152. Come and behold: although Aaron's sons died at that time, AND WERE NOT SAVED THROUGH THE GREATNESS OF THE DAY, it was justified in several ways. It was not the time of incense-burning, as incense is burned only at certain times, NAMELY IN THE MORNING AND IN THE EVENING, as written: "And Aaron shall burn upon it sweet incense early in the morning" (Shemot 30:7). When? "When he trims the candles" (Ibid.), so that there will be oil and incense together. It is also written: "And when Aaron lights the candles at evening, he shall burn incense" (Ibid. 8).
153. During these times, IN THE MORNING AND IN THE EVENING, and not at any other time, INCENSE is burned, except when there is plague upon the world, WHEN IT IS BURNED APART FROM REGULAR TIMES, as in the verse: "And Moses said to Aaron, 'Take a censer, and put fire in it...'" (Bemidbar 17:11). Aaron's sons did not burn it when oil and incense were together, NAMELY IN THE MORNING AND EVENING, WHICH ALLUDES TO THE UNION OF CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, OIL BEING CHOCHMAH AND INCENSE BEING BINAH. THEY THEREFORE DIED.
154. They also forced the time TO BURN INCENSE during their father's lifetime, AND IT WAS NOT ALLOWED FOR ANY MAN TO BURN INCENSE DURING HIS LIFETIME. Moreover, they were not married and were defective, for he who has not taken a wife is defective and is not worthy that blessings would be present in the world by him, or THEIR BEING DRAWN by him to others. We also learned that they were drunk. Therefore: "And a fire went out from before Hashem, and devoured them" (Vayikra 10:2), for the incense is most beloved OF ALL SACRIFICES, the joy of the upper and lower. It is also written, "Oil and incense rejoice the heart" (Mishlei 27:9).
155. Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd). A man is a leper only if he was conceived during the time of menstruation; NAMELY, THAT HIS MOTHER CONCEIVED HIM WHEN SHE WAS IN HER DAYS OF IMPURITY. There are five kinds of blood in the blood of the menstrual period, all of them impure. There are five kinds of blood that are pure. Whoever transgresses by them is considered as if he has transgressed the Ten Commandments, which include all of the 613 precepts.
156. The KLIPAH CALLED 'a maid,' who is the Evil Inclination, is full of defects. Any man who has defects must not come near. The priests therefore must not come near he who has any of the defects in the world, since it says of the Matron, MALCHUT: "You are all fair, My love; there is no blemish in you" (Shir Hashirim 4:7). No one who is defective should approach Her, and a stranger must not come near Her, or "the stranger that comes near shall be put to death" (Bemidbar 3:38). This is the secret of the bastard (Heb. mamzer), the letters of Mum-Zar (lit. 'a strange defect'), WHICH ARE THE MALE AND FEMALE OF THE KLIPOT, the defect being Mum, the Female, and the strange Zar, the Male. It is for this reason that He commanded: "Also you shall not approach to a woman in the impurity of her menstrual flow" (Vayikra 18:19). Of those who did come near her, NAMELY NADAB AND ABIHU, it says: "And offered strange (Heb. zarah) fire before Hashem, which he commanded them not. And a fire went out from before Hashem, and devoured them, and they died" (Vayikra 10:1-2).