From the Rabbi’s Desk
Rabbi Manes Kogan
Shemot
Cain & Abel
Yitzhak & Yishmael
Yaacov & Esav
Yosef and his brothers
The firstborn is not the leader, is not the preferred one, the chosen one!
We don’t understand why that happens, but it is a given fact. The only question is how the parts who are involved will react?
Let’s review the history...
Cain & Abel
Yitzhak & Yishmael
Yaacov & Esav
Yosef and his brothers
So far it is not an optimistic perspective.
Moses is sent by God...
t¼²b›j‹k§J h·²b«s£t hɈC r¤nt«¼H³u dh
hº°u‡K©v ¿WhΦj¨t i«Êr£vœ©t tÎO£v ¿r¤nt«ÎH³u v½¤J«n‰C v²u«v±h ;Ωt›r©jœ°H³u sh :jœŠk§J¦T›s³h‰C
:IœCˆk‰C jË©n¨G±u ¼W£tœ¨r±u Wº¤,t¨r§eˆk tɇm«h ¿tUv›v¯B¦v oʳd±u tU·v r¼‡C©s±h rˇC©s›hœˆF h¦T‰gÈ©s²h
UvhºˆP›oˆg±u ¿WhΈP›oˆg vÊ®h§v¤t h½ˆf«bœ¨t±u uh·ˆp‰C oh¼¦rŠc§S©v›,¤t ˨T§n©G±u uhºŠk¥t ɨT§r‹C¦s±u uy
¿tUv v²hʨv±u o·Šg¨v›k¤t ¼W‰k tUËv›r†C¦s±u zy :iUœG…gœ©T rˤJ£t ,¼¥t oº†f§,¤t hɦ,h¥rIœv±u
:ohœ¦vOtœ‡k IËK›v®h§vœ¦T v¼¨T©t±u vº†p‰k ÉW‰K›v®h§vœ°h
"He replied, "Please, my Lord, send through whomever You will send!": The wrath of Hashem burned against Moses and He said, "Is there not Aaron your brother, the Levite? I know that he will surely speak; moreover, behold, he is going out to meet you and when he sees you he will rejoice in his heart: You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I shall be with your mouth and with his mouth, and teach you both what you are to do: He shall speak for you to the people; and it will be that he will be your mouth and you will be his leader" (Exodus 4:13-16)
"...behold, he is going out to meet you and when he sees you he will rejoice in his heart.." (Exodus 4:14)
"In his heart" (not a false joy)
Moses was concerned of being the chosen (after all he has good reasons to be concerned)
Cain & Abel
Yitzhak & Yishmael
Yaacov & Esav
Yosef and his brothers
But God tells him
"...behold, he (Aaron) is going out to meet you and when he sees you he will rejoice in his heart.." (Exodus 4:14)
As Rabbi Ellie Munk explains:
"The brotherly love between Moses and Aaron is contrasted with the murderous antagonism that was so often evident in the history of the world" (The Call of the Torah – Exodus pp.65)
Rabbi Munk also quotes Rabbi Samson Rafael Hirsch:
Rabbi Hirsch comments that here as the spiritual history of Israel begins to unfold, a distinction is clearly drawn between the man of learning and the man with the skill of the speaker. Subsequently, the Sages who were the successors of Moses and Aaron followed the same pattern. The "Chacham" - learned man, decided the law, which was then relayed to the people through the eloquence of the trusted "Meturgeman", interpreter. This division of functions is critical to ensuring the integrity of the Mesorah (tradition). The erudite scholar who studies and defines the law should not be confused with the orator who merely presents it in an accessible and popular manner. Unfortunately, in the present day and age, eloquence is offer regarded as proof of wisdom. If our communities would emulate their ancestors and distinguished between erudition and eloquence, then our leaders would be the true "Chachamim", Sages, even if the were "Kevad Pe Uchevad Lashon" (Heavy of mouth and heavy of speech) (The Call of the Torah – Exodus pp.57)
"Even though Aaron was older, Hashem had directed Moses to take the senior role" (The Call of the Torah – Exodus pp.65)
v¨r·ŠC§s¦N©v v¼¤J«n ,tË©r§eˆk QÁ‡k i«ºr£vœ©t›kœ¤t ¿v²Iv±h r¤nt«ÊH³u
"Hashem said to Aaron, "Go to meet Moses, to the wilderness." (Exodus 4:27)
Aaron’s big test: Will he accept in his heart that his brother takes the senior role? Will he really "rejoice in his heart" when he sees his younger brother?
rË©v‰C UvÁ¥J±D‰p°Hœ³u Q†k½¯H³u
I·jŠk§J rɤJ£t v¼²Iv±h hË¥r‰c¦S›kŠF ,Á¥t i«ºr£vÉ©t‰k ¿v¤J«n sʯD³H³u jf :Iœk›e©°H³u oh¼¦vO¡tœ¨v
h¼¯b§e°z›kŠF›,¤t Uºp§x©tɳH³u i«·r£vœ©t±u v¼¤J«n Q†k˯H³u yf :Uvœ²Uˆm rˤJ£t ,«¼,«tœ¨v›kŠF ,Ë¥t±u
:kœ¥t¨r§G°h h˯b‰C
"...So he went and encountered him at the mountain of God, and he kissed him: Moses related to Aaron all the words of Hashem, that He had dispatched him, and all the signs that He had commanded him: Moses and Aaron went and gathered all the elders of the Children of Israel" (Exodus 4:27-29)
Aaron passed the test!
"The use of the singular form in the verb "Vaielech" – went, is an indication of the unified manner in which the brothers conducted their mission. The Midrashim discuss the fine nuances in the relationship between the two brothers. Even though Aaron was older, Hashem had directed Moses to take the senior role: "you will be his leader" (Exodus 4: 16). It was necessary for Moses to exercise his authority over the nation, the elders, and even over his brothers" (The Call of the Torah – Exodus pp.65)
Moses is the leader and Aaron –the older- is ready to learn from his younger brother. In order to show him that he accepts his authority, "he went and encountered him at the mountain of God".
(Greeting the Rabbi)
He goes to him, to greet the Rabbi. He gives him honor. He breaks the chain of hatred and jealousy between brothers
Abraham Avinu (our Ancestor) – depends on family ties
Eliahu Hanavi (the Prophet) – depends on God’s message
Aharon Ha-Cohen (the Priest) – depends on lineage
David Ha-Melech (the King) - – depends on force
Student – Teacher/ Master-Disciple
Is the only relationship that requires the disciple to persist, the students, the one ready to recognize the other, to give him honor.
Moshe Rabenu (our Teacher, our Master)
How a beautiful feeling is to have a teacher, a master, a Rabbi, someone to honor.
v¯b§eU 'c©r W‰k v¥G…g 'r¥nIt v²h§j©r‰P i†C ‹gªJIv±h
r‡c¨j W‰k
Yehoshua ben Perachia: Make yourself a teacher, a Rabbi, and acquire a friend (Avot 1:6)
Aaron passed the test and was able to keep a brother, to make for himself a teacher and to acquire a new friend
Shabbat Shalom!