Bs”d
Parshas Shmini (5768)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
Perhaps the greatest difficulty in the episode of Nadav and Avihu in our parsha is why did they actually drink the wine that they were so severely punished for?
The Creator in His great wisdom provides us with a tool in the form known as wine that is embellished with the power when consumed to break down the barriers between us and help create a “oneness”. This explains why Noach place a priority in planting grapes when he emerged from the ark. Since the lack of love and mutual sensitivity was the cause of the great disastrous mabul. Upon descending from the ark he immediately preoccupied himself with the planting of this precious commodity.
The avoda of the Kohanim demands a high level of ahavas Yisroel; Nadav and Avihu used this potent tool.
Since the salvation of Purim came about from a high level of ahavas Yisroel and a concern for all, the Chazal ordained the mitzvah of drinking wine to commemorate and increase our ahavas Yisroel.
Have a wonderful Shabbos and we should all be zocheh to have the true connection to achainu bnei yisroel.