Ex. 27:20-30:10
Précis: The parasha continues with a description of ritual items in the Tabernacle, including oil for the lamp, priestly clothing, the ephod, breastplate, robes, plate, and miter. Aaron and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eliezer and Ithamar are designated as Priests and are consecrated with sacrifices and ceremony. The parasha concludes with a description of the daily sacrifices and incense to be offered at the Tabernacle.
Ex. 28:1 “You shall bring forward your brother Aaron, with his sons, from among the Israelites, to serve Me as priests: Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron.”
As has been noted often (recently by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, z’l, Covenant and Conversation, 2/17/19) Moses is not mentioned in this parasha. Instead, we focus on his older brother Aaron, and his role as High Priest. Does this switch have much meaning? The historical commentators say that it does.
One of the Sages reports a midrash in which Moses, at the burning bush, seeks on several occasions to avoid his charge and suggests that instead Aaron take up the leadership role. God splits the difference, and makes Aaron the “interpreter” for Moses, but not before becoming angry at Moses’ reluctance. According to this commentary, Moses was supposed to be the High Priest, but God was angered and Aaron was selected for that role. Another commentator suggested that Moses is unnamed because it provided a way to avoid the embarrassment Moses felt after seeing his brother in Priestly robes.
Sacks suggests that this is yet another example of the sibling rivalry with which our text is rife. While Bereshit ends with an apparent reconciliation between Joseph and his brothers, the concept of sibling rivalry does not end. The relationship between Moses and Aaron displays a continuation of the theme. While they did work together at the outset, soon we see a divergence of mutuality: at the time of Aaron’s ascension in this parasha (and Moses’ omission), later with the incident of the Golden calf, and then with the incident of Aaron’s (and Miriam’s) criticism of Moses’ relationship with the Cushite woman.
Division appears inevitable. It is certainly a fact in our polarized society, where something as simple as wearing masks to avoid the spread of a deadly disease is seen as a political declaration. Yet, in the end, Moses and Aaron were able to overcome their differences and work together because they each saw that both were needed to achieve success for the People. That’s my prayer for this Shabbat: that we somehow find the ability and the courage to navigate life with others who perceive things differently than we do.
