Religion & Spirituality
The story of Nadav and Avihu's deaths has captivated readers for centuries, as it omits almost as much as it reveals. The Torah tells us that they died for having brought a "foreign fire which was not commanded". What, though, was the nature of this fire and why was it problematic? The text also appears to refer to them as "those who are close to God", suggesting that even in death they were holy and desired by Hashem. If so, why did they deserve capital punishment? This Torahcast, brought to you by ALHATORAH.ORG, featuring Neima Novetsky, explores these questions and more. For primary sources and analysis, see https://alhatorah.org/Why_Were_Nadav_and_Avihu_Killed