דָּבָר אַחֵר, כְּצִפְעֹנִי יַפְרִשׁ, מַה צִּפְעוֹן זֶה מַפְרִישׁ בֵּין מִיתָה לְחַיִּים, כָּךְ הִפְרִישׁ הַיַּיִן בֵּין אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו לְמִיתָה, דְּתָנֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לֹא מֵתוּ בָּנָיו שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן אֶלָּא עַל שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן לְאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד. רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בֶּן בַּיִת נֶאֱמָן, מְצָאוֹ עוֹמֵד עַל פֶּתַח חֲנֻיּוֹת, וְהִתִּיז אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ בִּשְׁתִיקָה, וּמִנָּה בֶּן בַּיִת אַחֵר תַּחְתָּיו, וְאֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים מִפְּנֵי מָה הָרַג אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹן, אֶלָּא מִמַּה שֶּׁמְּצַוֶּה אֶת הַשֵּׁנִי וְאָמַר לֹא תִכָּנֵס בְּפֶתַח חֲנֻיּוֹת, אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין שֶׁמִּתּוֹךְ כָּךְ הָרַג הָרִאשׁוֹן, כָּךְ (ויקרא ט, יב): וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי ה' וַתֹּאכַל אוֹתָם, וְאֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים מִפְּנֵי מָה מֵתוּ, אֶלָּא מִמַּה שֶּׁמְּצַוֶּה אֶת אַהֲרֹן וְאָמַר לוֹ (ויקרא י, ט): יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר אַל תֵּשְׁתְּ, אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין מִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ שֶׁלֹּא מֵתוּ אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי הַיָּיִן, לְכָךְ חִבְּבוֹ הַכָּתוּב לְאַהֲרֹן וְיִחֵד אֵלָיו הַדִּבּוּר בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר אַל תֵּשְׁתְּ.
Another explanation: Like a basilisk. Just as a basilisk divides between death and life, so did wine cause a division between Aaron and his sons by bringing death. As Rabbi Shimon taught: The sons of Aaron died only because they entered the Tent of Meeting intoxicated with wine. Rabbi Pinchas in the name of Rabbi Levi said: This may be compared to the story of a king that had a faithful servant. When he discovered him standing at the door to a tavern, he cut off his head in silence and appointed another servant in his place. We do not know why he killed the first except from what he commanded the second: Do not enter the doorway of a tavern. From this we know the reason he killed the first. So Scriptures says: "A fire came forth from before Adonai and consumed them (Lev. 10:2)." Similarly, we would not know why they (Nadav and Avihu) died but from His command to Aaron, saying to him: "Drink no wine or strong drink (Lev. 10:9)." We know from this that they would not have died but for the wine. For this reason, Scripture showed fondness for Aaron by directing this divine utterance to Aaron himself: As Scripture says: "No wine or strong drink shall you imbibe....
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: לֹא מֵתוּ בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן עַד שֶׁהוֹרוּ הֲלָכָה בִּפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה רַבָּן. מַאי דְּרוּשׁ: ״וְנָתְנוּ בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן אֵשׁ עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ״, אָמְרוּ: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָאֵשׁ יוֹרֶדֶת מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, מִצְוָה לְהָבִיא מִן הַהֶדְיוֹט.
Rabbi Eliezer says: The sons of Aaron died only because they issued a halakhic ruling before Moses, their teacher? What did they expound in support of their conclusion that they must bring fire inside as opposed to waiting for fire to come down from the heavens? It is stated in the Torah: “And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar, and lay the wood in order on the fire” (Leviticus 1:7), which led them to say: Although fire descends from Heaven, it is nonetheless a mitzva to bring ordinary fire. Although they derived this from the verses, they were punished for ruling in the presence of their teacher.
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):
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! Rabbi Manachma in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua son of Nechemiah said: "Fire consumed their young men, and their maidens remained unwed. (Ps. 78:63). Why were their young men consumed by fire? Because their maidens were not praised (in wedding songs). Such is the import of this verse: "Then He said to Moses, "Come up to the LORD, with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel, and bow low from afar. (Exod. 24:1)." We learn from this that 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? Rabbi Judah in the name of Rabbi Aivu said that with their mouths they said this to each other. Rabbi Phinchas, on the other hand, said that they thought it in their hearts. Rabbi Berechyah said: the Holy Blessed One said to them: "Do not boast of tomorrow, For you do not know what the day will bring....
(כה) בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי (במדבר ג, ד), וְכִי בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי מֵתוּ, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמֵּהַר סִינַי נָטְלוּ אֵפּוֹפָסִין שֶׁלָּהֶם לְמִיתָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שמות כד, יא): וְאֶל אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי פִּינְחָס מִכָּאן שֶׁהָיוּ רְאוּיִן לְהַשְׁלָחַת יַד. אָמַר רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָא וְכִי קִילוֹרִין עָלְתָה עִמָּהֶם לְסִינַי, כְּמָה דְתֵימָא (שמות כד, יא): וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים וַיֹאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁזָּנוּ עֵינֵיהֶם כְּלַפֵּי שְׁכִינָה, כְּאָדָם שֶׁמַּבִּיט בַּחֲבֵרוֹ מִתּוֹךְ מַאֲכָל וּמִשְׁתֶּה. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר אֲכִילָה וַדָּאִית, דִּכְתִיב (משלי טז, טו): בְּאוֹר פְּנֵי מֶלֶךְ חַיִּים, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא מְלַמֵּד [על] שֶׁהֵגֵסוּ אֶת לִבָּן וְעָמְדוּ עַל רַגְלֵיהֶם 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, דִּכְתִיב (שמות ג, ו): וַיַּסְתֵּר משֶׁה פָּנָיו כִּי יָרֵא מֵהַבִּיט אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים, וְנֶהֱנָה מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה, דִּכְתִיב (שמות לד, כט): וּמשֶׁה לֹא יָדַע כִּי קָרַן אוֹר פָּנָיו בְּדַבְּרוֹ אִתּוֹ, בִּשְׂכַר כִּי יָרֵא, (שמות לד, ל): וַיִּירְאוּ מִגֶּשֶׁת אֵלָיו, בִּשְׂכַר מֵהַבִּיט (במדבר יב, ח): וּתְמֻנַת ה' יַבִּיט. נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא זָנוּ עֵינֵיהֶם מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה וְלֹא נֶהֱנוּ מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה, וְלָמָּה לֹא מֵתוּ בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה מַשִֹּׂיא אֶת בִּתּוֹ וְנִמְצָא בַּשּׁוֹשְׁבִין שֶׁלָּהּ דָּבָר שֶׁל לוֹגְמֵיָא, אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אִם אֲנִי הוֹרְגוֹ עַכְשָׁו הֲרֵינִי מְעַרְבֵּב שִׂמְחַת בִּתִּי, לְמָחָר שִׂמְחָתִי בָּאָה וּמוּטָב בְּשִׂמְחָתִי וְלֹא בְּשִׂמְחַת בִּתִּי. כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם אֲנִי הוֹרֵג נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא עַכְשָׁו הֲרֵינִי מְעַרְבֵּב שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה, לְמָחָר שִׂמְחָתִי בָּאָה מוּטָב בְּשִׂמְחָתִי וְלֹא בְּשִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שיר השירים ג, יא): בְּיוֹם חֲתֻנָּתוֹ, זֶה סִינַי, (שיר השירים ג, יא): וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַת לִבּוֹ, זֶה אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.
In the wilderness of Sinai....(Num. 3:4). Did they die in the wilderness of Sinai? Rather, this teaches that on Mount Sinai they received their decree of death. This is why Scripture says: Yet He did not send His hand against the leaders of the Israelites; they beheld God, and they ate and drank (Exod. 24:11). Rabbi Pinchas said: From this you can infer that it was appropriate to send a hand against them. As Rabbi Hoshaiyah said: Did food and drink go up with them to Sinai, that you say "they beheld God, and they ate and drank"? Rather, this teaches you that they feasted their eyes on the Shekinah, that "they beheld God" as a person looks upon his friend in the midst of eating and drinking. Rabbi Yochanan says: Literal eating, as Scripture says: "In the light of the presence of the King is life; His favor is like a cloud of spring rain. (Prov. 16:15).
Rabbi Tanchuma said this teaches that they had inflated egos and stood upon their feet and feasted their eyes on the Shekinah. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sichnin in the name of Rabbi Levi said: Moses did not feast his eyes upon the Shekinah yet derived benefit from the Shekinah, he did not feast his eyes on the Shekinah, as Scripture says: "And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God (Exod. 3:6)." He derived benefit from the Shekhinah nevertheless, as Scripture says: "Moses did not know that the skin of his face was shining, since he had spoken with Him. (Exod. 34:29)" As a reward for hiding his face, he merited "Adonai spoke to Moses... face to face...(Ex. 33:11). As a reward for "he was afraid to look" he merited "they were afraid to draw near him (Ex. 34:20)", as a reward for "he was afraid to look" he merited "and he beholds the likeness of Adonai. (Num. 12:8)." Nadav and Avihu, however, feasted their eyes on the Shekhinah and did not derive benefit as a result. Why did they not die at that very moment? A parable of a king that was celebrating the marriage of his daughter and matter concerning lewdness was discovered in the groom's agent. The King thought, if I kill him now, I will mar the celebration of my daughter. Instead, later, when my own celebration comes [I will kill him]. Better my own celebration than the celebration of my daughter. So thought the Blessed Holy One: If I kill them now, I will mar the celebration of my daughter. Later, my own celebration will come, better my own celebration than the rejoicing of Torah. Hence, Scripture says: "[O]n the day of his betrothal, on the day of his heart's gladness (Song of Songs, 3:11)," "On the day of his betrothal" means Mount Sinai. "On the day of his heart's gladness" this refers to the Tent of Meeting.
They saw [a vision of] the God of Yisrael. They intentionally looked and intently gazed and thereby became liable to death. But God did not want to disturb the joy [of the receiving] of the Torah and therefore waited to punish Nadav and Avihu until the day that the Mishkan was dedicated. As for the elders [He waited] until: “The people were as complainers, etc. and a fire from God burnt among them and consumed בִּקְצֵה of the camp,” [בִּקְצֵה meaning] the leaders of the camp.