by Ephraim Silverberg

Ephraim Silverberg was a student at the Technion, Israel's university of technology in Haifa, when he began posting weekly Dvar Torah essays to the Usenet newsgroup net.religion.jewish in 1985. This essay, on Parashat Shmini, draws primarily on the Lubavitcher Rebbe's commentary in Likutei Sichot to explore one of the deepest questions in Jewish spiritual life: what went wrong with Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aaron who approached God unbidden and were consumed by divine fire?

The Rebbe's answer, as Silverberg presents it, turns on two Kabbalistic concepts: Ratzo (רצוא) — the impulse to draw near to God, to rise above the material world in spiritual striving — and Shov (שוב) — the impulse to draw back, to remain in this world, to serve God through concrete action and responsibility to others. Both are necessary; neither is sufficient alone. The post's relevance extends beyond the specific incident: Silverberg uses it to frame a broader teaching about leadership, service, and the integration of inner devotion with outer action.

Introduction

This Dvar Torah is based on material taken from Likutei Sichot of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (the Lubavitcher Rebbe) on Parashat Shmini and on B'Urim L'Pirkei Avot compiled from the discourses of the Lubavitcher Rebbe (Kehot Publishing Company, New York, 5742). Any errors or misinterpretations are solely my responsibility and should not be attributed to these sources.

The Mishna of Pirkei Avot

The chapter of Pirkei Avot for this week opens with the following Mishna: "Rebi says: which is the just path that a man should choose — that which brings splendour for those that follow it and splendour from other men." [1]

The Rebbe asks the following questions:

(1) What type of question is "which is the just path that a man should choose"? The Torah guides our path as it is explicitly stated: "The ways of G-d are just." [2] The question in hand must be referring to choosing a "just" path in the observance of the Torah, and this fact must be elucidated.

(2) How is it possible to say (especially concerning behaviour beyond the requirements of the strict law) that the measuring stick by which a man should choose his path in life is the one that is pleasant for him ("brings splendour for those that follow it") and also, he takes into account what people think of him so that the path should find favour in people's eyes ("splendour from other men")?

(3) What is the connection with the author of the Mishna — Rebi [Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi]?

The Rebbe explains: "splendour for those that follow it" refers to a man's divine service regarding his own self-improvement (in general — the path of Torah), and "splendour from other men" — the divine service directed towards his fellow man (the path of G'Milut Chassadim [Kindness towards others]). And the "just path" — which is beyond the strict requirement of the Law — is to merge and equalise both these paths. It is within the power of man to guide his deeds so that his divine service will encompass both these manners of divine service (even though they may seem contradictory) and in such a way as the merging shall not be lacking, but each aspect will be in itself completely fulfilled.

This is particularly applicable to the author, Rebi, for the following reasons:

(i) Rebi was the Nasi [often translated "Prince", denoting that he was the head of the Sanhedrin and regarded as the spiritual leader of the generation], and the Nasi has a particular need to encompass both these paths since the leader of the generation must give up his self-interests and devote his energies to the needs of his generation. A private individual could possibly choose one path only; [3] however, Rebi, being the "shepherd" of Israel, made sure that both these attributes be present in each and every one.

(ii) It is known that Tiferet ("splendour") is the attribute of Jacob, and we find a special connection between Rebi and Jacob as Nasi is an acronym for Nitzutzo Shel Yaakov Avinu [spark of Jacob, our forefather — the acronym works out in Hebrew], and Rebi was the only Nasi to have the word "Nasi" made part of his name — Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi. Therefore, Rebi instructs us to choose a "just path" that is "tiferet for those that follow it and tiferet from other men." [4]

Nadav and Avihu — Ratzo Without Shov

This lesson is particularly applicable to this week's Parasha, where we witness the death of Aharon's sons, Nadav and Avihu.

The Rebbe explains in Likutei Sichot that the root of the reason that brought about their death [as to the actual Halachic reason why they deserved death, there are a multitude of varying opinions] was a "defect" in their manner of divine service. A person's divine service must consist of Ratzo (the seeking of closeness to G-d by way of divesting oneself of one's material limitations through intellectual striving in Torah) and Shov (the drawing back — through fear of G-d — to this world, enabling one to physically perform the Mitzvot in this material world). [These phrases come from the verse: "And the Chayyot drew forward (Ratzo) and back (Shov)." [5] ]

Nadav and Avihu attained a spiritual level greater than Moses and Aharon, [6] but their service was that of Ratzo only, without the necessary counterbalance of Shov. Therefore their souls were consumed by fire, [7] since they were so divested of this world that they could no longer remain in a physical body.

The Lesson for Our Generation

The lesson to our generation is clear: it is not sufficient to worry about one's own spiritual needs without taking into account the needs of one's fellow Jew; on the other hand, one who fulfills his "humane" obligations, but neglects the Torah has not completed his task in this world as a Jew.

May we all strive to be faithful to the Torah and to our fellow Jews, and may we be privileged to witness the speedy Redemption of all the Jewish people with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkanu, speedily in our days.

Shabbat Shalom.

Notes

[1] Avot II:1.
[2] Hosea 14:10.
[3] See Likutei Sichot, Section 2, Page 320 and the additions to Section 3 of Keter Shem Tov.
[4] Kehilat Yaakov Ma'arechet Rebi.
[5] Ezekiel 1:14.
[6] See Rashi on Leviticus 10:3.
[7] See Rashi on Leviticus 10:8.

Colophon

Written by Ephraim Silverberg ([email protected]), Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, and posted to the Usenet newsgroup net.religion.jewish on April 16, 1985. Original Message-ID: [email protected].

Silverberg regularly posted weekly Dvar Torah essays to the Usenet Jewish community in 1985. His D'var Torah on Parashat Vayetzeh — analysing the gematria of Jacob's Ladder — is also preserved in this archive. This essay draws on the Lubavitcher Rebbe's discourses in Likutei Sichot (the Rebbe's collected letters and talks) and B'Urim L'Pirkei Avot (Kehot, 1982).

Preserved from the Usenet archive for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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