A Wondrous Revelation from the Holy Or HaChaim: The Secret of the Death of Nadav and Avihu – That Even as They Felt Their Death, They Yearned

It is brought in the Arvei Nachal (a Chassidic work) that the holy Or HaChaim (Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar, zt"l) wrote these words with Ruach HaKodesh (Divine Inspiration):

Or it may be said in this way: "After the death [of the two sons of Aaron]..." (Leviticus 16:1), Hashem spoke to Moshe regarding the manner of their death, which occurred through their drawing near before Hashem. This means they approached the Supernal Light with holy affection, and through this, they died. This is the secret of the "Kiss" (the Divine Kiss of death) through which the tzaddikim (righteous ones) die. Behold, they are equal to the death of all tzaddikim, except for one difference: for other tzaddikim, the "Kiss" approaches them, whereas these [Nadav and Avihu] approached it. This is what is meant by "in their drawing near before Hashem."

And when the verse says "and they died" (Leviticus 16:1) with the additional letter Vav (implying "and"), it hints at the wondrous love of the tzaddikim. Even though they felt their own death [approaching], they did not refrain from drawing near to the devekus (spiritual cleaving), pleasantness, sweetness, friendship, affection, desire, and delight, until their souls expired from them. Understand this.

This level—no one can recognize its quality, and it is beyond human recognition, neither through human speech nor through writing. It cannot be grasped through the intellectual estimations of the physical world. For one who attains even a portion of this perception, it will separate from him that which prevents him from receiving [the light], and he will recognize it by its signs, for it is the opposite of its enemies and those who oppose it. It will perform a marked action within him to negate the power of that which prevents and sustains him [in the physical realm]. Sometimes the soul will loathe [the physical] and contend with it a great contention; this is the secret of the "divine madness" of the prophets (I Samuel 19:24). When this level increases within his inner being, the soul will feel a revulsion toward the flesh, and it will depart from it and return to its Father's house.

I shall inform the one who contemplates the inner depth of the intellectual perception: that the contemplation of the intellect will perceive the [higher] perceptions. And through the intellect in its perception, he will perceive that the perceived is beyond the [ordinary] intellect. When he perceives through the awakening of his essence—and yet not his essence—he will perceive that the perceived is perceived from the [higher] perceived, not perceived from the [lower] mind. He [Hashem] grants this intellect to the wise through the uniqueness of His perception, in the secret of "a soul for his soul." Then his remnants will be the crowns of kings and their thrones. For there is "Life within Life," about which Moshe said: "And you shall choose life" (Deuteronomy 30:19)—the letter Beis [in the word BaChayim] indicates a specific knowledge, excluding the life that is common to general sensation. And he shall bless: "Blessed is the Living G-d who has designated this treasure for His treasured people."

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A Wondrous Revelation from the Holy Or HaChaim: The Secret of the Death of "Nadav and Avihu" – That Even as They Felt Their Death, They Yearned with Pleasantness and Sweetness for the Light of Hashem

It is brought in the Arvei Nachal that the holy Or HaChaim wrote these words with Ruach HaKodesh (Divine Inspiration):

Or it may be said in this way: "After the death [of the two sons of Aaron]..." (Leviticus 16:1), Hashem spoke to Moshe regarding the manner of their death, which occurred through their drawing near before Hashem. This means they approached the Supernal Light with holy affection, and through this, they died. This is the secret of the "Kiss" through which the tzaddikim die. Behold, they are equal to the death of all tzaddikim, except for one difference: for other tzaddikim, the "Kiss" approaches them, whereas these [Nadav and Avihu] approached it. This is what is meant by "in their drawing near before Hashem."

And when the verse says "and they died" with the additional letter Vav, it hints at the wondrous love of the tzaddikim. Even though they felt their own death [approaching], they did not refrain from drawing near to the devekus (spiritual cleaving), pleasantness, sweetness, friendship, affection, desire, and delight, until their souls expired from them. Understand this.

This level—no one can recognize its quality, and it is beyond human recognition, neither through human speech nor through writing. It cannot be grasped through the intellectual estimations of the physical world. For one who attains even a portion of this perception, it will separate from him that which prevents him from receiving [the light], and he will recognize it by its signs, for it is the opposite of its enemies and those who oppose it. It will perform a marked action within him to negate the power of that which prevents and sustains him. Sometimes the soul will loathe [the physical] and contend with it a great contention; this is the secret of the "divine madness" of the prophets (I Samuel 19:24). When this level increases within his inner being, the soul will feel a revulsion toward the flesh, and it will depart from it and return to its Father's house.

I shall inform the one who contemplates the inner depth of the intellectual perception: that the contemplation of the intellect will perceive the [higher] perceptions. And through the intellect in its perception, he will perceive that the perceived is beyond the [ordinary] intellect. When he perceives through the awakening of his essence—and yet not his essence—he will perceive that the perceived is perceived from the [higher] perceived, not perceived from the [lower] mind. He [Hashem] grants this intellect to the wise through the uniqueness of His perception, in the secret of "a soul for his soul." Then his remnants will be the crowns of kings and their thrones. For there is "Life within Life," about which Moshe said: "And you shall choose life" (Deuteronomy 30:19)—the letter Beis indicates a specific knowledge, excluding the life that is common to general sensation. And he shall bless: "Blessed is the Living G-d who has designated this treasure for His treasured people."