Parashas Shemini

Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Shemini.
The word 'Shemini' means 'Eighth' referring to this Eighth day of inauguration of the Mishkan.
This was a day of great celebration where Aharon was called upon to inaugurate the Mishkan.It was on this day that Aharon would take his position as the Kohein Gadol and his sons would take their rightful place as Kohanim.
The joy of this day knew no bounds for it was on this day that HaShem's Shechinah descended on the offerings.
But on this day a tragedy occurred for Aharon and his family.For on this day Aharon lost his two eldest sons Nadav and Avihu.
How like the life of a Jew through history was this that even when we are happy,this happiness can be disturbed.
Our sages tell us that there will only be true happiness for our people at The End Of Days when our Third Temple stands and until then we need to always keep in mind that true happiness is something go look forward to.This thought comes into many of the traditional ways we celebrate certain functions like when we break a glass at a a Jewish Wedding to remind us that true happiness will be when our Third Temple stands.
So what was the sin of Nadav and Avihu that they had to pass away on such a holy day.
Our sages offer a few explanations.They say that Nadav and Avihu both decided on their own to both offer a fire when HaShem's Fire was already burning.There is also the fact that they did not show humility before their Rebbe Moshe, in going ahead on their own and doing what they did.Our sages speak also of the incense that they brought as well.
All these reasons were enough to have warranted the death penalty for men of such a high holy calibre for these two men were very holy.
The fact that they had to die on this day shows that their deaths had a reason.We are told that their sin was actually committed long before at Har Sinai when they wanted to go up the mountain when the elders wanted to and their punishment was delayed till this day.
The words to Aharon in this Parsha also give a hint as to what was also another reason.HaShem warns in this Parsha about being intoxicated when performing Holy Services for this was the possibly the case with Nadav and Avihu.This is why it is so important not to get drunk when doing anything holy.
But let us look closer.Here were two very holy men whose sole wish was to come close to the Shechinah.
This wish if theirs made them forget their humility for we should always keep it in mind that we are not worthy of such a revelation.They did not.They were so wrapped up in their need to come close to the Shechinah that they didn't stop to think about the need to respect G-D by not looking at Him as Moshe and Aharon would not look at HaShem but bow their faces.
Sadly Nadav and Avihu died.Their desire to view the Shechinah had them lose their lives and realize that at that time the physical body was not holy enough to view what they wanted to view and only the soul could cope.They did get closer to HaShem but on a level that they could spiritually.
We can learn from this to always be humble.No matter how high a person feels themselves to be,they still aught to be humble and forever respectful to HaShem Who is so far above all things.
With Love to HaShem,I wish HaShem with Love a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and to my fellow Yidden a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love.