"The Tzaddik is Alive and Enduring!" • The Daily Lesson from Rabbi Eliezer

Before you is the full daily lesson as delivered by our teacher, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days) – yesterday after the Maariv (evening) prayer, Tuesday, Parshas Kedoshim (the Torah portion of Kedoshim), the night of the 30th of Nisan:

"So we read [in the Torah] 'After the death of the two sons of Aaron, Nadav and Avihu.' We asked on Sunday the question: How is it that the sons of Aaron the Kohen (Priest), who are the most righteous of all generations—more righteous than Moshe (Moses) and Aaron—[could die]? Moshe said [to Aaron regarding Nadav and Avihu] that they were more righteous than 'me and you.' Moshe didn't just say this as an exaggeration. Moshe said this in absolute truth, says the Arizal (Rabbi Isaac Luria, of blessed memory). Everything he says is the truth. And now they [Nadav and Avihu] want Moshe to die, Aaron to die?

Now, regarding Esau, he wanted to sit Shiva (the seven-day mourning period)—'The days of mourning for my father are approaching'—he so yearned to sit Shiva. He wanted to kill Yaakov (Jacob). But he wouldn't cause pain to his father; a father comes before everything. One does not cause pain to a father! So what is the solution? That the father should die; there is a solution. In order not to cause pain to his father, it is better that the father dies. The main thing is not to cause pain to the father, that's what's important—that there should be no pain for the father. So, 'The days of mourning for my father are approaching, and I will kill Yaakov my brother.' So I will pray that my father dies, and then I can kill Yaakov, and then my father will have no pain. The main thing is to save the father from pain, that's what's important!

So how could Nadav and Avihu [be compared]? Are they like Esau? They say: 'When will Moshe die? When will Aaron die? We are already tired of them.' So the Asarah Maamaros (a classic work) says that this refers to the verse in Chapter 24: 'And Hashem (God) said to Moshe, ascend, you and Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, and the elders of Israel.' So all the elders went, seventy elders. They had to walk three parsas (a measurement of distance)—fifteen kilometers. At five kilometers, a Bas Kol (Heavenly voice) goes out: 'All the elders, stop, stand at attention.' After that, 'stand at ease'... fine, they stand. Who continues? [Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our Teacher)], Nadav and Avihu, and their father [Aaron the Kohen]. They walk another three parsas, and again a Bas Kol: 'Nadav and Avihu, stop.' Who goes first? Moshe and Aaron. Moshe and Aaron go first.

Now they said, if they are going first, where are they going? To Heaven. They are going; there is a path that is the Gate of Heaven. The Rebbe (Rebbe Nachman) says that on the palm of the hand, one can see the path to Heaven. Chanoch (Enoch) had a path to Heaven, as did Eliyahu HaNavi (Elijah the Prophet). Now Moshe and Aaron are also going to Heaven—what joy, what dancing, what joy that Moshe and Aaron are ascending to Heaven! But certainly, they will not return—this is how the Asarah Maamaros explains it. It's not that they wanted Moshe and Aaron to die. [Rather, Nadav and Avihu] said: 'What will we do if they leave us here alone? They have gone to their rest and left us to our sighing.' Who will lead the generation? Who will have mercy on the People of Israel? 'When will Hashem look upon the congregation?' Moshe says, 'I am going, Hashem will look upon the congregation'—so we must worry, worry for the congregation. If Moshe [and Aaron] are ascending to Heaven, then let us worry for the congregation. But they did not want Moshe to die, Heaven forbid—on the contrary! Let Moshe live!

Because it is already written, 'And they were delivered'—those who went to Midian, in Parshas Matos (the Torah portion of Matos). 'And they were delivered'—no one wanted to go to war. Now they are going to war in Rafah; what's this all of a sudden? Let the Arabs live! What do you want from these 'sweet' Arabs? Let them live already, why are you making their lives miserable?! So the People of Israel did not want to fight with the Midianites; they did not want to fight. In no way would they fight with Midian. But Moshe said we must go, there is no choice. [They said,] 'But you will die [because of this].' [Moshe replied,] 'What do you care if I die? What business is it of yours?! Stop interfering in my affairs!' 'Afterward, you shall be gathered to your people.' The People of Israel heard the prophecy; they didn't want to go in any way, in no way did they want to go, in no way. 'And they were delivered'—everyone wants Moshe to live, the entire People of Israel wants Moshe to live. Nadav and Avihu also want Moshe to live. Because Moshe is alive and enduring; Moshe will not die and Aaron will not die. Because the Tzaddik (righteous person) is also alive and enduring! In this merit, may we merit the complete Geulah (Redemption) speedily in our days, Amen!"