(ח) וְאֶת־בָּנָ֖יו תַּקְרִ֑יב וְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּ֖ם כֻּתֳּנֹֽת׃ (ט) וְחָגַרְתָּ֩ אֹתָ֨ם אַבְנֵ֜ט אַהֲרֹ֣ן וּבָנָ֗יו וְחָבַשְׁתָּ֤ לָהֶם֙ מִגְבָּעֹ֔ת וְהָיְתָ֥ה לָהֶ֛ם כְּהֻנָּ֖ה לְחֻקַּ֣ת עוֹלָ֑ם וּמִלֵּאתָ֥ יַֽד־אַהֲרֹ֖ן וְיַד־בָּנָֽיו׃
(י) וְהִקְרַבְתָּ֙ אֶת־הַפָּ֔ר לִפְנֵ֖י אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְסָמַ֨ךְ אַהֲרֹ֧ן וּבָנָ֛יו אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הַפָּֽר׃ (יא) וְשָׁחַטְתָּ֥ אֶת־הַפָּ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י יי פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃ (יב) וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֙ מִדַּ֣ם הַפָּ֔ר וְנָתַתָּ֛ה עַל־קַרְנֹ֥ת הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ בְּאֶצְבָּעֶ֑ךָ וְאֶת־כׇּל־הַדָּ֣ם תִּשְׁפֹּ֔ךְ אֶל־יְס֖וֹד הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ (יג) וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֗ אֶֽת־כׇּל־הַחֵ֘לֶב֮ הַֽמְכַסֶּ֣ה אֶת־הַקֶּ֒רֶב֒ וְאֵ֗ת הַיֹּתֶ֙רֶת֙ עַל־הַכָּבֵ֔ד וְאֵת֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י הַכְּלָיֹ֔ת וְאֶת־הַחֵ֖לֶב אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲלֵיהֶ֑ן וְהִקְטַרְתָּ֖ הַמִּזְבֵּֽחָה׃ (יד) וְאֶת־בְּשַׂ֤ר הַפָּר֙ וְאֶת־עֹר֣וֹ וְאֶת־פִּרְשׁ֔וֹ תִּשְׂרֹ֣ף בָּאֵ֔שׁ מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה חַטָּ֖את הֽוּא׃
(טו) וְאֶת־הָאַ֥יִל הָאֶחָ֖ד תִּקָּ֑ח וְסָ֨מְכ֜וּ אַהֲרֹ֧ן וּבָנָ֛יו אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הָאָֽיִל׃ (טז) וְשָׁחַטְתָּ֖ אֶת־הָאָ֑יִל וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֙ אֶת־דָּמ֔וֹ וְזָרַקְתָּ֥ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ סָבִֽיב׃ (יז) וְאֶ֨ת־הָאַ֔יִל תְּנַתֵּ֖חַ לִנְתָחָ֑יו וְרָחַצְתָּ֤ קִרְבּוֹ֙ וּכְרָעָ֔יו וְנָתַתָּ֥ עַל־נְתָחָ֖יו וְעַל־רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃ (יח) וְהִקְטַרְתָּ֤ אֶת־כׇּל־הָאַ֙יִל֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חָה עֹלָ֥ה ה֖וּא לַֽיי רֵ֣יחַ נִיח֔וֹחַ אִשֶּׁ֥ה לַיי הֽוּא׃ (יט) וְלָ֣קַחְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת הָאַ֣יִל הַשֵּׁנִ֑י וְסָמַ֨ךְ אַהֲרֹ֧ן וּבָנָ֛יו אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הָאָֽיִל׃ (כ) וְשָׁחַטְתָּ֣ אֶת־הָאַ֗יִל וְלָקַחְתָּ֤ מִדָּמוֹ֙ וְנָֽתַתָּ֡ה עַל־תְּנוּךְ֩ אֹ֨זֶן אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְעַל־תְּנ֨וּךְ אֹ֤זֶן בָּנָיו֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית וְעַל־בֹּ֤הֶן יָדָם֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית וְעַל־בֹּ֥הֶן רַגְלָ֖ם הַיְמָנִ֑ית וְזָרַקְתָּ֧ אֶת־הַדָּ֛ם עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ סָבִֽיב׃ (כא) וְלָקַחְתָּ֞ מִן־הַדָּ֨ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַֽל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֘חַ֮ וּמִשֶּׁ֣מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה֒ וְהִזֵּיתָ֤ עַֽל־אַהֲרֹן֙ וְעַל־בְּגָדָ֔יו וְעַל־בָּנָ֛יו וְעַל־בִּגְדֵ֥י בָנָ֖יו אִתּ֑וֹ וְקָדַ֥שׁ הוּא֙ וּבְגָדָ֔יו וּבָנָ֛יו וּבִגְדֵ֥י בָנָ֖יו אִתּֽוֹ׃ (כב) וְלָקַחְתָּ֣ מִן־הָ֠אַ֠יִל הַחֵ֨לֶב וְהָֽאַלְיָ֜ה וְאֶת־הַחֵ֣לֶב ׀ הַֽמְכַסֶּ֣ה אֶת־הַקֶּ֗רֶב וְאֵ֨ת יֹתֶ֤רֶת הַכָּבֵד֙ וְאֵ֣ת ׀ שְׁתֵּ֣י הַכְּלָיֹ֗ת וְאֶת־הַחֵ֙לֶב֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲלֵיהֶ֔ן וְאֵ֖ת שׁ֣וֹק הַיָּמִ֑ין כִּ֛י אֵ֥יל מִלֻּאִ֖ים הֽוּא׃
(כג) וְכִכַּ֨ר לֶ֜חֶם אַחַ֗ת וְֽחַלַּ֨ת לֶ֥חֶם שֶׁ֛מֶן אַחַ֖ת וְרָקִ֣יק אֶחָ֑ד מִסַּל֙ הַמַּצּ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֖ר לִפְנֵ֥י יי׃ (כד) וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ הַכֹּ֔ל עַ֚ל כַּפֵּ֣י אַהֲרֹ֔ן וְעַ֖ל כַּפֵּ֣י בָנָ֑יו וְהֵנַפְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֛ם תְּנוּפָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י יי׃ (כה) וְלָקַחְתָּ֤ אֹתָם֙ מִיָּדָ֔ם וְהִקְטַרְתָּ֥ הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חָה עַל־הָעֹלָ֑ה לְרֵ֤יחַ נִיח֙וֹחַ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יי אִשֶּׁ֥ה ה֖וּא לַיי׃ (כו) וְלָקַחְתָּ֣ אֶת־הֶֽחָזֶ֗ה מֵאֵ֤יל הַמִּלֻּאִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאַהֲרֹ֔ן וְהֵנַפְתָּ֥ אֹת֛וֹ תְּנוּפָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יי וְהָיָ֥ה לְךָ֖ לְמָנָֽה׃ (כז) וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֞ אֵ֣ת ׀ חֲזֵ֣ה הַתְּנוּפָ֗ה וְאֵת֙ שׁ֣וֹק הַתְּרוּמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוּנַ֖ף וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר הוּרָ֑ם מֵאֵיל֙ הַמִּלֻּאִ֔ים מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר לְאַהֲרֹ֖ן וּמֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר לְבָנָֽיו׃ (כח) וְהָיָה֩ לְאַהֲרֹ֨ן וּלְבָנָ֜יו לְחׇק־עוֹלָ֗ם מֵאֵת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֥י תְרוּמָ֖ה ה֑וּא וּתְרוּמָ֞ה יִהְיֶ֨ה מֵאֵ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִזִּבְחֵ֣י שַׁלְמֵיהֶ֔ם תְּרוּמָתָ֖ם לַיי׃
(כט) וּבִגְדֵ֤י הַקֹּ֙דֶשׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאַהֲרֹ֔ן יִהְי֥וּ לְבָנָ֖יו אַחֲרָ֑יו לְמׇשְׁחָ֣ה בָהֶ֔ם וּלְמַלֵּא־בָ֖ם אֶת־יָדָֽם׃ (ל) שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֗ים יִלְבָּשָׁ֧ם הַכֹּהֵ֛ן תַּחְתָּ֖יו מִבָּנָ֑יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָבֹ֛א אֶל־אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד לְשָׁרֵ֥ת בַּקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ (לא) וְאֵ֛ת אֵ֥יל הַמִּלֻּאִ֖ים תִּקָּ֑ח וּבִשַּׁלְתָּ֥ אֶת־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ בְּמָקֹ֥ם קָדֹֽשׁ׃ (לב) וְאָכַ֨ל אַהֲרֹ֤ן וּבָנָיו֙ אֶת־בְּשַׂ֣ר הָאַ֔יִל וְאֶת־הַלֶּ֖חֶם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּסָּ֑ל פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃ (לג) וְאָכְל֤וּ אֹתָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר כֻּפַּ֣ר בָּהֶ֔ם לְמַלֵּ֥א אֶת־יָדָ֖ם לְקַדֵּ֣שׁ אֹתָ֑ם וְזָ֥ר לֹא־יֹאכַ֖ל כִּי־קֹ֥דֶשׁ הֵֽם׃ (לד) וְֽאִם־יִוָּתֵ֞ר מִבְּשַׂ֧ר הַמִּלֻּאִ֛ים וּמִן־הַלֶּ֖חֶם עַד־הַבֹּ֑קֶר וְשָׂרַפְתָּ֤ אֶת־הַנּוֹתָר֙ בָּאֵ֔שׁ לֹ֥א יֵאָכֵ֖ל כִּי־קֹ֥דֶשׁ הֽוּא׃
(לה) וְעָשִׂ֜יתָ לְאַהֲרֹ֤ן וּלְבָנָיו֙ כָּ֔כָה כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוִּ֖יתִי אֹתָ֑כָה שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים תְּמַלֵּ֥א יָדָֽם׃ (לו) וּפַ֨ר חַטָּ֜את תַּעֲשֶׂ֤ה לַיּוֹם֙ עַל־הַכִּפֻּרִ֔ים וְחִטֵּאתָ֙ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ בְּכַפֶּרְךָ֖ עָלָ֑יו וּמָֽשַׁחְתָּ֥ אֹת֖וֹ לְקַדְּשֽׁוֹ׃ (לז) שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֗ים תְּכַפֵּר֙ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֖ אֹת֑וֹ וְהָיָ֤ה הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ קֹ֣דֶשׁ קׇֽדָשִׁ֔ים כׇּל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בַּמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ יִקְדָּֽשׁ׃ {ס}
(8) Then bring his sons forward; clothe them with tunics (9) and wind turbans upon them. And gird both Aaron and his sons with sashes. And so they shall have priesthood as their right for all time. You shall then ordain Aaron and his sons.
(10) Lead the bull up to the front of the Tent of Meeting, and let Aaron and his sons lay their hands upon the head of the bull. (11) Slaughter the bull before the LORD, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, (12) and take some of the bull’s blood and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger; then pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. (13) Take all the fat that covers the entrails, the protuberance on the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat on them, and turn them into smoke upon the altar. (14) The rest of the flesh of the bull, its hide, and its dung shall be put to the fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering.
(15) Next take the one ram, and let Aaron and his sons lay their hands upon the ram’s head. (16) Slaughter the ram, and take its blood and dash it against all sides of the altar. (17) Cut up the ram into sections, wash its entrails and legs, and put them with its quarters and its head. (18) Turn all of the ram into smoke upon the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD. (19) Then take the other ram, and let Aaron and his sons lay their hands upon the ram’s head. (20) Slaughter the ram, and take some of its blood and put it on the ridge of Aaron’s right ear and on the ridges of his sons’ right ears, and on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet; and dash the rest of the blood against every side of the altar round about. (21) Take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle upon Aaron and his vestments, and also upon his sons and his sons’ vestments. Thus shall he and his vestments be holy, as well as his sons and his sons’ vestments. (22) You shall take from the ram the fat parts—the broad tail, the fat that covers the entrails, the protuberance on the liver, the two kidneys with the fat on them—and the right thigh; for this is a ram of ordination.
(23) Add one flat loaf of bread, one cake of oil bread, and one wafer, from the basket of unleavened bread that is before the LORD. (24) Place all these on the palms of Aaron and his sons, and offer them as an elevation offering before the LORD. (25) Take them from their hands and turn them into smoke upon the altar with the burnt offering, as a pleasing odor before the LORD; it is an offering by fire to the LORD.
(26) Then take the breast of Aaron’s ram of ordination and offer it as an elevation offering before the LORD; it shall be your portion. (27) You shall consecrate the breast that was offered as an elevation offering and the thigh that was offered as a gift offering from the ram of ordination—from that which was Aaron’s and from that which was his sons’— (28) and those parts shall be a due for all time from the Israelites to Aaron and his descendants. For they are a gift; and so shall they be a gift from the Israelites, their gift to the LORD out of their sacrifices of well-being.
(29) The sacral vestments of Aaron shall pass on to his sons after him, for them to be anointed and ordained in. (30) He among his sons who becomes priest in his stead, who enters the Tent of Meeting to officiate within the sanctuary, shall wear them seven days. (31) You shall take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in the sacred precinct; (32) and Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. (33) These things shall be eaten only by those for whom expiation was made with them when they were ordained and consecrated; they may not be eaten by a layman, for they are holy. (34) And if any of the flesh of ordination, or any of the bread, is left until morning, you shall put what is left to the fire; it shall not be eaten, for it is holy.
(35) Thus you shall do to Aaron and his sons, just as I have commanded you. You shall ordain them through seven days, (36) and each day you shall prepare a bull as a sin offering for expiation; you shall purge the altar by performing purification upon it, and you shall anoint it to consecrate it. (37) Seven days you shall perform purification for the altar to consecrate it, and the altar shall become most holy; whatever touches the altar shall become consecrated.
This “filling of hands” shall be for an everlasting priesthood. AND THOU SHALT “FILL” by means of these following matters.
The Midrash understands the anointment of the ear, thumb, and big toe of the kohen (priest) as teaching that a kohen must listen to the people, act on their behalf, and go forth among them. Another midrash sees the ceremony as helping Aaron atone for this role in the incident of the Golden Calf. "The ear that heard the words 'You shall have no other gods beside Me' and then listened to the people's demand for a calf; the hands which had pledged to serve God and then fashioned a calf; the feet that climbed Mount Sinai and then hastened to do that which was wrong"-all of these had to be cleansed and rededicated tot he service of God.
Why was blood applied to those particular extremities–the right thumb, toe and ear? An ancient commentator, Philo(1st Century Egypt), perceived that, “The fully consecrated must be pure in words and actions and in life; for words are judged by hearing, the hand is the symbol of action, and the foot of the pilgrimage of life.” Thus, Philo reads specific meaning into each of the three body parts by analyzing the special function of each part in terms of their human use.
Our words, actions and life all must cultivate our highest potential of growth, expression and humanity. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra (12th Century, Spain) argues, on the other hand, that the ear “symbolizes that one must attend to what has been commanded” and the thumb “is the origin of all activity.”
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/ears-thumbs-and-toes/
Through the ear, one hears and understands; through the hand, one acts; through the feet, one moves about. All three are consecrated to show that the Kohen dedicates all his faculties to God's service.
(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-a the LORD.
(א) ותצא אש. רַ' אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר לֹא מֵתוּ בְנֵי אַהֲרֹן אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהוֹרוּ הֲלָכָה בִּפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה רַבָּן, רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן נִכְנְסוּ לַמִּקְדָּשׁ, תֵּדַע, שֶׁאַחַר מִיתָתָן הִזְהִיר הַנּוֹתָרִים שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנְסוּ שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן לַמִּקְדָּשׁ, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בֶן בַּיִת וְכוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא בְּוַיִּקְרָא רַבָּה:
AND THERE WENT OUT FIRE — Rabbi Eleizer said: the sons of Aaron died only because they gave decisions on religious matters in the presence of their teacher, Moses. Rabbi Ishmael said: they died because they entered the Sanctuary intoxicated by wine. You may know that this is so, because after their death he admonished those who survived that they should not enter when intoxicated by wine (vv. 8—9).
g(י) רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר שְׁחָצִים הָיוּ, הַרְבֵּה נָשִׁים הָיוּ יוֹשְׁבוֹת עֲגוּנוֹת מַמְתִּינוֹת לָהֶם, מָה הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים, אֲחִי אָבִינוּ מֶלֶךְ, אֲחִי אִמֵּנוּ נָשִׂיא, אָבִינוּ כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל וְאָנוּ שְׁנֵי סְגָנֵי כְּהֻנָּה, אֵי זוֹ אִשָּׁה הוֹגֶנֶת לָנוּ. רַבִּי מְנַחְמָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר (תהלים עח, סג): בַּחוּרָיו אָכְלָה אֵשׁ, לָמָּה בַּחוּרָיו אָכְלָה אֵשׁ, מִשּׁוּם (תהלים עח, סג): בְּתוּלֹתָיו לֹא הוּלָּלוּ. וְעוֹד מִן הֲדָא (שמות כד, א): וְאֶל משֶׁה אָמַר עֲלֵה אֶל ה', מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן הוֹלְכִין תְּחִלָּה וְנָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא מְהַלְּכִין אַחֲרֵיהֶן וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרֵיהֶן, וְאוֹמְרִים מָתַי שְׁנֵי זְקֵנִים הַלָּלוּ מֵתִים וְאָנוּ נוֹהֲגִין שְׂרָרָה עַל הַצִּבּוּר. רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַיְבוּ אָמַר בְּפִיהֶם אָמְרוּ זֶה לָזֶה. רַבִּי פִּנְחָס אָמַר בְּלִבָּם הִרְהֲרוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (משלי כז, א): אַל תִּתְהַלֵּל בְּיוֹם מָחָר, הַרְבֵּה סְיָחִין מֵתוּ וְנַעֲשׂוּ עוֹרוֹתֵיהֶן שְׁטוּחִין עַל גַּבֵּי אִמּוֹתֵיהֶן. וְעוֹד מִן הֲדָא (שמות כד, יא): וְאֶל אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס מִכָּאן שֶׁהָיוּ רְאוּיִן לְהַשְׁלָחַת יָד, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה וְכִי קִילוֹרִין עָלַת עִמָּהֶן מִסִּינַי דְּאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות כד, יא): וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁזָּנוּ עֵינֵיהֶם מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה, וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים, כְּאָדָם שֶׁמַּבִּיט בַּחֲבֵרוֹ מִתּוֹךְ מַאֲכָל וּמִשְׁתֶּה. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר אֲכִילָה וַדַּאי, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (משלי טז, טו): בְּאוֹר פְּנֵי מֶלֶךְ חַיִּים, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁפָּרְעוּ אֶת רָאשֵׁיהֶן וְגִיְסוּ לִבָּם וְזָנוּ עֵינֵיהֶם מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר משֶׁה לֹא זָן עֵינָיו מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה וְנֶהֱנָה מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה, לֹא זָן עֵינָיו מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ג, ו): וַיַּסְתֵּר משֶׁה פָּנָיו, וְנֶהֱנָה מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לד, כט): וּמשֶׁה לֹא יָדַע כִּי קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו, בִּשְׂכַר וַיַּסְתֵּר זָכָה (שמות לג, יא): וְדִבֶּר ה' אֶל משֶׁה פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים, בִּשְׂכַר (שמות ג, ו): כִּי יָרֵא זָכָה (שמות לד, ל): וַיִּירְאוּ מִגֶּשֶׁת אֵלָיו, בִּשְׂכַר (שמות ג, ו): מֵהַבִּיט, זָכָה (במדבר יב, ח): וּתְמֻנַת ה' יַבִּיט, נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא זָנוּ עֵינֵיהֶם מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה וְלֹא נֶהֱנוּ מִמֶּנָּה. וְעוֹד מִן הֲדָא (במדבר ג, ד): וַיָּמָת נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא לִפְנֵי ה', וְכִי לִפְנֵי ה' מֵתוּ, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה קָשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבְּנֵיהֶם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים מֵתִים בְּחַיֵּיהֶם. רַבִּי יוּדָן דְּיָפוֹ בְּעָא מִנֵּיהּ רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בַּר רַבִּי חָמָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי סִימוֹן הָכָא אַתְּ אָמַר (ויקרא י, ב): לִפְנֵי ה' (במדבר ג, ד): לִפְנֵי ה' שְׁנֵי פְּעָמִים, וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברי הימים א כד, ב): לִפְנֵי אַהֲרֹן אֲבִיהֶם, פַּעַם אֶחָת, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה קָשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כִּפְלַיִים מֵאֲבִיהֶן. (דברי הימים א כד, ב): בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי, אָמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר וְכִי בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי מֵתוּ, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמֵּהַר סִינַי נָטְלוּ אַפּוֹפָּסִין שֶׁלָּהֶם לְמִיתָה. מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה מַשִּׂיא בִּתּוֹ וְנִמְצָא בְּשׁוֹשְׁבִינָהּ דָּבָר שֶׁל שִׁמְצָה, אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אִם הוֹרְגוֹ אֲנִי עַכְשָׁיו אֲנִי מְעַרְבֵּב שִׂמְחַת בִּתִּי, אֶלָּא לְמָחָר שִׂמְחָתִי בָּאָה וְהוּא טַב בְּשִׂמְחָתִי וְלֹא בְּשִׂמְחַת בִּתִּי. כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם אֲנִי הוֹרְגָן עַכְשָׁיו הֲרֵינִי מְעַרְבֵּב שִׂמְחַת בִּתִּי, לְמָחָר שִׂמְחָתִי בָּאָה. בִּתִּי זוֹ הַתּוֹרָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שיר השירים ג, יא): בְּיוֹם חֲתֻנָּתוֹ וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַת לִבּוֹ, בְּיוֹם חֲתֻנָּתוֹ זֶה הַר סִינַי, וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַת לִבּוֹ זֶה אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.
Rabbi Levi said: They were arrogant. There were many women that were sitting unmarried, waiting for them. What did they say? The brother of our father is a king, the brother of our mother is a prince, our father is High Priest and we are two deputy priests. No woman is worthy of us! ...
Moses and Aaron were walking first and Nadav and Avihu came after them, and all Israel after them. They said: When will these two old men die and allow us to assume authority over the community?
(12) Now Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they paid no heed to the LORD. (13) This is how the priests used to deal with the people: When anyone brought a sacrifice, the priest’s boy would come along with a three-pronged fork while the meat was boiling, (14) and he would thrust it into the cauldron, or the kettle, or the great pot, or the small cooking-pot; and whatever the fork brought up, the priest would take away on it. This was the practice at Shiloh with all the Israelites who came there. [JBM: Pot luck!]
(15) [But now] even before the suet was turned into smoke, the priest’s boy would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Hand over some meat to roast for the priest; for he won’t accept boiled meat from you, only raw.” (16) And if the man said to him, “Let them first turn the suet into smoke, and then take as much as you want,” he would reply, “No, hand it over at once or I’ll take it by force.”
(17) The sin of the young men against the LORD was very great, for the men treated the LORD’s offerings impiously. (18) Samuel was engaged in the service of the LORD as an attendant, girded with a linen ephod. (19) His mother would also make a little robe for him and bring it up to him every year, when she made the pilgrimage with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. (20) Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the LORD grant you offspring by this woman in place of the loan she made to the LORD.” Then they would return home. (21) For the LORD took note of Hannah; she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Young Samuel meanwhile grew up in the service of the LORD.
(22) Now Eli was very old. When he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who performed tasks-i at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, (23) he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I get evil reports about you from the people on all hands. (24) Don’t, my sons! It is no favorable report I hear the people of the LORD spreading about. (25) If a man sins against a man, God may pardon him; but if a man offends against the LORD, who can obtain pardon for him?” But they ignored their father’s plea; for the LORD was resolved that they should die. (26) Young Samuel, meanwhile, grew in esteem and favor both with God and with men.