Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks It should have been a day of joy. The Israelites had completed the Mishkan, the Sanctuary. For seven days Moses had made preparations for its consecration.[1] Now on the eighth day â the first of Nissan â one year to the day since the Israelites had received their first command two weeks prior to the Exodus (Ex. 40:2) â the service of the Sanctuary was about to begin (Lev. 9:1 â 24). The Sages say that in Heaven it was the most joyous day since Creation (Megillah 10b). But tragedy struck. The two elder sons of Aaron âoffered a strange fire that had not been commandedâ (Lev. 10:1) and the fire from heaven that should have consumed the sacrifices consumed them as well. They died. Aaronâs joy turned to mourning. âVayidom Aharonâ meaning, âAnd Aaron was silent.â (Lev. 10:3) The man who had been Mosesâ spokesman could not longer speak. Words turned to ash in his mouth.