21. From where do we know THAT THEY DID NOT DIE A SPIRITUAL DEATH? For it is written, "And Elazar, son of Aaron took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bore him Pinchas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families" (Shemot 6:25). HE QUESTIONS: IT SAYS "these," yet Pinchas alone is mentioned, and it says, "heads of the fathers of the Levites" OF PINCHAS ALONE. THIS IS BECAUSE NADAB AND ABIHU WERE REINCARNATED IN PINCHAS; THEREFORE, THE VERSE READS OF HIM, "THESE ARE THE HEADS," A PLURAL EXPRESSION. According to this, their deaths were physical not spiritual, as THEY WERE REINCARNATED IN PINCHAS. Rabbi Elazar said: THIS IS SO and it is understood WHEN IT IS WRITTEN ABOUT HIM, "These," A PLURAL EXPRESSION. It is likewise inherent WHEN IT IS WRITTEN ABOUT HIM, "Heads," A PLURAL EXPRESSION.
21. מנ"ל, דִּכְתִּיב, וְאֶלְעָזָר בֶּן אַהֲרֺן לָקַח לוֹ מִבְּנוֹת פּוּטִיאֵל לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ אֶת פִּנְחָס אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי אֲבוֹת הַלְוִיִּם לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָם. אֵלֶּה, וְהָא פִּנְחָס בִּלְחוֹדוֹי הֲוָה. וּכְתִיב, רָאשֵׁי אֲבוֹת הַלְוִיִּם, בְּג"כ, מִיתַת גַּרְמֵיהוֹן מִיתוּ, מִיתַת נַפְשָׁהוֹן לָא מִיתוּ. א"ר אֶלְעָזָר וַדַּאי מַשְׁמַע אֵלֶּה, וּמַשְׁמַע רָאשֵׁי.
198. Afterwards, he washes his body and sanctifies his hands to enter into another holy service. Then he aims to enter another most holy, lofty place; NAMELY, THE HOLY OF HOLIES. Three rows surround THE HIGH PRIEST-his colleague priests, Levite and the rest of the people. THEY REPRESENT THE THREE COLUMNS, PRIEST AND LEVITE REPRESENT RIGHT AND LEFT AND YISRAEL REPRESENT THE SECRET OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN. They raise their hands towards him in prayer. A knot OF ROPE of gold hangs from his leg, FROM FEAR PERHAPS HE WOULD DIE IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES, AND THEY WOULD NEED TO PULL HIM OUT WITH THIS ROPE.
198. וּלְבָתַר אַסְחֵי גּוּפֵיהּ, וְקִדֵּשׁ יְדוֹי, לְאַעֲלָא בְּפוּלְחָנָא אָחֳרָא קַדִּישָׁא. עַד דְּיִתְכַּוָּון לְמֵיעַל לַאֲתַר אָחֳרָא עִלָּאָה, קַדִּישָׁא מִכֺּלָּא. ג' שׁוּרִין סָחֲרִין לֵיהּ, כַּהֲנֵי אָחוֹי, וְלֵיוָאֵי, וּמִכָּל שְׁאָר עַמָּא כֻּלְּהוּ. זַקְפִין יְדִין עָלֵיהּ בִּצְלוֹתָא וְקִטְרָא דְּדַהֲבָא זַקְפָא בְּרַגְלֵיהּ.