5785/2025
In the final Pasuk of Parashat Tzav, the Torah says: “VaYa’as Aharon Ubanav Eit Kol Hadvarim Ha’elu Asher Tzivah Hashem Biyad Moshe,” “Aharon and his sons did everything that Hashem commanded through Moshe” (VaYikra 8:36). Then, in the opening Perek of Parashat Shemini, the Torah uses this phrase of “Asher Tzivah Hashem” multiple times.
Asks Rav Avigdor Nebenzahl, why does the Torah keep recording this? Isn’t it obvious that Aharon and his sons did what Hashem said? Even if you’d argue that you should say it once, why four times?! He quotes Rashi and explains that this was a great praise of Aharon and his sons, not that they did what Hashem said, but how they did it. The Torah writes that they did “Ca’Asher Tzivah Hashem” because they did everything exactly the way Hashem said to do it, without changing anything. Not only that, but they did everything with the right Kavanah. They didn’t act for personal benefit as a way to further benefit themselves, but they did what Hashem said for that very reason- because Hashem said it! Rav Nebenzahl goes one step further and explains that perhaps the reason that Moshe is mentioned, “Biyad Moshe”, is to show that Aharon and his sons treated these commands, which came from Moshe, as if they were spoken to them directly from HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and thus acted with the Simcha expected from someone commanded directly from Hashem.
Rav Nebenzahl explains that we can take this idea and use it to explain the sin of Nadav and Avihu later on in the Parashah. Moshe understood that what happened with Nadav and Avihu was a fulfillment of what Hashem said in Parashat Tetzaveh regarding the Mishkan- “VaNikadeish Bichvodi,” “It will be made holy with My presence” (Shemot 29:43). Nadav and Avihu brought the Ketoret without permission to show to Klal Yisrael the Kedushah of the Mishkan. They showed that you can’t just walk into the Mishkan when you want even with the goal of bringing a Korban and coming close to Hashem.
When Moshe is speaking to Aharon about mourning for his sons, he says: “Vayidaber Moshe El Aharon ‘Who Asher Diber Hashem Leimor Bikrovi Ekadesh Ve’Al Panei Ha’am Echveid Vayadom Aharon,’” “Moshe said to Aharon, This is what Hashem spoke, saying, ‘I will be sanctified through those that are close to me, and in front of the entire people I will be glorified’' Aharon was silent. (VaYikra 10:3). These words parallel those said in Tetzaveh, what Moshe was telling Aharon was that Nadav and Avihu were teaching Klal Yisrael this message about the Mishkan- that even Nadav and Avihu, who always acted with such Simcha before Hashem, couldn’t just decide to enter the Mishkan because they wanted to, and in themselves as great Tzaddikim being punished, Klal Yisrael learned of the Kedushah and Kavod of the Mishkan.