Mistaken Devotion

The Gemara (Yoma 19b) relates the story of a particular Sadducee who utilized an opportunity to implement his Sadducee doctrine by preparing a sacrifice contrary to the traditional (i.e. Pharisaic) way. He prepared an incense offering in the courtyard and then brought it into the Holy of Holies, rather than preparing it while already in the Holy of Holies. When this man's father found out about this, he said, "Son, even though we are Sadducees, we are scared of the Pharisees." In other words, you risked your safety by doing this. If the Pharisees had found out, they might have seriously injured you. The son replied, "My whole life I have been distressed over the verse '[F]or I appear in the cloud upon the ark-cover' (Lev. 16:2). I always wished I could fulfill that verse and now that the opportunity came to me, how could I not?" The Gemara says that it was not long until he was killed [by God], his body was left to rot in the garbage and worms were crawling out of his nose.

Here was a man devoted to his religion. He risked his safety in order to do what he thought was right, what he thought God wanted. Yet, he was terribly punished by God.

R. Hayim Shmuelevitz (Sihos Mussar, 5731 no. 33, no. 99 in newer editions) points out the counter-intuitive conclusion from this passage. One might have thought that while this man was mistaken, at least his devotion to his cause was admirable. That is not the case. He was punished more because of his extra devotion. The more mistaken one is and the more one is dedicated to that error, the more one is liable for the mistake.