“וַיִּקְחוּ בְנֵי אַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא אִישׁ מַחְתָּתוֹ וַיִּתְּנוּ בָהֵן אֵשׁ וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלֶיהָ קְטֹרֶת וַיַּקְרִיבוּ לִפְנֵי ד’ אֵשׁ זָרָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא צִוָּה אֹתָם: וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי ד’ וַתֹּאכַל אוֹתָם וַיָּמֻתוּ לִפְנֵי ד’.“
רש”י: רבי אלעזר אומר לא מתו בני אהרן אלא על ידי שהורו הלכה בפני משה רבן. רבי ישמעאל אומר שתויי יין נכנסו למקדש… (ויקרא י’, ב’)
The simple reading of the passuk indicates that the error of Nadav and Avihu was in their bringing an offering to Hashem without being commanded to do so, while Rashi quotes two additional explanations from the Sages. R’ Elazar attributed their deaths to their paskening halacha in the presence of Moshe, and R’ Yishmael to their entering the Mishkan after drinking wine. But as we shall see, these three different reasons for the death of Nadav and Avihu are fundamentally one.
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One of the necessary kavannos (lit. intentions) when bringing a sacrifice is that the sacrifice be offered “לשם מי שאמר והיה העולם” — in the name of He who spoke and the world came into being (Zevachim 46b) The bringing of a sacrifice is essentially a destructive act; we take a small piece of the world and burn it. It would seem to follow, then, that the more effective the Korban is in in drawing Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s presence into our world, the greater the subsequent destruction, with the ultimate goal of the Korban being the world’s complete nullification. And there is logic in that: if He is infinite, limitless, can anything else exist in His presence? But we know that Hashem created the world; He desires its existence. Thus, the Kohen offers the sacrifice in the name of Hashem as the Creator: “He who spoke and the world came into being.” We want Hakadosh Baruch Hu, but we want the world as well. The purpose of the korban is that Hakadosh Baruch Hu should dwell in our world while it continues to exist, as His will was expressed through its creation.
This wonder, that the world can be close to the Borei Olam yet continue to exist, is possible only through adherence to the Mitzvos Hashem. Nadav and Avihu, however, brought an offering “which they were not commanded”. On a deeper level, the common denominator between the different explanations for Nadav and Avihu’s deaths is their desire to connect to Hakadosh Baruch Hu without limitations. They wanted to bring an offering to Hashem without being restricted to His commands. Likewise, in paskening halacha in the presence of Moshe, they were in essence pursuing an Avodas Hashem beyond the boundaries established by Moshe. Lastly, on the level of thought, drinking wine elevates a person’s intellect beyond its regular limitations and allows him to explore ideas and make connections in ways that would otherwise be impossible. Nadav and Avihu wanted to draw close to Hakadosh Baruch not only as the Creator, within the limitations of our world; they sought the infinite. And to a certain degree, they were successful, so much so that the passuk relates that they died “לפני ד’”—in the presence of Hashem. But in doing so they brought about their own destruction: when there are no boundaries, no limitations, Hakadosh Baruch’s presence truly will nullify all else.
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We generally identify boundaries in Avodas Hashem with טוב versus רע, mitzvos versus aveiros. But boundaries are about more than refraining from doing the wrong thing. We need boundaries within Torah and mitzvos because that is what allows the Shechina to rest within our world. This means that more is not always better; we do not have to do everything, to be everything. Take, for example, the oft-repeated mistake of imitating Gedolim. At the heart of this phenomenon lies a rejection of limitations and boundaries. We do not need a foot in every Beis Medrash or to be like Rav Chaim and the Chazon Ish and Rav Aharon. Rather than by rejecting all boundaries, we will attain closeness to Hashem when we accept the limitations placed upon us by the Torah, the intellect, and the world.