Photo @nasa (unsplash.com) They saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. But God did not lay His hand on the nobles of Israel; they saw Him, and they ate and drank. (Exodus 24:10-11) What did they see? Something nice, for sure. Something to talk about back home: a god walking on a path of precious stones! Pretty. Really. "Were those real sapphires, you think?" "Yes, I figure they were.... More wine?" ----------------------------------- They were the youngest in the group; had been singled out by name to accompany their father, uncle, and the seventy elders. Time came for Moses and Joshua to go higher to meet the Presence of God. Before setting off Moses said to the elders, Wait here for us until we come back to you. (Exodus 24:14) He did not address his nephews, because ... because he had forgotten they were there. Nadab and Abihu had quietly left the group and hidden behind some boulders on
Just what it says: a little midrash, a filling in of some of the lacunae Torah leaves in the lives of its characters. The stories lay no claim to being right, but they do explore what is possible. Texts don't sit still long enough to have fixed meanings; too often we assume that Torah is done and finished. It is never finished.