זוהר ויקרא — דף לז ע”ב
Summary
The Israelites who sinned together with the priest offer an ox and a ram as a peace offering, and not a calf as a sin offering like the priest, since they had already received their punishment in many places, and the Holy One, blessed be He, did not want to remind them of their sins, "in order to show peace." But Aaron, whose sin still hung over him since he had not been punished thanks to Moses's prayer, offers a calf "as a sin offering indeed," so as to atone for his sin and be purified.<br />
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On that day the upper and lower beings were made complete, and there was found complete peace and great joy such as had not been found since the day Israel went up from the sea. All the accusers above were removed from Israel. But at that very hour Nadab and Abihu arose and interrupted everyone's joy, and there was found "anger in the world."<br />
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It is explained that the joy of the Community of Israel that day consisted in being bound by the bond of faith through all the holy bonds, but Nadab and Abihu tied another bond, and "left the Community of Israel outside." Four reasons are given for this disturbance of the joy: that they were not married and so were not fit to offer sacrifice, that the time was not right, that they forced the moment, and that their fate had already been sealed beforehand because of the "strange fire."<br />
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Rabbi Pinchas explains that the Community of Israel had not been bound through them, for "in any place where male and female are not found, the Community does not dwell among them at all," and this is why a priest must not enter the sanctuary before he is married. Rabbi Yossei opens with "like a lily among thorns, so is my beloved among the daughters" — this is the Community of Israel whom the Holy One, blessed be He, praises and desires to cling to. This is why one who marries must praise both the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Community of Israel, just as the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself desires to cling to her, and whoever awakens this matter is blessed by both the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Community of Israel. The passage concludes by saying that the Community of Israel "rises and is crowned above all," like the lily and the citron among thorns.
<br />
On that day the upper and lower beings were made complete, and there was found complete peace and great joy such as had not been found since the day Israel went up from the sea. All the accusers above were removed from Israel. But at that very hour Nadab and Abihu arose and interrupted everyone's joy, and there was found "anger in the world."<br />
<br />
It is explained that the joy of the Community of Israel that day consisted in being bound by the bond of faith through all the holy bonds, but Nadab and Abihu tied another bond, and "left the Community of Israel outside." Four reasons are given for this disturbance of the joy: that they were not married and so were not fit to offer sacrifice, that the time was not right, that they forced the moment, and that their fate had already been sealed beforehand because of the "strange fire."<br />
<br />
Rabbi Pinchas explains that the Community of Israel had not been bound through them, for "in any place where male and female are not found, the Community does not dwell among them at all," and this is why a priest must not enter the sanctuary before he is married. Rabbi Yossei opens with "like a lily among thorns, so is my beloved among the daughters" — this is the Community of Israel whom the Holy One, blessed be He, praises and desires to cling to. This is why one who marries must praise both the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Community of Israel, just as the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself desires to cling to her, and whoever awakens this matter is blessed by both the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Community of Israel. The passage concludes by saying that the Community of Israel "rises and is crowned above all," like the lily and the citron among thorns.
Torat Emet / Rav Pinhas Reuven — CC BY-NC-SA 2.5
in Hebrew