#vayikrah

Do Leaders Make Mistakes? What the Bible Says Is Good Leadership | Aleph Beta

  Do Leaders Make Mistakes? What the Bible Says Is Good Leadership | Aleph Beta

וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי . . וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה'תַּעֲשׂוּ וְיֵרָא אֲלֵיכֶם כְּבוֹד ה'  - ויקרא ט, א-ו 

And it was on the eighth day… And Moshe said, "This is what G-d has commanded that you do, and the glory of G-d will appear to you." (Vayikra 9:1-6)

Throughout all seven days of the inauguration, when Moshe erected the Mishkan, performed the service in it, and then dismantled it, the Shechinah did not rest in it, so the nation felt humiliated… until Moshe answered, “….My brother Aharon is more worthy and important than I, insofar as through his offerings and his service the Shechinah will dwell among you…” - Rashi

A bride and groom are each escorted to the Chupa by ushers, known as shushvinin. Likewise, the Zohar (Vayikra 53b, et al) compares the relationship between G-d and the Jewish people to a marriage, in which it is Moshe who escorts the Heavenly Groom to the canopy and Aharon who escorts the earthly bride, the Jewish people. Moshe’s ushering of G-d is expressed in the fact that it was he who served as the conduit for G-d’s wisdom, the Torah, to descend and be revealed in the realities of this world. Aharon’s means of ushering of the Jewish people toward G-d is articulated in the Mishna’s (Avos 1:12) statement: “Be of the disciples of Aharon… who loves the creatures and draws them close to Torah.”

Both making the Divine accessible, as well as raising and readying the Jewish people to receive this revelation – Moshe’s and Aharon’s respective tasks – are crucial. Chassidus emphasizes, however, that it is the ascent and elevation of the Jewish people, Aharon’s task, which is  G-d’s ultimate desire and purpose in this meeting. This is highlighted in the words of Rashi above, “My brother Aharon is more worthy and important than I, insofar as through his offerings and his service the Shechinah will dwell among you.”

This teaches us that in keeping with the dictum of the Mishna, when one follows Aharon’s suit and actively reaches out to others drawing them nearer to the Torah, this benefits not only the one drawn near, but the one drawing near as well. For only so, will one merit that G-dliness will reside within him and within the labors of his hands.