According to the view that Aaron’s sons died because of the sin of the Golden Calf, why did Nadab and Abihu die rather than Eleazar and Ithamar, and why was Aaron himself not punished instead?

This source-based Torah study examines the question: According to the view that Aaron’s sons died because of the sin of the Golden Calf, why did Nadab and Abihu die rather than Eleazar and Ithamar, and why was Aaron himself not punished instead? The canonical Hebrew discussion develops the issue through the weekly Torah portion and the sources cited there, preserving the distinctions, tensions, and practical implications of the original text. This localized discovery layer does not add any new halakhic, medical, legal, scientific, historical, theological, or empirical ruling or claim beyond the canonical Hebrew source.