Speak to Aharon: A Perfect Mitzvah Heard Through Moshe
From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bamidbar 8:1-2
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר דַּבֵּר אֶל־אַהֲרֹן וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ אֶת־הַנֵּרֹת אֶל־מוּל פְּנֵי הַמְּנוֹרָה יָאִירוּ שִׁבְעַת הַנֵּרוֹת
Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: “Speak to Aharon and say to him, ‘When you kindle the lamps, the seven lamps shall cast their light toward the face of the Menorah.’”
1“Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: Speak to Aharon and say to him, ‘When you kindle the lamps …’”1 The kindling of the Menorah belongs to Aharon. Why, then, was Hashem's word not addressed here to Aharon as well, as we find many times in the Torah: “Hashem spoke to Moshe and to Aharon”? We must also explain a point that the holy Ohr HaChaim raises.2 Why does the verse say it twice, “speak” and “say”? And why does it shift from dibbur, the harsher word for speech, to amirah, gentle speech?
וַיְדַבֵּר ה׳ אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמוֹר. דַּבֵּר אֶל אַהֲרֹן וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו בְּהַעֲלוֹתְךָ אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת וְגוֹ׳ (ח, א-ב). צָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר, דְּמִכֵּיוָן שֶׁעִנְיַן הַדְלָקַת מְנוֹרָה שַׁיָּיךְ לְאַהֲרֹן אִם כֵּן מַדּוּעַ לֹא נִתְיַיחֵד הַדִּיבּוּר כָּאן גַּם אֶל אַהֲרֹן, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים בַּתּוֹרָה הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳וַיְדַבֵּר ה׳ אֶל מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל אַהֲרֹן׳. עוֹד צָרִיךְ לְבָאֵר מַה שֶׁדִּקְדֵּק בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ, לָמָּה כֶּפֶל הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳דַּבֵּר׳ ׳וְאָמַרְתָּ׳, וְגַם חִילּוּק הַלְּשׁוֹנוֹת מִלְּשׁוֹן דִּיבּוּר לַאֲמִירָה רַכָּה.
In shortWhy did Hashem not speak to Aharon directly about his own Menorah, and why does the verse move from harsh “speak” to soft “say”?
2Further on, the Torah says, “And Aharon did so,”3 and we must understand the word “so,” kein. Rashi explains: “This tells the praise of Aharon, that he did not deviate.”4 The commentators, the Alshich and the Kli Yakar, ask: what is so remarkable about his not deviating?5
* וּלְהַלָּן (ח, ג) כְּתִיב ״וַיַּעַשׂ כֵּן אַהֲרֹן״, וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳כֵּן׳. וברש״י פֵּירֵשׁ, מְלַמֵּד שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן שֶׁלֹּא שִׁינָּה, וְהִקְשׁוּ הַמְּפָרְשִׁים (אלשיך, כלי יקר) מָה הָרְבוּתָא בָּזֶה שֶׁלֹּא שִׁינָּה.
- The sefer's note: Further answers and explanations of this point are given below, in the maamar for Ushpiza deAharon, the day of Aharon as the Sukkos guest, 19 Tishrei, the yahrzeit of the Yid HaKadosh. Bamidbar 8:3. ↩
- Rashi on Bamidbar 8:3. ↩
- Alshich on Bamidbar 8:1; Kli Yakar on Bamidbar 8:2. ↩
In shortRashi praises Aharon for not deviating; but what is so remarkable about that, and what does the word “so” add?
3aWe can explain this through a teaching in the holy sefer Tiferes Shlomo on a verse about the Pesach offering: “Bnei Yisrael went and did; as Hashem commanded Moshe and Aharon, so they did.”6 Rashi comments: “What is ‘so they did’? Moshe and Aharon, too, did so.”7 The Tiferes Shlomo asks: Moshe and Aharon were surely included in the mitzvah of the Pesach offering, so what is remarkable about their bringing it too?
וְיֵשׁ לְבָאֵר, דְּהִנֵּה אִיתָא בְּסֵפֶר הַקָּדוֹשׁ תִּפְאֶרֶת שְׁלֹמֹה (סוף פרשת בא) עַל הַפָּסוּק הָאָמוּר בְּקָרְבַּן פֶּסַח (יב, כח) ״וַיֵּלְכוּ וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה׳ אֶת מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן כֵּן עָשׂוּ״, וְאִיתָא ברש״י מַהוּ כֵּן עָשׂוּ אַף מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן כֵּן עָשׂוּ. וְהִקְשָׁה הֲרֵי וַדַּאי גַּם מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן הָיוּ בִּכְלַל מִצְוַת קָרְבַּן פֶּסַח, וּמַה רְבוּתָא בְּכָךְ שֶׁגַּם הֵם עָשׂוּ הַקָּרְבָּן.
3bHe explains that since Moshe Rabbeinu was privileged to hear the command from the mouth of the Almighty, he had the power to fulfill the mitzvah in all its details and inner intentions, on a very high level, without missing a single intention. Bnei Yisrael, however, heard the command only from Moshe, not from the mouth of the Almighty, so they lacked the power to fulfill the mitzvah as completely as Moshe did. The Torah is telling us what happened when Moshe Rabbeinu fulfilled the mitzvah of the Pesach offering with great intention, with all its hidden meanings. Because Bnei Yisrael were bound to him, they were privileged, in Moshe's merit and by his power, to have their mitzvah counted as if they too had done it with all those hidden meanings and levels. That is what Rashi meant by “Moshe and Aharon, too, did so”: in the merit and by the power of Moshe and Aharon, Bnei Yisrael reached every level as they did the mitzvah. So far his words.
וְכָתַב לְבָאֵר, דְּמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה כֵּיוָן שֶׁזָּכָה לִשְׁמוֹעַ הַצִּיוּוּי מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה, הָיָה בְּיָדוֹ הַכֹּחַ לְקַיֵּים הַמִּצְוָה בְּכָל פְּרָטֶיהָ וְכַוָּונוֹתֶיהָ בְּדַרְגָּה גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד בְּלִי לְחַסֵּר שׁוּם כַּוָּונָה, אֲבָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַחַר שֶׁהֵם שָׁמְעוּ הַצִּיוּוּי רַק מִפִּי מֹשֶׁה וְלֹא מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה, לֹא הָיָה בְּיָדָם הַכֹּחַ לְקַיֵּים הַמִּצְוָה בִּשְׁלֵימוּת כְּמוֹ מֹשֶׁה, וּבָאָה הַתּוֹרָה לְהַשְׁמִיעֵנוּ שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה קִיֵּים מִצְוַת קָרְבַּן פֶּסַח בְּכַוָּונָה גְּדוֹלָה עִם כָּל סוֹדוֹתֶיהָ, אֲזַי עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מְקוּשָּׁרִים אֵלָיו, זָכוּ בִּזְכוּת וּבְכֹחַ מֹשֶׁה שֶׁתֵּחָשֵׁב הַמִּצְוָה שֶׁלָּהֶם כְּאִילּוּ נֶעֶשְׂתָה בְּכָל הַסּוֹדוֹת וְהַמַּדְרֵגוֹת כְּמוֹ מֹשֶׁה. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁפֵּירֵשׁ רש״י ׳אַף מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן כֵּן עָשׂוּ׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁבִּזְכוּת וְכֹחַ מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן זָכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְכָל הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת בַּעֲשִׂיָּיתָם הַמִּצְוָה, ע״כ.
In shortBound to Moshe and Aharon, the Tiferes Shlomo explains, Bnei Yisrael had their Pesach offering counted as if done with every intention Moshe had.
4In light of this, we may say the following. With the Menorah, only Aharon performed the mitzvah of kindling. Moshe Rabbeinu, though he heard it from the mouth of the Almighty, did not perform it with him. Even so, Aharon fulfilled the mitzvah completely, with all its levels, by his own merit. That is why the Holy One, blessed be He, did not speak to Aharon: to show how great Aharon's level was. Though Aharon would hear the command only from Moshe, not from the mouth of the Almighty, he still had the power to fulfill it completely, with all its hidden meanings, as if he had heard it from the Almighty Himself. This is the meaning of “Speak to Aharon and say to him.” Hashem was telling Moshe: Although I am not speaking with Aharon, and you will bring him My word, this is precisely because he is so dear to Me. That is the sense of ve'amarta, “and say,” a word that speaks of glory, as in the verse “And Hashem has exalted you, he'emircha, this day.”8 So tell him this: Hashem wishes to take pride in you, because you are privileged to fulfill the mitzvah with all its levels, as if you yourself had heard it from His mouth.
וּמֵעַתָּה אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר, דְּהִנֵּה כָּאן בְּהַדְלָקַת הַמְּנוֹרָה הֲרֵי רַק אַהֲרֹן קִיֵּים אֶת מִצְוַת הַהַדְלָקָה, וּמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה אַף שֶׁשָּׁמַע הַמִּצְוָה מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה לֹא קִיְּימָהּ עִמּוֹ, וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם קִיֵּים אַהֲרֹן אֶת הַמִּצְוָה בִּשְׁלֵימוּת עִם כָּל הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת בִּזְכוּת עַצְמוֹ. וְעַל כֵּן לֹא דִּיבֵּר הקב״ה לְאַהֲרֹן, בִּכְדֵי לְהַרְאוֹת אֶת גּוֹדֶל מַדְרֵגַת אַהֲרֹן, שֶׁאַף שֶׁאַהֲרֹן יִשְׁמַע הַצִּיוּוּי רַק מִמֹּשֶׁה וְלֹא מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה, בְּכָל זֹאת יֵשׁ בְּיָדוֹ יְכוֹלֶת לְקַיֵּים הַמִּצְוָה בִּשְׁלֵימוּת עִם כָּל סוֹדוֹתֶיהָ כְּאִילּוּ שָׁמְעָה מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה. וְזֶהוּ הַמְּכֻוָּון בְּאוֹמְרוֹ ׳דַּבֵּר אֶל אַהֲרֹן וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֲנִי אֵינִי מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ רַק אַתָּה תָּבִיא הַדִּיבּוּר אֵלָיו, מִכָּל מָקוֹם זֶהוּ דַּוְקָא מִתּוֹךְ חֲבִיבוּתוֹ לְפָנַי, בִּבְחִינַת ׳וְאָמַרְתָּ׳ שֶׁהוּא מִלְּשׁוֹן תִּפְאֶרֶת, עַל דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַה׳ הֶאֱמִירְךָ הַיּוֹם״ (דברים כו, יז ובפרש״י שם), וְכָךְ תֹּאמַר לוֹ שֶׁחָפֵץ הקב״ה לְהִתְפָּאֵר בְּךָ שֶׁאַתָּה זוֹכֶה לְקַיֵּים הַמִּצְוָה בְּכָל הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת, כְּאִילּוּ בְּעַצְמְךָ שָׁמַעְתָּ מִפִּיו יִתְבָּרֵךְ.
- Devarim 26:18 (the sefer has 26:17); see Rashi on Devarim 26:17, who also explains he'emarta and he'emircha as words of glory. ↩
In shortHashem spoke to Aharon only through Moshe to show that he could still kindle perfectly; ve'amarta, “say,” tells of Hashem's pride in him.
5This is the meaning of “And Aharon did so.” The word kein, “so,” expresses exactness: Aharon left out nothing of the intention of kindling the Menorah, though he had not been privileged to hear the mitzvah from the mouth of the Almighty. This also makes clear the teaching “This tells the praise of Aharon, that he did not deviate,” and answers the commentators' question. It was truly remarkable that although he had not heard the command himself, he lacked none of the intentions as he did the mitzvah. That is what “he did not deviate” means.
וְזֶהוּ הַכַּוָּונָה ׳וַיַּעַשׂ כֵּן אַהֲרֹן׳, דְּהַלָּשׁוֹן ׳כֵּן׳ הוּא מִלְּשׁוֹן דִּיּוּק, וְהַיְינוּ שֶׁלֹּא חִיסֵּר מִכַּוָּונַת מִצְוַת הַדְלָקַת הַמְּנוֹרָה כְּלוּם, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה לוֹ הַזְּכִיָּיה לִשְׁמוֹעַ הַמִּצְוָה מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה. וּמְבוֹאָר גַּם הֵיטֵב הַכַּוָּונָה בַּמֶּה שֶׁאָמְרוּ ׳מְלַמֵּד שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן שֶׁלֹּא שִׁינָּה׳, שֶׁזֶּהוּ רְבוּתָא גְּדוֹלָה שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמַע בְּעַצְמוֹ לֹא נֶחְסַר מִמֶּנּוּ שׁוּם כַּוָּונוֹת בַּעֲשִׂיַּית הַמִּצְוָה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁלֹּא שִׁינָּה.
In shortKein, “so,” means exactness: though he heard the command only through Moshe, Aharon lacked no intention, and that is his remarkable praise.
6This also helps us understand a teaching of Chazal that Rashi cites at the beginning of the parshah: “When Aharon saw the dedication offerings of the princes, he was disheartened that he had no part with them in the dedication, neither he nor his tribe. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Yours is greater than theirs, for you kindle the lamps and meitiv them, setting them in order.”9 The offering of the princes, the heads of the tribes, had the virtue of unity, for they brought their offerings together for the dedication of the altar. But Aharon kindled the Menorah by himself, and the power of unity was missing. That is why he was disheartened. To this Hashem replied, “Yours is greater than theirs”: the intention you bring to the mitzvah, though you do it alone, is greater than what they did, even though they had the power of the many. And this is because “you kindle the lamps and meitiv them.” You kindle the lamps by yourself, and still you are meitiv, you do well with them: you are privileged to do the mitzvah of kindling the lamps excellently, fulfilling it with every intention.
וּבָזֶה יוּבָן גַּם מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל וּמוּבָא ברש״י (ריש הפרשה), לְפִי שֶׁכְּשֶׁרָאָה אַהֲרֹן חֲנוּכַּת הַנְּשִׂיאִים חָלְשָׁה דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה עִמָּהֶן בַּחֲנוּכָּה לֹא הוּא וְלֹא שִׁבְטוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ הקב״ה שֶׁלְּךָ גְּדוֹלָה מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם שֶׁאַתָּה מַדְלִיק וּמֵטִיב אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת. כִּי הִנֵּה בְּהַקְרָבַת הַנְּשִׂיאִים הָיָה מַעֲלַת הָאַחְדוּת שֶׁהֵבִיאוּ יַחְדָּיו אֶת קָרְבָּנָם לַחֲנוּכַּת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, אֲבָל בַּמְּנוֹרָה רַק אַהֲרֹן בְּעַצְמוֹ הִדְלִיק וְהָיָה חָסֵר כֹּחַ הָאַחְדוּת, וְלָכֵן חָלְשָׁה דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן. וּלְזֶה אָמַר לוֹ הקב״ה ׳שֶׁלְּךָ גְּדוֹלָה מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם׳, הַיְינוּ דְּהַכַּוָּונָה שֶׁאַתָּה מְכַוֵּין בְּעֵת הַמִּצְוָה אַף שֶׁאַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָהּ בִּיחִידוּת, גְּדוֹלָה מִמַּה שֶׁעָשׂוּ הֵם אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלָּהֶם יֵשׁ כֹּחַ הָרַבִּים, וְזֹאת מִפְּנֵי ׳שֶׁאַתָּה מַדְלִיק וּמֵטִיב אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁאַתָּה מִצַּד עַצְמְךָ מַדְלִיק הַנֵּרוֹת, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן אַתָּה מֵטִיב אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת, הַיְינוּ שֶׁזּוֹכֶה אַתָּה לְהֵטִיב בְּמִצְוַת הַדְלָקַת הַנֵּרוֹת, שֶׁאַתָּה מְקַיֵּים הַמִּצְוָה בְּכָל הַכַּוָּונוֹת.
- Rashi on Bamidbar 8:2. ↩
In shortAharon grieved that he kindled alone, without the princes' unity; but his kindling, done with every intention, outweighed their united offering.
7May Hashem grant that we always be privileged to bind ourselves to the merit and power of our forefathers, and through their power and merit fulfill Hashem's mitzvos completely, until the coming of the Redeemer. Amen, may it be His will.
יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה תָּמִיד לְהִתְקַשֵּׁר עִם זְכוּת וְכֹחַ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, וּמִכּוֹחָם וּזְכוּתָם נִזְכֶּה לְקַיֵּים מִצְוֹות ה׳ בִּשְׁלֵימוּת, עַד בִּיאַת גּוֹאֵל אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
In shortThe Rebbe prays that, bound to our forefathers' merit and power, we fulfill Hashem's mitzvos completely until the Redeemer comes.
Takeaway
We did not hear the mitzvos from Hashem's own mouth, yet our service need not be lacking. Bound to our forefathers, as Bnei Yisrael were bound to Moshe and Aharon, we can draw on their power. And like Aharon, who heard the command only through Moshe and kindled the Menorah alone, we can do a mitzvah exactly and with full intention, and Hashem takes pride in it.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.