Aharon's Anguish
Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein
Parshat Behaalotcha begins with. Aharon being commanded to light the menorah, and he does so. However, the menorah was actually lit on the first day of the inauguration, the opening ceremony, not on the last day, not after the Torah records all the daily gifts the nesi'im. While we say there is a rule that events in the Torah are not necessarily recorded chronologically, when the Torah records events out of sequence, it is trying to teach us something. What is the lesson we are to learn from the sequence recorded in here?
Rashi asks this very question. He quotes Chazal that Aharon was distressed that neither he nor his tribe were included in the inaugural Mishkan offerings. To comfort him, Hashem assured Aharon that his role, lighting the menorah, is greater than the role of the nesi'im. While these offerings were one time events, lighting the menorah would be a constant, daily service. But Rabbi Milevsky asks a follow up question. If indeed this service would be daily, how can it be called an inaugural rite zt”l which, by definition, means a singular occurrence. Hence, the Ramban teaches that the Torah is prophetically alluding to another inauguration, when, although the Temple was still standing, the sacrifices and services had ceased. Then, the descendants of Aharon, the Chashmonaim, will rededicate the Temple and again light a menorah in the Sanctuary. That is the holiday we now celebrate as Chanukah. But we must still ask why the allusion is presented here when that dedication will happen about a thousand years later?
In Ohel Moshe, Rabbi Scheinerman asks an additional question. Why did this appease Aharon when Aharon would also offer the daily tamid sacrifice and the ketores/incense? Certainly Aharon was aware that each tribe had his own mission, and his was not to bring these inaugural offerings. Here Rabbi Scheinerman makes an interesting point. One who is truly spiritual always seeks new and additional ways to grow spiritually. When he sees others doing mitzvoth that he himself cannot perform, he is saddened.
Human beings are generally connected to materialism, seeking ways to add to their possessions and wealth. But those who are very spiritually connected seek ways to acquire more spirituality. When we recite Uva LeZion, we say "...Vechayei olam nota betocheinu.../And He planted within us eternal life" Citing the Saba of Kelm zt”l, R. Yechezkel Levenstein zt”l notes that Hashem planted within us a desire for eternal, spiritual life. Like any plant, it needs nurturing to grow, a nurturing that is achieved through doing spiritual acts. This was the focus of Aharon Hakohein. He yearned to nurture the seeds of spirituality within himself. Therefore he was pained when he could not offer the sacrifices that the nesi'im had brought to "water" the spiritual soul within himself.
Rabbi Scheinerman continues this theme in Ohel Moshe. In our daily morning prayer, before Shema, we say, "...Zorea tzadakos matzmiach yeshuos/He sows righteousness, He makes salvation grow..." When one does a mitzvah, it is like planting a seed that causes a full tree of mitzvoth to grow, producing fruit, opportunities to do more mitzvoth. This is how one mitzvah pulls another after it, a domino effect also applicable to sins. Don't ignore the garden; let it not become overrun with weeds.
Aharon's soul desired more mitzvoth. Just like those of Bnei Yisroel in the desert who, because they were ritually impure, could not participate in korban Pesach but nevertheless wanted the opportunity to perform this mitzvah, and Hashem instituted Pesach Sheni to fill their spiritual request, so too did Aharon yearn for more spiritual experiences, writes Rabbi Tuvyah Weiss zt”l in Shaarei Tuvyah.. This yearning is in stark contrast to Bnei Yisroel's joy at leaving Sinai, perhaps fearing more mitzvoth would be imposed upon them.
We should strive to be like Aharon Hakohein, yearning constantly for spiritual growth. And perhaps for this unquenchable thirst for spirituality Hashem rewarded him with the mitzvah of the Chanukah candles, a mitzvah that we add to nightly, growing from one candle to eight candles.
There are times when we cannot personally perform a mitzvah. In that case, try to participate in another way, writes Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l. If you cannot sit in a sukkah for health reasons, perhaps you can help in preparing the Sukkah, buying materials or wiring a lighting fixture.
When we are physically hungry, we keep looking for something to eat even when our initial search is unproductive. The same should be said of spiritual hunger; we should look for opportunities for mitzvoth. This is particularly true of chessed, writes Rabbi Frand. We should LOVE kindness, searching for opportunities, even when they are not readily evident, as Avraham Avinu did, actively looking to host passing travelers. The fact is, the giver gets more from the chessed than the receiver. We are growing our souls.
Building the Mishkan was a labor of love, an expression of Bnei Yisroel's love for Hashem. Chanukat Hamishkan/the inauguration of the Mishkan was also a labor of love, birthing it, giving it the necessary daily chinuch as one educates one's child -- this was the opportunity Aharon felt he had lost. He wanted the special relationship of giving to Hakodosh Boruch Hu that the nesi'im were experiencing.
To this Hashem responds by telling Aharon that the gift of the candles is as precious to him as the gift a child brings to his father, writes Rabbi Pincus zt”l, in Tiferet Shimshon. Just as the father treasures the small trinket he has no use for simply because his son made it for him, so does Hashem treasure the menorah's light even though Hashem's light was so great that it went outward to illuminate the entire area. Accepting the korbanot of the nesi'im, and earlier even of our Patriarchs was Hashem's way of giving us the opportunity to show our love for Him.
Earlier, in Parshat Terumah, the Torah lists thirteen materials needed for constructing the Mishkan. Included in this list is olive oil, not in itself a construction material. Rabbi Druck notes that oil was included because it was a precursor to the light necessary for service. Before any work can be done, whether in construction or in the later service, one must have illumination. That's why the menorah started each day's service. Hashem told Aharon that his lighting the menorah would be the inaugural rite of each day's service.
The Torah continues to praise Aharon. By validating the "he did so," the Torah is telling us that Aharon did not change a single detail. This is even more praiseworthy when it implies that although nothing changed, Aharon maintained the same level of excitement and passion for the mitzvah every day as if it was the first time he was doing it, never falling into a rut of sameness, writes Rabbi Milevsky.
Citing the Sefas Emes zt”l, Rabbi Milevsky takes this as a lesson in the education, the chinuch of our children. We must infuse our Torah observance and educational experience, both as parents and as teachers, with an element of excitement and newness. We must infuse the na'ar, the youth with the idea that Torah and mitzvoth retain the freshness of youth. If he can retain the youthful enthusiasm for mitzvoth that he felt at the inaugural time he performed them, he will never veer from the path of Torah. It is this joy rather than the expectation of reward that will keep our children enthusiastic about Torah as they grow older, adds Rabbi Salomon zt”l.
Rabbi Friedlander zt”l, in Rinat Chaim, puts this in perspective. Do we ever get bored with bread, water, breathing? No, because these are not things we want, but things we need. That should be our perspective on Torah and mitzvoth, on the opportunities to enhance our relationship with Hakodosh Boruch Hu. It is a need, not a luxury.
In Shaarei Chaim, Rabbi Goldstein presents a beautiful idea. He suggests that each nasi brought his own, individual offering, with complete consideration and forethought to bring the most appropriate gift. Miraculously, all the offerings were exactly the same, although no nasi copied the offering of the other. Similarly, Aharon did not want to copy the offering of the nesi'im, but wanted to bring his original offering. Even more telling, continues Rabbi Goldstein, each day when Aharon was lighting the menorah, was a new experience; although he changed nothing, he never reenacted the lighting of the previous day.
Every mitzvah has two components, writes the Tosher Rebbe zt”l, the action and the emotion accompanying it. We get the reward for the action in this world, the world of the body, while we get the reward for the emotion in the next world, the world of the soul, the neshamah. When Aharon lit the menorah, he was igniting the souls of Bnei Yisroel with an inner passion, for, as the verse says, "The candle of God is the soul of man." Therefore, Aharon's role in the inauguration was greater than that of the nesi'im. Theirs was external, while Aharon's was internal. As Pirkei Avos teaches, "Be a descendant of Aharon... Love human beings and bring them closer to Torah." Through love and excitement we do more than teach them laws and Torah; we bring them emotionally closer to Torah.
It is for this reason that if one studies the laws of korbanot and yearns to be able to fulfill them, even without the Beit Hamikdosh, he is credited as having fulfilled these mitzvoth. Mitzvoth need focus, attention, and emotional connection. Before the holidays, as we prepare all the material and physical aspects of the holiday, do we concentrate only on buying the best meat and pastries, or are we equally focusing on enhancing the atmosphere of the chag within our homes? When we light our Shabbat and Yom Tov candles, we should be igniting the spiritual spark, the love and passion for these mitzvoth as well.
The effect of the Menorah extends beyond the time of the Beit Hamikdosh. As Rav Yosef Salant zt"l explains, the light of the menorah cast an aura of wisdom on all, giving those who lived at that time to formulate so much of the oral Torah we have today. While we no longer have the menorah light, we still have the light of Torah that was produced under the menorah light.
When the Beit Hamikdosh was destroyed, among the vessels hidden away was the menorah. But the light of the menorah, although hidden, is still available through toil in Torah, writes the Slonimer Rebbe zt”l in Netivot Shalom. Hashem is telling Aharon that the light he is kindling, although hidden, will be around forever, available to tzadikim and Torah study.
Even if we do not see it, the light is still there, but we must tap into it, search for it and work for it, writes the Shvilei Pinchas. We are tasked with maintaining our spiritual connection, with constantly reigniting the flame still hidden in the Torah. Aharon's mission was to light that first fire, but he bequeathed its light to us for all generations. The offerings of the nesi'im were great, but nevertheless transitory; the service of Aharon remains eternal.