It's Not About You

No matter how humble Moses may have been, I have to believe that the opening verses of this week’s Torah reading hit him like a ton of bricks. “And you shall bring forward your brother Aaron, with his sons, from among the Israelites to serve Me as priests: Aaron, Nadav and Abihu, Eleazar and Itamar, the sons of Aaron.” (Exodus 28:2) I wonder how Moses felt hearing from God that his brother would be put in charge of Israel’s ritual life. Moses – who was plucked out of obscurity against his will, leaving a life of comfort, to lead a people not his own. Moses – who at great risk to himself went toe-to-toe with Pharoah, plague after plague. Moses – who courageously brought the Israelites through the sea to liberty and safety. Moses – who ascended Mount Sinai to receive the law, who time and again found the emotional wherewithal to forgive this mixed multitude for their murmurings and idolatry. Moses – who worked so hard to build the tabernacle according to precise specifications, a place where God’s presence could dwell. And now, this week comes notice that someone else – Aaron – would be in charge. His brother and his brother’s descendents would be the Kohanim, the priestly line. What I would give to know what Moses was thinking at that moment! A slap in the face. A bait and switch of, literally, divine proportions. To have worked so hard, to have given your all – your everything – for a cause, to have every reason to believe that you are “the guy,” only to be told otherwise. The ball is in someone else’s hands; you are not “the guy”; this story is not actually about you.