Shemot Rabbah turns to Aaron and His Sons Chosen to Lead Israel in Service.
The text cleverly connects this verse in Exodus to one in Zechariah (10:4): “From it will come a cornerstone, from it a peg, from it a bow of war.” What’s the connection? The Midrash (rabbinic commentary) uses this verse from Zechariah to make a profound point: Israel's leaders – kings, priests, warriors, even judges – arise from within the people themselves. The Midrash contrasts this with other nations. "When the early nations would seek to appoint a king for themselves, they would bring [a man] from anywhere and appoint him over them," the text says, pointing to examples in Genesis (36:32-39) where kings of Edom came from foreign lands. Israel, however, is different. King David, the ultimate cornerstone, rose from being a humble shepherd. As we find in Midrash Tehillim 118, "The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone" (Psalms 118:22). He was the youngest, the least likely, and yet…
The High Priest? He’s the “peg” – a source of stability, as it says in Isaiah (22:23): "I will affix him as a peg in a secure place." And the warriors, the “bow of war,” are those armed with strength and skill, as described in I Chronicles (12:2). Even the judges’ scribes, those who keep order, come "from it."
Back to Aaron. The Midrash tells a story to illustrate this point further. Imagine a king who wants to appoint a treasurer, so he chooses his friend. Later, the king needs a military chief, and the friend naturally hopes to be chosen again. But the king tells him, "Go and appoint a military chief of staff…from your noble family."
This, the Midrash suggests, is what happened with Moses. Moses was chosen to oversee the Tabernacle. But when it came time to appoint a High Priest, Moses might have thought, "Maybe it will be me." But God says, "Go and appoint a High Priest for Me…from the tribe of Levi…it is Aaron, your brother!"
That’s why the verse says, "And you, draw Aaron your brother near to you." It's not just about choosing someone; it's about choosing someone from among them, someone connected to the people.
There's even a debate among the Rabbis about how long Moses served as High Priest. Some say it was all forty years in the wilderness! As Rabbi Berekhya says in the name of Rabbi Simon, drawing on verses from I Chronicles (23:13-14), Moses held this role continuously. Others believe it was only during the seven days of inauguration. Either way, the point is that leadership was intertwined with the people's spiritual life.
What does this mean for us today? Perhaps it's a reminder that true leadership isn't about titles or positions, but about connection and service. It’s about recognizing the potential within our communities and empowering those who are "from among" us to rise and lead. It asks us to consider: are we looking outside, or are we nurturing the leaders within?
“And you, draw Aaron your brother near to you, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, to serve Me: Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, Elazar and Itamar, Aaron’s sons” (Exodus 28:1). “And you, draw Aaron your brother near to you,” that is what is written: “From it will come a cornerstone, from it a peg, from it a bow of war” (Zechariah 10:4). Come and see: When the early nations would seek to appoint a king for themselves, they would bring [a man] from anywhere and appoint him over them, as it says: “He reigned in Edom” (Genesis 36:32), from Dinhava, from Basra, and likewise, all of them.1The Torah (Genesis 36:32–39) lists various kings of Edom and where they were from; the first two were from Dinhava and Basra, respectively. These places were not in Edom. But Israel is not so. Their great ones are from them, their kings are from them, their priests are from them, their prophets are from them, their princes are from them, as it is stated: “From it will come a cornerstone,” this is King David, as it is stated: “The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone” (Psalms 118:22).2The Sages apply this verse to King David (see Midrash Tehillim 118), who was a humble shepherd and the youngest and least prominent of his brothers before he was appointed king. “From it a peg” this is the High Priest, as it is stated: “I will affix him as a peg in a secure place” (Isaiah 22:23). “From it a bow of war,” as it is stated: “They were armed with bows, both right and left-handed” (I Chronicles 12:2). “From it every oppressor will be gone together” (Zechariah 10:4), these are the judges’ scribes. And likewise it says: “And you, draw Aaron your brother near to you, and his sons with him.” From where? It is from among the children of Israel. This is analogous to a king who had a friend and sought to appoint a treasurer, and he appointed [his friend] over his entire treasury. Sometime later, he sought to appoint a military chief of staff, and that friend thought that perhaps he would choose him, but he did not choose him. [The king] said to him: ‘Go and appoint a military chief of staff.’ He said to him: ‘My lord, from which noble family?’ He said to him: ‘From your noble family.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He sought to appoint someone over the labor of the Tabernacle, and He selected Moses as the administrator over the judges and over everything. When the Holy One blessed be He sought to appoint a High Priest, Moses thought that perhaps he would become the High Priest. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Go and appoint a High Priest for Me.’ He said before Him: ‘From what tribe shall I appoint for You?’ He said to him: ‘From the tribe of Levi.’ At that moment, Moses rejoiced. He said: ‘My tribe is so beloved.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘It is Aaron, your brother.’ That is why it is stated: “And you, draw Aaron your brother near to you.” The Rabbis say: All forty years that Israel was in the wilderness, Moses served in the high priesthood. Some say: He served only during the seven days of inauguration. Rabbi Berekhya says in the name of Rabbi Simon: All forty years Moses served in the high priesthood, as it is stated: “The sons of Amram, Aaron and Moses; [Aaron was separated that he should be most holy, he and his sons forever, to offer before the Lord, to serve Him, and to bless in His name forever]” (I Chronicles 23:13), and it is written: “And Moses, the man of God, [his sons are named among the tribe of Levi]” (I Chronicles 23:14).3The implication of the verse is that Moses’ sons were regular Levites, but he himself functioned as a priest.
