What’s the Difference Between the Holiness of Moshe and the Holiness of Nadav

The daily strengthening from The Rav, Rabbi Berland shlit"a – why do people make mistakes about the holiness of the Tzaddik?

Thursday, 23 Cheshvan 5783 – the song of the Levi’im restored people’s soul.

These are his holy words:

“All the choicest of the oil” (Bamidbar 18:12), because Korach was the son of Yitzhar (Bamidbar 16:1).

Korach was greater than Moshe. It is written that Moshe says that Nadav and Avihu were greater than him. Nadav and Avihu knew that they were greater than Moshe—they had qualities that Moshe did not have.

The Arizal explains: they were revealed (be’itgalya) — the Tzaddik is hidden (be’itkasya).

The Kohen is “oil”—a pure oil. But the Levi’im are “wine.” The Levi’im (in contrast to the Kohanim—and in contrast to the Tzaddik, whose light is be’itkasya) were be’itgalya: they sang. People would become “drunk” from the song of the Levi’im (whereas with the Kohanim it was be’itkasya).

It is written that Hogras ben Levi (Hogras ben Levi was the conductor of the Levi’im choir in the Beis HaMikdash, and one of the fifteen permanent appointed overseers in the Beis HaMikdash) would give a whistle; he would sing, and everyone would be thrown backward from sheer excitement, because they could not withstand it.

It was such singing of the Levi’im that it would confuse the senses. People would come completely broken—someone might mistakenly desecrate Shabbos, by mistake he tilted the lamp; by mistake electricity turned on, so he would need to bring a korban.

If he forgets that it is Shabbos and lights the lamp, then he needs to bring a korban. May the Beis HaMikdash be rebuilt, and we will need to bring sheep and a Chatas offering.