The command outweighs all mystical intentions

בפסוק אש זרה אשר לא צוה אותם.

On the verse "a strange fire which He had not commanded them" (Vayikra 10:1).

This is the verse describing the offering of Nadav and Avihu, which the Sefas Emes uses to teach the supreme importance of the divine command itself.

אמר מו"ז ז"ל דיש ללמוד מזה דעיקר עשיות המצוה בכח הציווי וזה למעלה מכל הכוונות שהרי נדב ואביהוא שהיו גדולי עולם והי' להם כוונות ויחודים וסודות במעשיהם.

My grandfather (the Chiddushei HaRim) said that one can learn from this that the essence of performing a mitzvah lies in the power of the command, and this is higher than all kavanos (mystical intentions) — for Nadav and Avihu were among the greatest of the world and had kavanos, yichudim (unifications), and secrets in their deeds.

The Chiddushei HaRim teaches that the core value of a mitzvah is that Hashem commanded it — this outweighs even the loftiest mystical intentions. Nadav and Avihu were giants who infused their service with profound kavanos.

אעפ"כ מצד שלא צוה אותם נענשו.

Nevertheless, because He had not commanded them, they were punished.

Despite their exalted intentions, the mere fact that this fire was not commanded made it a "strange fire" deserving of punishment — kavanah cannot substitute for the command.

קו"ח מדה טובה המרובה המקיים המצוה לעשות ציווי הבורא אעפ"י שא"י כלום חשוב ככל הכוונות עכ"ד.

All the more so — since the measure of good is greater — one who fulfills the mitzvah in order to carry out the command of the Creator, even though he understands nothing, is reckoned as equal to all the kavanos. So far his words.

By the principle that reward outweighs punishment, the converse follows: a simple Jew who does a mitzvah purely because Hashem commanded it, even with no mystical understanding at all, accomplishes as much as one with all the deepest intentions.

וי"ל דזה פי' הפסוק בקרובי אקדש ועל פני כל העם אכבד.

And it may be said that this is the explanation of the verse, "through those close to Me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be honored" (Vayikra 10:3).

The Sefas Emes applies the Chiddushei HaRim's idea to the verse Moshe told Aharon after his sons' death, reading its two halves as two aspects of honoring Hashem.

דזה הכוונה לעשות מצות השי"ת בזה כלולין כל בנ"י אפילו הפשוטים.

For this intention — to perform the mitzvah of Hashem [simply because He commanded] — includes all of Bnei Yisrael, even the simplest among them.

Since the essence of a mitzvah is obeying Hashem's command, even the plainest Jew is fully included; this is an avodah accessible to everyone, not only to the spiritual elite.

ועיקר כבודו ית"ש מן הכלל.

And the essence of His honor comes from the whole community (the klal).

Hashem's true honor — "before all the people I will be honored" — arises from the entire nation together, including its simplest members, not only from a select few.

וע"י עונש נדב ואביהוא נתברר זאת שעיקר הכוונה לעשות מצות ה'.

And through the punishment of Nadav and Avihu this became clarified — that the essential intention is to perform the mitzvah of Hashem [as commanded].

Their punishment made the lesson unmistakable: above every lofty kavanah, the heart of avodah is simply doing what Hashem commands.

ולכן כל איש ישראל מוכן לקיים מצות השי"ת וזה כבודו:

Therefore every Jewish person is fit to fulfill the mitzvah of Hashem, and this is His honor.

Because the command itself is what matters, every single Jew is equipped to give Hashem honor through plain obedience — and the honor drawn from the whole nation is the deepest honor of all.

Summary: From the "strange fire" of Nadav and Avihu — who, despite their greatness and profound kavanos, were punished for offering what was not commanded — the Chiddushei HaRim teaches that the essence of a mitzvah is the command of Hashem, higher than all mystical intentions. It follows that even the simplest Jew, who acts solely because Hashem commanded, accomplishes as much as the greatest. This is why "before all the people I will be honored": Hashem's true honor rises from the entire klal, since every Jew is equally fit to fulfill His command.