Fire, holy and unholy.

The shock is immense.

For several weeks and many chapters, the longest prelude in the terror, we've read of the

preparations for the moment at which God would bring his presence to rest in the midst

of the people.

Five parciotrumat Tzabe Kitisa and Pekude, describe the instructions for building the sanctuary, and two, Vajikran, Sav, detail the sacrificial offerings to be brought.

All is now ready. For seven days, the priests, Aaron and his sons are consecrated into office, and now comes the eighth day when the service of the Mishkan world begin.

The entire people have played their part in constructing what would become the visible home of the divine presence on earth, with a simple moving verse.

The drama reaches its climax.

Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they

came out, they blessed the people. God's glory was then revealed to all the people. And just as we think,

the narrative has reached closure. A terrifying scene takes place. Aaron's sons, Nadeva Ni, who took their senses, put fire into them and added incense,

and they offered unauthorized fire before God, which he had not instructed them to offer.

Fire came forth from before God, and it consumed them so that they died before God. Moses then said to Aaron, this is what

God spoke of when he said, among those who approach me, I will show myself holy in the sight of all the

people. I will be honored. Celebration turned to tragedy. The two eldest sons of Aaron die.

The sages and commentators offer many explanations.

Nardov and of ye who died, they said, because they entered the Holy of Holies.

They weren't wearing the right clothes.

They took fire from the kitchen, not the altar. They didn't consult

Mosin and Aaron, nor did they consult one another. According to some, they were guilty of

hubris. They were impatient to assume leadership roles themselves, and they didn't marry,

...