אור החיים — אחרי מות שני בני אהרן בקרבתם לפני ה' וימתו

Q — The opening verse poses several difficulties: what did God actually say to Moshe (the command to Aharon only appears in verse 2)? Why does verse 1 add 'בקרבתם' when the sin of Nadav and Avihu was already stated more explicitly earlier? And why the redundant 'וימתו' after 'אחרי מות'?

A — Or HaChaim re-reads the verse with new punctuation and meaning. The point is a warning to Moshe himself: he must not think that because he is closer to the kingdom of Heaven and 'trusted in all God's house,' he may therefore enter the Holy at any time. The deaths of Aharon's sons 'in their drawing near' are invoked precisely to caution even Moshe against presuming on his closeness — entry to the Kodesh has its limits, regardless of one's stature.