In Parashat Shemini, we are confronted with the sobering story of Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, who bring what the Torah calls esh zarah, strange or unauthorized fire, before the Lord. While the exact nature of their offense is debated, perhaps they used coals that did not come from the altar or offered incense at a time not prescribed, or were intoxicated in the presence of Hashem, the central message is unmistakable: the sacred is not to be approached casually. The seriousness of their transgression is underscored by their immediate and tragic death. Moses, in an effort to offer consolation and clarity to the grieving Aaron, tells him that God had previously declared, “Among those who are near me I will be sanctified.” This highlights a principle deeply embedded in the fabric of biblical holiness—that the greater a person’s calling, giftedness, or knowledge, the higher the standard by which they are judged. “With the righteous, God is exacting even to a hair’s breadth.” Priests, who are called to teach the people the difference between the holy and the common, the pure and the impure, must embody the highest standard of conduct and reverence.
In this moment of intense grief and divine judgment, Aaron responds not with protest but with silence— “And Aaron held his peace.” He accepts the difficult wisdom in Moses’ words and submits to the will of God. This quiet, faithful submission stands in stark contrast to the response of David in the Haftorah portion, when confronted with the seriousness of mishandling the sacred.
David, seeking to return the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem after it had been estranged from Israel for over a century, first approaches the task with great celebration and a company of 30,000 men. However, in today’s haftarah the joy is interrupted when Uzzah, one of the men guiding the cart, reaches out to steady the Ark and is struck dead by God. Uzzah’s action, though instinctive, displayed a lack of reverence for the sacred protocols surrounding the Ark. David, shocked and angry at God’s judgment, abandons the task and leaves the Ark in the house of Obed-Edom. But when the household of Obed-Edom is blessed, David’s perspective changes. With renewed reverence, he brings the Ark into Jerusalem, this time with proper ceremony, great rejoicing, and wearing a priestly ephod. His uninhibited dancing before the Lord is criticized by his wife Michal, who sees it as undignified. David responds not with shame but with bold declaration: “I wasn’t doing it for your approval.” Many believe that on this occasion Psalm 24 was composed and sung— “Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.” (v.9) And yet this psalm, while grounded in that historical moment, may prophetically anticipate a greater King who would one day return to Jerusalem with a covenant not written on stone, but on hearts.
That greater King is Yeshua, David’s Son and David’s Lord, the true High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. Yeshua, too, was tempted by the enemy to bypass God’s plan, to take a shortcut to glory and bypass the protocol of suffering and obedience. But He did not treat His Father’s will with casualness. He submitted Himself fully, even to death on a cross. And because Yeshua entered the true Holy of Holies, the heavenly throne room, we are now invited to follow. We can approach the throne of grace with confidence—not with arrogance or presumption, but with assurance born of His righteousness.
The stories of Nadab, Abihu, and Uzzah all point to a central truth: treating the sacred with undue familiarity or casualness can lead to devastating consequences. Those entrusted with divine calling and access to holy things are held to a higher standard. We, who have come to know the Messiah and have been grafted into a royal priesthood, must walk with reverence and humility. Ours is a high calling—not just to enjoy the blessings of God, but to be living examples of His holiness in a world desperate for light. Let us live with a deep sense of havdil—of distinction—between the holy and the common, the pure and the impure, right and wrong. As priests in His Kingdom, let our lives reflect the awe, joy, and responsibility that come with drawing near to a holy God.