and my service. For the holy one told me The priest who is exalted above his fellows on whose head the anointing oil has been poured and who has been ordained to wear he vestments shall not bare his head or rend his vestments. He shall not go where there is any dead body he shall not defile himself even for his father or mother. He shall not go outside the sanctuary and profane the sanctuary of his god.
Do not mourn, do not weep, and do not stop the service. For what I am telling you is what the lord meant when he said: “Through those near to me I show myself holy. Through the High priests who come near to me to serve me. I wish to be sanctified. I do not want them to profane my name and my service. For the holy one told me The priest who is exalted above his fellows on whose head the anointing oil has been poured and who has been ordained to wear he vestments shall not bare his head or rend his vestments. He shall not go where there is any dead body he shall not defile himself even for his father or mother. He shall not go outside the sanctuary and profane the sanctuary of his god.
Berakhot 6b:14
Rab Pappa said: The merit of attending a house of mourning lies in maintaining silence.
Rab Pappa said: The merit of attending a house of mourning lies in maintaining silence.
Moed Katan 28b:23
R. Yohanan teaches that “comforters are not permitted to say a word until the mourners open conversation"
R. Yohanan teaches that “comforters are not permitted to say a word until the mourners open conversation"
וידם אהרן. קִבֵּל שָׂכָר עַל שְׁתִיקָתוֹ, וּמַה שָּׂכָר קִבֵּל? שֶׁנִּתְיַחֵד עִמּוֹ הַדִּבּוּר — שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרָה לוֹ לְבַדּוֹ פָּרָשַׁת שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן (ויקרא רבה י"ב):
וידם אהרן AND AARON WAS SILENT — He received a reward for his silence. And what was the reward he received? That the subsequent Divine address was made to him alone and not to Moses also — for to him alone was spoken the section (vv. 9—11) dealing with those who are intoxicated by wine (see v. 8) (Zevachim 115b; Leviticus Rabbah 12 2).
Eliezer B. Diamond, https://www.jtsa.edu/aarons-silence
There is...an interesting custom which is reminiscent of Aaron's silence. It is the practice to omit from the mourners' kaddish one of the paragraphs that is a part of the full kaddish. This paragraph, which begins with the word titqabel, states: "May all the prayers and pleas of the people Israel find acceptance before their Father in Heaven." Why is this paragraph omitted? It is, I believe, the silence of Aaron. This omission is a declaration of disengagement. Yes, God, I will continue to pray to you and serve you, but I cannot be expected at this moment, when you have taken from me the one I love, to declare that You are the One who hears prayers. My prayer, at least, has gone unanswered. In this moment of mourning, I will not pretend otherwise.
Belief in God is not the acceptance of a set of propositions, but rather committing ourselves to a relationship with God's living presence. Our relationship with God, like any relationship, will have moments of love and intimacy as well as times of anger and distance. It is important and consoling to know that our liturgy recognizes that God sometimes disappoints us, and that we need to express that disappointment in order to maintain the integrity of our relationship. Sometimes the most powerful and appropriate answer is silence.
There is...an interesting custom which is reminiscent of Aaron's silence. It is the practice to omit from the mourners' kaddish one of the paragraphs that is a part of the full kaddish. This paragraph, which begins with the word titqabel, states: "May all the prayers and pleas of the people Israel find acceptance before their Father in Heaven." Why is this paragraph omitted? It is, I believe, the silence of Aaron. This omission is a declaration of disengagement. Yes, God, I will continue to pray to you and serve you, but I cannot be expected at this moment, when you have taken from me the one I love, to declare that You are the One who hears prayers. My prayer, at least, has gone unanswered. In this moment of mourning, I will not pretend otherwise.
Belief in God is not the acceptance of a set of propositions, but rather committing ourselves to a relationship with God's living presence. Our relationship with God, like any relationship, will have moments of love and intimacy as well as times of anger and distance. It is important and consoling to know that our liturgy recognizes that God sometimes disappoints us, and that we need to express that disappointment in order to maintain the integrity of our relationship. Sometimes the most powerful and appropriate answer is silence.
(טז) וְאֵ֣ת ׀ שְׂעִ֣יר הַֽחַטָּ֗את דָּרֹ֥שׁ דָּרַ֛שׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְהִנֵּ֣ה שֹׂרָ֑ף וַ֠יִּקְצֹף עַל־אֶלְעָזָ֤ר וְעַל־אִֽיתָמָר֙ בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֔ן הַנּוֹתָרִ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר׃ (יז) מַדּ֗וּעַ לֹֽא־אֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־הַֽחַטָּאת֙ בִּמְק֣וֹם הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ כִּ֛י קֹ֥דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֖ים הִ֑וא וְאֹתָ֣הּ ׀ נָתַ֣ן לָכֶ֗ם לָשֵׂאת֙ אֶת־עֲוֺ֣ן הָעֵדָ֔ה לְכַפֵּ֥ר עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ (יח) הֵ֚ן לֹא־הוּבָ֣א אֶת־דָּמָ֔הּ אֶל־הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ פְּנִ֑ימָה אָכ֨וֹל תֹּאכְל֥וּ אֹתָ֛הּ בַּקֹּ֖דֶשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוֵּֽיתִי׃ (יט) וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר אַהֲרֹ֜ן אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה הֵ֣ן הַ֠יּוֹם הִקְרִ֨יבוּ אֶת־חַטָּאתָ֤ם וְאֶת־עֹֽלָתָם֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַתִּקְרֶ֥אנָה אֹתִ֖י כָּאֵ֑לֶּה וְאָכַ֤לְתִּי חַטָּאת֙ הַיּ֔וֹם הַיִּיטַ֖ב בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ (כ) וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַיִּיטַ֖ב בְּעֵינָֽיו׃ (פ)
(16) Then Moses inquired about the goat of sin offering, and it had already been burned! He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and said, (17) “Why did you not eat the sin offering in the sacred area? For it is most holy, and He has given it to you to remove the guilt of the community and to make expiation for them before the LORD. (18) Since its blood was not brought inside the sanctuary, you should certainly have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.” (19) And Aaron spoke to Moses, “See, this day they brought their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD, and such things have befallen me! Had I eaten sin offering today, would the LORD have approved?” (20) And when Moses heard this, he approved.
Baal Shem Tov (18th C) that there are three ways to mourn: through silence, through tears, and through song.
Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, 20th C talmudist and philosopher, in Kol Dodi Dofek
“The halakhah [Jewish law] teaches us that an afflicted person commits a criminal act if he allows his pain to go for naught and to remain without meaning or purpose.”
“The halakhah [Jewish law] teaches us that an afflicted person commits a criminal act if he allows his pain to go for naught and to remain without meaning or purpose.”