Reply To: Dvar Torah Acharei Mos – Preaching Without Practicing

As I wrote: “Although the ideal is “Keshot atzmecha ve’achar kach keshot acheirim – Adorn yourself and after that adorn others” (Bava Basra 60b), it does not mean that the other sinner’s advice can be discounted and ignored, even if the other brother does not practice what he is preaching.”

While it is appropriate to first correct yourself then others קשוט עצמך ואחר כך קשוט אחרים, that is the optimum. Yet, those same words are the criticism of a person who is unwilling to take tochocha. Tul Korah m`bein einecha…., why should I listen to you when you are no better or even worse.

But chazal are here, by nadav and avihu, saying (and as understood by Rav Dovid Soloveichik and others) that they are faulted for not hearing the tochocha of the other -even when the other, on his own, was doing the same wrong thing. that is the whole point/chidush here. and the same thing is seen from the medresh in Rus.