To a fascinating discussion from Kohelet Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Ecclesiastes, about the appointment of Aaron as the High Priest.
The Rabbis paint a scene where the Holy One, blessed be He, instructs Moses to appoint a High Priest. Moses, naturally, wants to know the specifics: "Master of the universe, from which tribe?" The answer comes back: "From the tribe of Levi." Moses is pleased, thinking his own tribe is favored. "My tribe is so beloved before the Holy One, blessed be He!"
But then comes a divine correction. "By your life," God says, "it is not your tribe, but it is your brother." As it's written in (Exodus 28:1), "And you, bring Aaron your brother near to you." So, Aaron is chosen, not just because he's a Levite, but because he's Aaron. And how is he to be consecrated? With the "anointing oil," as we find in (Exodus 29:7): "You shall take the anointing oil and anoint him."
But here's a crucial point: the anointing oil alone isn't enough. According to Kohelet Rabbah, Aaron's service "is not service and he has liability unless the names of the tribes are engraved on his heart." The names of the children of Israel are to be borne upon his heart, as (Exodus 28:29) tells us. God emphasizes: "The names of the tribes are dearer to me than the anointing oil with which priests and kings are anointed."
Now, Rabbi Neḥemya offers a slight variation. He agrees that Aaron's appointment unfolds in the same way, but adds that the names of the tribes need to be engraved on Aaron's shoulders, not his heart. (Exodus 28:12) says, "Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders as a remembrance." And as (Exodus 28:10) specifies, "Six of their names on one stone and the names of the six that remain on the other stone."
The details matter, friends. Rav Beivai stresses that if even a single letter were missing from those names, the priestly service would be invalid. Rabbi Oshaya goes even further: even one dot! It’s all about precision and completeness.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai then brings in a broader perspective, teaching about the three crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of kingship. Aaron merited and received the crown of priesthood, David the crown of kingship. But the crown of Torah? It's available for all generations. And here's the kicker: anyone who acquires Torah is as though they've acquired all three crowns. Conversely, anyone who doesn't acquire Torah is as though they haven't acquired any of them. A powerful statement about the centrality of learning and wisdom in Jewish life.
Rabbi Bon, citing Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani, shares an intriguing idea. He says that God went to great lengths – a distance that takes five hundred years to traverse! – to make a name for Himself. This is based on II (Samuel 7:23): "Who is like Your people, like Israel… whom God went to redeem to Himself for a people and to make a name for Himself."
But then Rabbi Yosei HaGelili offers a controversial interpretation of the same verse. He suggests that God redeemed Israel despite the presence of idolaters among them. Rabbi Akiva vehemently objects, accusing him of rendering the sacred profane! The Israelites, according to Rabbi Akiva's understanding, are saying that God redeemed Himself, as it were.
The passage in I (Chronicles 17:21) uses the word halakh ("went") to describe God's action, while II (Samuel 7:23) uses halekhu (a plural form of "went"). The midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), or interpretive tradition, seizes on this difference. Halakh refers to God, while halekhu refers to Moses and Aaron. In other words, Moses and Aaron were God's emissaries, sent to accomplish this redemptive objective.
So, what can we take away from all this? It's not just about lineage or ritual. It's about the weight of responsibility, the importance of detail, and the profound connection between leadership, the people, and the divine. And perhaps most importantly, it’s a reminder that even those chosen for greatness are still human, still part of something larger than themselves.
The Rabbis say: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Go and appoint a High Priest for Me.’ [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, from which tribe?’ He said to him: ‘From the tribe of Levi.’ [Moses asked:] ‘With what will I anoint him?’ He said to him: ‘With the anointing oil.’ At that moment, Moses was joyful; he said: ‘My tribe is so beloved before the Holy One blessed be He.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘By your life, it is not your tribe, but it is your brother’ – that is what is written: “And you, bring [Aaron your brother] near to you” (Exodus 28:1). His anointing with the anointing oil, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “You shall take the anointing oil […and anoint him]” (Exodus 29:7). However, his service is not service and he has liability unless the names of the tribes are engraved on his heart, as it is written: “Aaron will bear the names…[of the children of Israel…upon his heart]” (Exodus 28:29). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘The names of the tribes are dearer to me than the anointing oil with which priests and kings are anointed.’ Rabbi Neḥemya said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Go and appoint a High Priest for Me.’ [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, from which tribe?’ He said to him: ‘From the tribe of Levi.’ [Moses asked:] ‘With what will I anoint him?’ He said to him: ‘With the anointing oil.’ At that moment, Moses was joyful; he said: ‘My tribe is so beloved before the Holy One blessed be He.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘By your life, it is not your tribe, but it is your brother; that is what is written: “And you, bring [Aaron your brother] near to you” (Exodus 28:1). His anointing with the anointing oil, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “You shall take the anointing oil […and anoint him]” (Exodus 29:7). However, his service is not service and he has liability unless the names of the tribes are engraved on his two shoulders, as it is written: “Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders as a remembrance” (Exodus 28:12). “Six of their names [on one stone and the names of the six that remain on the other stone]” (Exodus 28:10). Rav Beivai said: Had they been missing one letter they would not have served their purpose. Rabbi Oshaya taught: Even one dot. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: There are three crowns; the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of kingship. The crown of priesthood, Aaron merited it and took it. The crown of kingship, David merited it and took it. The crown of Torah is available for [all] generations. Anyone who acquires Torah it is as though he acquired [all] three of them. Anyone who did not acquire Torah, it is as though he did not acquire any of them. Rabbi Bon said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani: We found that the Holy One blessed be He went a distance that takes five hundred years to traverse to make a name for Himself, as it is written: “[Who is like Your people, like Israel…] whom God went to redeem to Himself for a people and to make a name for Himself […nations and their gods]” (II Samuel 7:23). Rabbi Yosei HaGelili said: A nation and its gods.7He interprets the end of the verse to mean that God redeemed Israel despite the fact that there were idolaters among them who took their gods with them. Rabbi Akiva said to him: You have rendered the sacred profane. The Israelites said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘You redeemed Yourself, as it were, as it is stated: “Whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, nations and their God”’ (II Samuel 7:23).8According to Rabbi Yosei HaGelili, this would be translated as “their gods.” It is written: “Whom God went [halakh] [to redeem] for Himself [a people]” (I Chronicles 17:21), and later it says: “Whom God went [halekhu] [to redeem for Himself for a people]” (II Samuel 7:23). Halakh, this is the Holy One blessed be He; halekhu, this is Moses and Aaron.9The term halekhu is plural, and therefore the midrash interprets it as referring to Moses and Aaron. Thus, the verse means that Moses and Aaron were emissaries God sent to accomplish this objective.
