We begin by turning to Rebbe Nachman's Likutey Moharan Book 1 lesson 2:1-3 (Read)

These words are “emet,” true.

In Parshah Shemini, at 10:1-3, we read what to some may seem like a harsh judgment against Aaron's sons, Nadav and Avihu. HaShem strikes them dead for the crime of Avodah Zarah. or foreign worship, specifically for offering "foreign fire." The text seems clear enough at first glance; they offered a “zarah” or alien fire to HaShem. But exactly how did they do this, and what precisely is "foreign fire?"

Ibn Ezra says: "Not from the fire that came forth from the Lord. This is the meaning of strange fire. They acted independently and were not commanded to burn incense and certainly not to employ a strange fire." Sforno adds that they made an inaccurate assumption based on earlier instructions. So he sees "foreign" as meaning "unauthorized," not necessarily as "alien," or avodah zara as such.

Gur Aryeh argues for a more literal interpretation (i.e., that the incense was of alien origin and not as ordered by God) while conceding Rashi's point, based on that of Rabbi Eliezer, that they also made an improper halachic ruling in the presence of Moshe Rabbeinu.

We get a deeper understanding from Avot DeRabbi Natan linking this "foreign fire" with "Avodah Zara:"

"and they placed incense thereon;" they placed the incense of the fire. We never find that incense was placed directly on the censer. "Strange fire which He had not commanded them (to use)." The Torah implies that they had already been warned not to use such fire as in Exodus 30,9; the prohibition is not to offer strange fire but not to use a strange mixture of incense. The Torah uses the unusual formulation "which he had not commanded them, instead of "which He had forbidden them," because on occasion, in exceptional circumstances, G–d permits something which is ordinarily prohibited... An example of such an exception would be what Elijah did on Mount Carmel in his confrontation with the 400 hundred priests of the Baal. (I Kings 18). He used a private altar, which God had strictly forbidden since the temple was erected. We also find a verse in Jeremiah 7,31, where the prophet uses this expression as having been used by G–d. In that example, the prophet rebukes the people for sacrificing their children to God, saying that this had never occurred for God to have them do. (Compare Talmud, tractate Taanit, folio four on that subject).

This point should serve as a warning to those who usurp the Laws of the Written Torah for Rabbinic Tradition. HaShem will not accept “strange” or “alien” offerings, even when it seems logical. God is not limited! He acts according to His own counsel, not from that of men from the Middle Ages or the present.

The bulk of the Parsha goes on to describe the various laws of Kashrut, animal slaughter, and so on.

How is this applicable to us today? We say we want Messiah! Mashiach ben David. We yearn to see God's light shining brightly throughout Israel and the world. Yes! And we don't have to wait any longer for this! We can utilize the same divine power Mashiach will one day wield right now! The main weapon of HaMashiach is prayer and Psalms of praise!

Is the power of prayer and praise something that only Mashiach will yield? No! Rebbe Nachman teaches us this incredible power from the “ 'Nostrils' of HaShem,” from the life-giving Breath of God. And what is this Breath? It is the Ruach HaKodesh: the “Wind” or Holy Spirit emanating from HaShem's Word and Will!

When Elohim began speaking material existence into being, He did so by uttering the Asarah Ma'amorot, the Ten Utterances. These Utterances are contemplated through the nightly Omer Count when considering the Ten Divine Emanations or Sephirot, which will begin the second night of Pesach. Accompanying these Ten Words of Power and the Ten Sephirot is the Life-Giving Force of the Divine Breath through which they are uttered. By receiving God's Word, His Torah, and His Ruach into our consciousness today, we can be imbued with the same Light of Creation, which has its Source in the Ohr Kodesh, the Divine Creative Light, which is itself the “ Breath of His Nostrils into the Void surrounding material existence!

Through the Ana B'Ko'ach prayer, which we chant each Shabbat, we are permitted to imbibe directly from the creative wellspring of all life and well-being. We can receive the Holy Spirit within our consciousness and expel all foreign winds, all forms of avodah zarah as we seek greater experiences of devekut. We choose to follow His Way as revealed in the Written Torah coupled with hitbodedut: personal prayer and meditation.

This awesome Power is greater than any sword, gun, bomb, virus - than any globalist edict. As Rashi says in Genesis 48:22: "[My sword and my bow are] my prayer and my supplication," and as the verse says, "I do not trust in my bow, nor does my sword save me. You [Adonai] have saved us from our oppressors and shamed those who hate us" – Psalm 44:7.

The Rebbe explains that emunah is NOT what some term "Blind faith," G-d forbid. Blind faith is foolishness! Superstition is baseless. Instead, Rebbe Nachman advises that our emunah must be like Yoseph's. It must combine Justice and Judgment and lead us into Self Discipline and Knowing. Like a master swordsman, our emunah-filled prayers must always be 'girded to our sides' and wielded with expertise and self-discipline. Living an emunah-filled life requires experience before the days of active combat arrive.

Consider, if one wishes to be a mechanic, a doctor, a lawyer, a burger flipper, or anything else in this life, one must learn what is required for success and perfect that skill set. Why would emunah and prayer be any different? Motivating faith (or emunah) must be intentionally developed through accurate knowledge, personal experience, and intention (kavanah). Such emunah enlightens and empowers our prayers. A person who properly understands the Torah (the Jewish Scriptures and revelations) and invests time in Hitbodedut (personal payer) will develop deep emunah and prayer. Through emunah, one merits a powerful prayer life and experiences great unshakable joy and contentment.

As Rav Kook tells us:

The purest Tzadikim do not complain about evil.

Rather, they increase justice.

They do not complain about Godlessness,

they increase their emunah

They do not complain about ignorance,

but increase wisdom.

This is what HaShem wants from each of us: Prayer with emunah-Meditation with emunah. So set your kavanah (intention) to know and observe His directions and have bitachon or trust in Him alone. Then you will know permanent Shalom and spread the Light of Shalom everywhere you go. Such emunah-based Shalom draws Mashiach ever closer. Those who do not increase their emunah daily should ask themselves whether they really want Meshiach ben David to arrive in our days. May he come soon and rescue us!

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* © Rabbi Shlomo Nachman ben Ya'akov * March 10, 2021 (updated 4/03/24)
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