ws complete it, and the story exists for the sake of the laws which it frames." Whether one agrees that Leviticus is consistent with the narrative of the rest of the Pentateuch or a departure from narrative, it is in Leviticus that the divine theory of the nexus of God and the children of Israel and the cosmic command of obedience to God are translated into highly specific praxis: My children, this is how you remain in my bosom. By the way, to prove how important Leviticus takes praxis for priest, ruler, and commoner alike, there is the lesson of Chapter 10. Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu--after all the specific instructions of the previous chapters and after Aaron himself undertakes the ritual according to divine commandment, yielding "the glory of the Lord appear[ing] unto all the people" (Lev. 9.23)--decide to get ritually creative. They use a censer and incense ("strange fire") at the altar, "which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord" (Lev. 10.1-2).
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