The people of Israel are ready to begin their worship. Aaron, brother of Moses, is chosen to be the first High Priest. This is his moment! He should be filled with pride and joy, right?

But no. He hesitated.

According to Legends of the Jews, as retold by Ginzberg, Aaron's humility held him back. But there was more to it than simple modesty. The sight of the horned altar – that's the altar where sacrifices were offered, and it had these horn-like projections on the corners – filled him with dread. Why? It reminded him of the Egel Hazahav, the Golden Calf.

You remember that story, don't you? While Moses was up on Mount Sinai receiving the Torah, the people got impatient and pressured Aaron to create an idol. And, tragically, he did. He fashioned a golden calf, and the people worshipped it. A colossal sin.

Even though Aaron had been forgiven, the memory of his role in that terrible event still weighed heavily on him. He felt, as Ginzberg puts it, that he hadn't been "altogether without blame." That altar, meant to be a symbol of atonement and connection to God, instead served as a stark reminder of his past failure.

So, what happened? Moses, seeing Aaron's hesitation, had to encourage him. He had to urge his brother, the chosen High Priest, to step forward and perform his sacred duties. Think about that for a moment. The weight of leadership, the burden of past mistakes… it can paralyze even the most righteous among us.

Finally, Aaron did it. He performed the sacrifices as prescribed. And then, in a beautiful act of reconciliation and blessing, he lifted his hands toward the people and spoke the words of the Priestly Blessing, which we still say today. "Yevarechecha Adonai v'yishmerecha – The Eternal bless thee and keep thee; Ya'er Adonai panav elecha vichuneka – The Eternal make His face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee; Yissa Adonai panav elecha v'yasem lecha shalom – The Eternal lift up His countenance upon thee and give thee peace" (Numbers 6:24-26).

Isn't that powerful? Even after his moment of doubt, even with the weight of his past transgression, he was able to stand before the people and offer them a blessing of peace.

Aaron's story reminds us that even great leaders are human. They make mistakes. They struggle with doubt. But it's their ability to overcome those challenges, to learn from their errors, and to continue serving with humility and grace that truly defines them. It’s a comforting thought, isn’t it? We all stumble. The important thing is how we rise.