Komentarz do Kapłańska 16:2

יבא‎ ויאמר ה׳ אל משה דבר אל אהרן אחיך ואל AND THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES, SPEAK UNTO AARON THY BROTHER THAT HE COME NOT [AT ALL TIMES INTO THE HOLY PLACE]! THAT HE DIE NOT as his sons have died (Sifra, Acharei Mot, Section 1 4).

SPEAK UNTO AARON THY BROTHER. The meaning of the epithet thy brother is that “you are to warn him because he is your brother, for even though you are not under this prohibition against coming [into the holy place at all times, thus you might think that Aaron, too, is not subject to this restriction, since he is your brother, nonetheless] Aaron, your brother, is under the prohibition against coming [into the holy place at all times].”
Now Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that this Scriptural section indicates that Aaron’s sons [died because they] brought the fire of incense into the innermost part of the Sanctuary.¹²I.e., the Holy of Holies. This explains, according to Ibn Ezra, why He mentioned here the death of Aaron’s sons, and then followed it up with the admonition against the priests entering at all times into the holy place within the Veil (M’kor Chayim). But in my opinion this is not correct. For the verses which mention their sin always say, when they offered ‘strange’ fire before the Eternal.¹³Numbers 3:4. Ibid., 26:61. And if [you accept as] proof that they entered into the innermost part of the Sanctuary, the prohibition with which G-d warned Moses concerning their father [i.e., Aaron], so that he die not [as Ibn Ezra said], then [you should] certainly accept as proof [that they died because] they entered the Sanctuary whilst intoxicated by wine, the prohibition that was said to Aaron himself immediately after their death, [Drink no wine nor strong drink etc.]!¹Above, 10:9. Moreover, how could it have occurred to them to enter on that day the [innermost] part [of the Sanctuary] which [even] their father did not enter, for Aaron burnt the incense on the “inner” altar [which stood in the Sanctuary proper], and why should they bring in their incense to a place further inside [the Sanctuary] than their father! Now I have already hinted at the nature of their sin,¹⁴Above, 10:2. and the language of the verses point thereto. But the expression ‘b’korvatham’ (when they approached) [does not mean, as Ibn Ezra interpreted it, “when they approached by entering the innermost part of the holy place”, but] according to its plain meaning is like the expression ‘uv’korvatham’ (and when they come near) to the altar¹⁵Exodus 40:32. to minister.¹⁶Or when they come near to the altar to minister (ibid., 30:20). Thus the verse here is stating that Aaron’s sons died when they ministered before G-d. If so, [the sense of the warning here] is that He warned Aaron that he should only minister in the place which He commands [that it be done], and at the time He specifies for it.
It is possible that the sense of the verse is similar to that which our Rabbis have said,¹⁷Mechilta, Beshalach Vayasa 6. See also Rashi, Numbers 17:13. that the people were speaking perversely of the incense, saying, “Through it Nadab and Abihu [Aaron’s sons] died etc.” Therefore Scripture stated that after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the Eternal with the incense, He said to Aaron that he should come even nearer before the Eternal than they did, and with incense, for if he comes into the holy place [i.e., the Holy of Holies] without the incense, he will die, for with it he shall enter there first, just as He said, and he shall bring it within the Veil … and the cloud of the incense will cover the ark-cover that is upon the testimony, that he die not.¹⁸Further, Verses 12-13. According to tradition the High Priest first entered the Holy of Holies, and then put the incense upon the censer containing the coals of fire from the altar that stood in the outside Court. This Service, as will be explained further on, was done only on the Day of Atonement. This then is the meaning of the phrase [here in Verse 2 before us], for I will appear in the cloud upon the ark-cover, meaning that he [Aaron now, and the High Priest in succeeding generations] is only to enter there with the incense whose cloud rises up there [upon the ark-cover], even as He said, and the cloud of the incense will cover the ark-cover.¹⁹Verse 13. Thus it will be shown that it is not the incense which brings death, for here Aaron went into the Sanctuary even further than his sons did, and he was protected by the incense. People will thus conclude that it is sin that brings death, and not the incense. This is clearly the trend of Ramban’s thought.

ויאמר ה׳ אל משה, G'd said to Moses, etc. The Torah employs the "soft" language usually associated with the word אמור, although the subject matter is a dire warning according to Rabbi Eleazar ben Azaryah. The very warning was a demonstration of G'd's loving concern for Aaron, just as the physician who warned the patient of the consequences of not following his advice did so out of concern for the life of his patient.