Moses, Aaron, and Samuel as Priests Who Were Answered

"Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among those who call on His name" (Psalms 99:6). Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Judah, and Rabbi Berekhiah in the name of Rabbi Joshua ben Korhah: All those forty years that Israel spent in the wilderness, Moses did not cease serving in the high priesthood, as it is written, "Moses and Aaron among His priests" and "Samuel" (Psalms 99:6). Rabbi Berekhiah in the name of Rabbi Shimon learned it from this: "And the sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses, and Aaron was set apart" and so on (1 Chronicles 23:13), and what is written after it? "And Moses, the man of God" (1 Chronicles 23:14), but his sons "are called after the tribe of Levi" (1 Chronicles 23:14). Rabbi Eleazar son of Rabbi Yose said: It is plain to us that Moses served in the wilderness in a white tunic. Rabbi Tanhum son of Rabbi Yudan said, and it is taught: all seven days of the consecration Moses served in the high priesthood, yet the Divine Presence did not rest through his hands; and once Aaron came and served in the priesthood, the Divine Presence rested through his hands, as it is written, "For today the LORD will appear to you" (Leviticus 9:4). "They called on the LORD and He answered them" (Psalms 99:6): this one calls and is answered, this one calls and is answered. "In a pillar of cloud He spoke to them" (Psalms 99:7): we find with Moses that He spoke with him in a cloud, as it is written, "And the LORD descended in a cloud and stood" and so on (Exodus 34:5), "And the LORD descended in a cloud and spoke" and so on (Numbers 11:25). And with Aaron He spoke in a pillar of cloud, "And the LORD descended in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron" and so on (Numbers 12:5). But with Samuel we have not heard. And where have we heard it? "And they answered them and said: Yes, behold, he is before you" and so on (1 Samuel 9:12). Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Mari son of Jacob: the women said to them, Do you not see a cloud bound above his court? And "yes" means nothing but a cloud, as you say, "And there were times when the cloud" and so on (Numbers 9:20). "They kept His testimonies and the statute He gave them" (Psalms 99:7): we have heard concerning Moses that the Torah was written in his name, "Remember the Torah of Moses My servant" and so on (Malachi 3:22). And we have heard concerning Samuel that a book was written for him, as it is written, "And he wrote it in a book and laid it before the LORD" and so on (1 Samuel 10:25). But concerning Aaron we have not heard; rather, this teaches that this portion was given to him, that it should not depart from him nor from his sons nor from his sons' sons until the end of all the generations. And which is this? "This is the statute of the Torah" (Numbers 19:2).