Parashat Acharei Mot – Kedoshim

By Rabbi Aviad Boukris

We find a connection between these days of Sefira, when we mourn the petira of Rabbi Akiva’s twenty four thousand students, and this week’s Parasha which starts off with the petirah of Nadav and Avihu on the day of Chanukat Hamishkan. We know that Rabbi Akiva’s Talmidim were Niftar on the days prior to Matan Torah, a day of happiness, and so too, Aharon’s sons, Nadav and Avihu were niftar on the joyous day of the completion of the mishkan, as the pasuk refers to both occasions: ” ביום חתונתה וביום שמחת ליבו” .

In order to understand why such harsh events happened on these joyous days, the Magid M’dubna brings the following Mashal:
There was once a king who decided to build a new capital for his kingdom, and wanted it to be the most magnificent city in the world. He wanted there to be all one could ask for, that nothing should be lacking. The last thing which was built was the biggest hospital, and the king brought in the best doctor with the best reputation to whom he offered a large sum of money.
Unfortunately, as the first patient came to get cured, the doctors were not successful in their treatments and he died shortly after.

Everyone was shocked, especially the king, who immediately called in the doctor and demanded to know what had happened, if the doctor knew that there was not a chance of healing that person, why did the doctor try, thereby ruining his good reputation?

The doctor explained, that as he saw the excitement and the welcoming of the town’s people, he was afraid that the people would count on his ability to cure them and would no longer follow the doctor’s recommendations, and would get sick quickly. That is the reason, he explained to the king, why he was happy to see that the first patient did not have a cure and would for sure die so people will be more careful.

The nimshal is that the Torah is a cure for all our spiritual needs but Hashem didn’t want people to rely on it but rather they should be careful. This is the reason Hashem took to heaven these great tzadikim during these special days as a lesson for generations to come to be more careful especially in these holy days of preparation to matan Torah .

Shabbat Shalom.