Kommentar zu Bamidbar 3:4

על פני אהרן [AND ELEAZAR AND ITHAMAR MINISTERED] BEFORE THE FACE OF AARON — i.e. during his lifetime (cf. Rashi on Genesis 11:28).

AND ELEAZAR AND ITHAMAR MINISTERED ‘AL PNEI’ AARON THEIR FATHER - “that is, during the lifetime [of Aaron their father].” This is the language of Rashi. Now [Rashi] does not mean to say that they ministered during their father’s lifetime, for all priests of the family of Aaron may minister during their fathers’ lifetime [so why should Scripture single out Eleazar and Ithamar in this respect?] Rather, [the verse says that they were anointed during Aaron’s lifetime], because He had stated [that Aaron’s sons were] the priests that were anointed,¹⁴⁹Verse 3. meaning that they too were like the High Priests in that they were anointed during Aaron’s lifetime, just as he [Aaron] was anointed, a procedure which was not applicable in later generations.¹⁵⁰In later generations ordinary priests did not have to be anointed ; they automatically entered into the priesthood by descent. Only High Priests were anointed. Scripture thus alludes here to the unusual fact that Eleazar and Ithamar were anointed at this time, although they were ordinary priests, in the same way that Aaron the High Priest was anointed, a procedure which was not followed in later generations, see Vol. III, p. 117.
But the correct interpretation is that the expression al pnei refers to the beginning [of the verse, and the order of the phrases is to be understood as if inverted, as follows]: “And Nadab and Abihu died before the Eternal ‘al pnei’ (in the presence of) Aaron their father, when they offered strange fire.”¹⁵¹The order of the phrases according to the Hebrew text is as follows: And Nadab and Abihu died before the Eternal when they offered strange fire before the Eternal, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children; and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the presence of Aaron their father. And so indeed it is stated in the Book of Chronicles: And Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children, and Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest’s office.¹⁵²I Chronicles 24:2. The meaning of [the expression] before the Eternal is that they died a miraculous death which came [directly] from Him. Similarly it is stated in the case of the spies that they died by the plague before the Eternal.¹⁵³Further. 14:37.

בהקריבם אש זרה, this was the only blemish they had been guilty of.

וימת נדב ואביהו לפני ה', “and Nadav and Avihu had died in the presence of Hashem, etc.” They died as a direct act of G’d. We find a similar expression used in Numbers 14,37 when the Torah reports the death of the 10 spies who had reported negatively on the people’s chances to conquer the land of Canaan.

During his lifetime. There are texts that read “In the presence of Aharon their father— during his lifetime.” One might ask: Why did Rashi explain “during his lifetime.” The answer is that if he had not explained so, one would say that this was after his death, because they were not fitting to serve when [Aharon] was present. Therefore Rashi explains, in the presence of Aharon their father, in his lifetime they were made Kohanim Gadolim, meaning that if Aharon became impure then Elazar would serve, and if Elazar became impure then Isamar would serve (Tanchuma).

V. 4. וימת נדב וגו׳ (siehe zu Wajikra 10, 1 u. 2). — ובנים לא היו להם. Wären ihnen, nachdem sie die Priesterweihe empfangen hatten, Söhne geboren worden, so hätten diese auch mit der Geburt den Priestercharakter empfangen, und es hätte sich das Priestertum auch in der von ihnen stammenden Familie weiter vererbt. So aber hinterließen sie bei ihrem Tode keine Söhne, und ויכהן אלעזר ואיתמר על פני אהרן אביהם. Wir haben zu Bereschit 16, 12 angemerkt, wie der Ausdruck על פניר nicht selten von unangenehmen, widerwärtigen, missliebigen Wahrnehmungen und Erfahrungen gebraucht wird. Wir glauben daher auch hier es in einem solchen Sinne verstehen zu dürfen. Dadurch, dass die beiden älteren Söhne kinderlos fortgestorben waren, blieben von Aharon nur Elasar und Itamar als Fortträger der כהונה übrig.

'לפני ה, “before the Lord;” Rabbi Yochanan queried this wording, asking if Nadav and Avihu had indeed died “before the Lord, i.e. while performing service in honour of the Lord?” He therefore concludes that when righteous peple have to die, their death is as difficult for the Lord to come to terms with as if they had died while performing service to the Lord. (Compare Bamidbar Rabbah 2,24).

ובנים לא היו להם, “and they did not have sons.” Rabbi Yaakov, son of bar Avi, speaking in the name of Rabbi Acha, said: if these sons of Aaron had had sons, they would have preceded Elazar and Ittamar in greatness; it is a rule that anyone who has offspring takes precedence compared to those who do not have heirs. Their shortcoming was that they did not marry and assure themselves of offspring. (Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar 2,22.)

ובנים לא היו להם, if they had had sons, the sons would have been their replacements if they had been physically and mentally suitable.

על פני אהרן אביהם, “during the lifetime of their father Aaron.” Rashi explains that the expression על פני means “during the lifetime of.” Nachmanides elaborates that what the Torah means is not that the sons who died had not had already functioned as priests during the lifetime of their father, in the sense of “substituting for their father.” All four sons had been anointed as priests and had functioned or were ready to function as priests. [After all they died on the very first day that Moses had handed over service in the Tabernacle to the priests, as we know from Leviticus Ed.] The reason that the Torah adds the words על פני אהרן אביהם, is only that seeing the Torah had spoken of the priests who had been anointed, it was made plain that these two had also been properly anointed. They were potentially High Priests just as their father was in practice. I, personally believe, (author speaking) that the words על פני אביהם refer to the beginning of our verse, i.e.לפני ה' as in Chronicles I 24,2 we also read the words לפני אביהם, not על פני אביהם, followed by the words ובנים לא היו להם ויכהן אלעזר ואיתמר תחתיהם, “and they were not survived by children, and Eleazar and Ittamar became priests in their stead.” [Just as in our verse here. Ed.]

על פני אהרן אביהם, “while their father was alive.” The expression: על פני, is to be understood as in Deuteronomy 21,16: על פני בן השנואה הבכור, “instead of the firstborn son of the hated wife;” or as in Exodus 20,3: לא יהיה לך אלוהים אחרים על פני, “you shall not have any other deities in My presence,”

ויכהן אלעזר ואיתמר, they had been given authority to substitute for their father in the Tabernacle if the need would arise, by the command of G’d.

על פני אהרן אביהם, during the lifetime of Aaron his sons had already been anointed. The death of two of them, as well as their replacing their father as High Priest was not at Aaron’s command, even though he was the High Priest. [if I understand the author correctly, he means that contrary to a king appointing a son as his successor, the High Priest is not entitled to appoint his own successor. Ed.] None of what is reported here is of significance for future generations as ordinary priests were not anointed, whereas the position of High Priest was not a position that could be inherited.