B"H
Tuesday, Menachem Av 2, 5784 / August 6, 2024
Yesterday, Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av, was the yartzeit (day of passing) of Aaron the High Priest. Aaron was three years older than his brother Moshe (Moses). Aaron accompanied Moshe when he went to Pharaoh to command him to let the Jewish people go. Together with Moshe he led the Jewish people through the forty years of their desert journey. Just like Moshe, Aaron was not permitted to go into the promised land. Aaron passed away in the desert at the age of one hundred and twenty-three.
Our sages tell us that Aaron had a unique quality; He loved peace and went out of his way to restore peace between husband and wife and between one person and another. In his unique, non-judgmental and peaceful way he would also make people realize when they sinned against G-d, thus restoring peace between man and G-d.
Aaron accomplished this through his genuine love for people. When two people were angry at each other, Aaron would go to one of them and say, “I met the other person and he very much wants to be your friend again, but he is afraid to approach you because you may reject him. After convincing the person that the other one sincerely seeks his friendship, Aaron would approach the other one and tell him the same. Eventually both of them made peace with each other.
If Aaron heard that a person sinned, instead of rejecting him, as many did, he would go out of his way and befriend him. The person thought to himself, “If Aaron only knew the sin I committed, he would surely not have become my friend.” The sinner, ashamed of what he did, repented.
Although we cannot attain the spiritual level of Aaron the High Priest, yet, this particular quality of loving peace and promoting peace, is something we must all seek. Our sages in Pirkei Avot tell us, “Be of the disciples of Aaron; loving peace, pursuing peace, loving people and drawing them to Torah.” The reward for making peace is eternal; one reaps the reward in this world and in the World-to-Come.
About 150 years ago, rabbis and Russian government officials met to try to nullify some of the harsh decrees of the Russian Czar against Jews, which deprived Jews from earning a decent and respectable livelihood.
During the meeting, Rabbi Menachem Mendel, the third Chabad Rebbe, spoke out strongly against the Czar for his heartless treatment of Russian Jews.
One of the rabbis turned to Rabbi Menachem Mendel and said, “You very well know that for this kind of talk you place your life in danger and our sages say, “One who willingly places his life in danger will lose his share in the World-to-Come!”
Rabbi Menachem Mendel, whose love for his people was boundless, replied, “If my fellow Jews cannot have their share in THIS world, of what value is to me my share in the World-to-Come!”
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW