Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Leviticus 10:2/רמב"ן על ויקרא י׳:ב׳
אוַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי ה' - טַעַם "מִלִּפְנֵי ה'" כְּמוֹ "מֵאֵת פְּנֵי ה'". וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יִתְבּוֹנֵן, שֶׁכְּבָר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי זֶה (שמות ל א). זֶה הַחֵטְא בְּנָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא תֵּדָעֶנּוּ מִמַּה שֶׁאָמַר: "וַיַּקְרִבוּ לִפְנֵי ה' אֵשׁ זָרָה", וְלֹא אָמַר "וַיַּקְרִיבוּ לִפְנֵי ה' קְטֹרֶת אֲשֶׁר לֹא צִוָּה אֹתָם". וְהִנֵּה הֵם שָׂמוּ קְטֹרֶת עַל הָאֵשׁ, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (דברים לג י): "יָשִׂימוּ קְטוֹרָה בְּאַפֶּךָ", וְלֹא שָׂמוּ לִבָּם רַק לָזֹאת. וְהִנֵּה לֹא הָיָה אִשֶּׁה רֵיחַ נִיחוֹחַ. וְזֶה טַעַם "וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלֶיהָ קְטֹרֶת", שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר "וַיָּשִׂימוּ עֲלֵיהֶן", כַּאֲשֶׁר נֶאֱמַר בַּעֲדַת קֹרַח (במדבר טז ז): "וּתְנוּ בָהֵן אֵשׁ וְשִׂימוּ עֲלֵיהֶן קְטֹרֶת", וְשָׁם עוֹד: "וּנְתַתֶּם עֲלֵיהֶם קְטֹרֶת" (שם פסוק יז). אֲבָל אָמַר בְּכָאן "עָלֶיהָ", לִרְמֹז כִּי עַל הָאֵשׁ בִּלְבַד שָׂמוּ קְטֹרֶת. "וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי ה' וַתֹּאכַל אוֹתָם". וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁיִּרְמֹז לָזֶה מַה שֶׁאָמַר (שמות ל ט): "לֹא תַעֲלוּ עָלָיו קְטֹרֶת זָרָה", שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשׂוּהָ זָרָה. וְהוּא מַה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא ט"ז:א'): "בְּקָרְבָתָם לִפְנֵי ה' וַיָּמֻתוּ", כִּי בְּהַקְרִיבָם לְפָנָיו מֵתוּ.
1AND THERE CAME FORTH FIRE ‘MILIPHNEI’ (FROM BEFORE) THE ETERNAL. The meaning of “miliphnei the Eternal” is like: “from before the pnei (presence of) the Eternal.” The student learned [in the mystic lore of the Cabala] will understand, for I have already explained this.53 The nature of the sin of Nadab and Abihu you may know from that which it says, and they offered ‘strange fire’ before the Eternal,54 and it does not say “and they offered before the Eternal ‘incense’ which He had not commanded them.” Thus they put incense upon the fire, similarly to that which Scripture says, they shall put incense ‘b’apecha’ (before Thee),55 and they directed their thoughts only to this,56 (literally: ‘before Thy anger’). It is for this reason that the burning of incense stays the plague. (Numbers 17:11-15). However, the priest who offered it had to direct his mind to the perfect Unity of G-d. And since Nadab and Abihu directed it only to the attribute of justice (see Note 58), therefore they were punished.” See further, my Hebrew commentary p. 46. and thus it was not a fire-offering of a sweet savor.57 This is the sense of the expression, and they laid ‘aleha’ (upon her) incense.58 (upon her) is an allusion to the attribute of justice. and it does not say “and they laid upon them [i.e., the censers] incense,” as is said with reference to the company of Korah, and put fire therein, and put incense upon them,59 and again it is said there, and put incense upon them.60, Verse 17. But here it says upon her, to allude [to the fact] that they put the incense only on “the fire,” [and therefore it says], And there came forth fire from before the Eternal, and devoured them. It is possible that the verse which He said, Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon,61 alludes to this, meaning that he should not cause it [the fire] to be strange. It is in connection with this that Scripture states, when they [Nadab and Abihu] drew near before the Eternal, and died,62 which means “when they offered l’phanav they died.”63 alone [to the attribute of justice alone, as explained above] they died.