How can someone so holy, so close to Hashem, be punished so harshly?

In this week’s parsha, we read the shocking story of Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aharon. Filled with spiritual passion and awe, they bring a korban that Hashem did not command—and are immediately consumed by a heavenly fire.

They had just been anointed as Kohanim. The Mishkan had just been completed. This was a time of celebration, a moment of closeness between the Jewish people and Hashem. Nadav and Avihu wanted to contribute. They were inspired. They wanted to come closer.

But the closer you come to Hashem, the more careful you must be.
Love for Hashem is beautiful—but it must be matched with awe. Passion must be paired with precision. Inspiration must be rooted in humility and exactness.

We learn from this story a deep and powerful truth:
Closeness to Hashem is the greatest privilege in the world. But it comes with great responsibility.

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The Gemara teaches that a tzaddik is judged more strictly than an ordinary person. Why? Because Hashem holds those who are closer to Him to a higher standard. The holier the space, the greater the care required to honor it.

We see this in the very land we live in.

• Eretz Yisrael has a higher level of kedusha than the rest of the world. It is Hashem’s Palace. When we walk its streets, we are walking through holiness—and we must act accordingly.
• Yerushalayim has even greater kedusha. It is the King’s inner chamber.
• The Beit HaMikdash is the holiest place of all—Hashem’s private room, so to speak. And the closer you get, the more you must be aligned with the honor and expectations of that space.

This is why the punishment for Nadav and Avihu was so severe. They stepped into the most sacred space in the world, as representatives of the people. Their intentions were pure—but their actions didn’t match Hashem’s command.
And in the presence of the King, even the smallest deviation matters.

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This is not meant to scare us away from closeness.
It’s meant to awaken us to the incredible power of that closeness.

When we live in Eretz Yisrael, when we dedicate our lives to serving Hashem, when we strive to live with kedusha and awareness—we are walking in royal territory. We are in the presence of the King.

The Gemara even says that if someone feels overwhelmed by their yetzer hara and is going to sin, they should dress in black, go somewhere far, and do it privately. Why? Because when you’re close to Hashem, you can’t act as if you’re far. You can’t treat holiness casually. And here, in the Land of Hashem, everything is magnified.

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So what do we do?

We rise to the occasion.

We elevate ourselves to match the holiness of our surroundings.

We live with the awareness that we are in the King’s palace—and we act with the dignity and reverence that such a reality deserves.

Closeness to Hashem is the greatest honor, the deepest joy, and the most fulfilling way to live.
But it’s not something to take lightly.
It’s something to cherish. To respect. To rise toward.

Let’s embrace the privilege—and the responsibility—of being close to Hashem.
Let’s serve Him not just with passion, but with precision.
Not just with love, but with awe.

And in that place of sacred balance, we will find the ultimate blessing:
A life lived in the presence of the King.