Instruments of Punishment and Atonement

Midrash Tanchuma (Beshalach 21) links our Torah reading in Parshat Shmini which speaks about the death of Aharon’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, to our Haftara which tells the story about how Uzzah died because he touched the Ark of God (Shmuel Bet Chapters 6-7).

According to Midrash Tanchuma, B’nai Yisrael complained about the incense, the Ark and the staff, claiming that they were instruments of punishment:

The incense was an instrument of punishment, for it killed Nadav and Avihu as we see in Parshat Shmini, Vayikra 10: 1-2: “The sons of Aharon, Nadav and Avihu each took his fire pan, they put fire in them and placed incense upon it; and they brought before God an alien fire that He had not commanded them. A fire came forth from before God and consumed them, and they died before God.”

God informed B’nai Yisrael that incense was to be used for atonement as well, as it says in Parshat Korach, Bamidbar 17:12: “Aharon took as Moshe had spoken and ran to the midst of the congregation, and behold! The plague had begun among the people. He placed the incense and provided atonement for the people.”

B’nai Yisrael said that the Ark was a tool for retribution, for God killed Uzzah and the men of Beit Shemesh there, as it says in Shmuel Bet 6:6-7: “They came to the threshing floor of Nachon- and Uzzah reached out to the Ark of God and grasped it, for the oxen had shifted it. The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there for his error; and there he died by the Ark of God.” And it says in Shmuel Alef 6:19: “He struck down of the people of Beit Shemesh, because they had gazed upon the Ark of the Lord, He struck down seventy as well as fifty thousand of the people. And the people mourned, for the Lord had struck the people a grave blow.”

God revealed to B’nai Yisrael that the Ark was also an instrument of blessing, as it says in Shmuel Bet 6:11: “And the Ark of the Lord remained in the house of Oved-Edom the Gitti for three months; and the Lord blessed Oved-Edom and all his house.”

The sapphire staff with which God brought the plagues upon the Egyptians in Egypt and killed them at the Red Sea was an instrument for punishment for the Egyptians.

The staff was also an instrument that performed miracles as we see in Parshat Beshalach, Shmot 17:5-6: “And the Lord said to Moshe: ‘Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and in your hand, take your staff with which you struck the River and go. Behold- I shall stand before you by the rock in Horev; you shall strike the rock and water will come forth from it and the people will drink…’”

We see that the same objects which gave off negative vibes due to the fact that they were used for retribution were also able to regain their reputations and be used for atonement.

There is no magic in the object itself, the strength that is infused into the object is bestowed solely by God, sometimes in a negative way and other times in a positive way.

May we be worthy of being blessed by God with only good things.