"These are the heads of their fathers' houses"

Synopsis

This section opens with the verse, "And Hashem spoke to Moses and Aaron and commanded them about the children of Yisrael and about Pharaoh the king of Egypt." Rabbi Yosi explains that this means the children of Yisrael were to be led with gentleness and the Pharaoh was to be treated with honor and respect. Rabbi Yesa wonders why it says, "These are the leaders of their fathers' house," and Rabbi Shimon answers that they were kings and the children of kings, leaders of their clans who did not deny their customs or mingle with other nations. Moses and Aaron were without equal among the princes of Yisrael because of their lineage, especially because of Pinchas who saved so many thousands when he killed Zimri and Kozbi and halted the plague. God saw that two of Aaron's sons would eventually blemish the covenant, so he did not want to send Aaron on the mission, but when he saw Pinchas repairing the blemish - sustaining the covenant - he reinstated Aaron with Moses. Rabbi Shimon adds that Moses is air or spirit and Aaron is water, and together they combine Tiferet and Chesed.

Relevance

When people are chosen to be leaders, it is because they have some quality or qualities that make them fit for leadership. As we think about this section, we can contemplate the ways in which Moses and Aaron exhibited these qualities by showing gentleness, honor and respect to both their own people and their adversary. This ability in a man to transcend his own nature and honor his enemies - for even criminals treat their friends with respect - is the sign of a great soul, one who has overcome his lower nature and thereby rules his inner kingdom. This is the true 'royal man,' who is also the natural choice for a temporal leader. Reading this section will make us more fit for leadership ourselves, and help us guide others to their own freedom.

Aaron Egypt Moses Pharaoh, The

Head Torah

83. אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא, אֲמַאי סָמִיךְ הָכָא אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי בֵית אֲבוֹתָם. אֶלָּא, אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דַּבְּרוּ לוֹן לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּנַחַת, דאע"ג דְּאִינּוּן יַתְבֵי בְּפוּלְחָנָא קַשְׁיָא, מַלְכִין בְּנֵי מַלְכִין אִינּוּן. וּבְגִין כַּךְ, כְּתִיב, אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי בֵית אֲבוֹתָם אִלֵּין דְּאַתְּ חָמֵי, רֵישֵׁי בֵּית אֲבָהָן אִינּוּן.

Aaron Egypt Ground Head Moses Pharaoh, The Staff

84. Rabbi Chiya said, THIS IS WHY, "THESE ARE THE HEADS OF THEIR FATHERS' HOUSES" IS THE ADJACENT VERSE, TO TEACH that none of them denied their customs or mingled with any other nation. There are those who stood on their holy ground and were not false by mingling with the Egyptians. Rabbi Acha said, THE REASON "THESE ARE THE HEADS OF THEIR FATHERS' HOUSES...," IS ADJACENT IS in order to express THE LINEAGE of Moses and Aaron, that they were suitable to take out Yisrael, to speak to Pharaoh, and to chastise him with the rod. Their equal was not to be found among all the princes of Yisrael.

84. א"ר חִיָּיא, דְּכֻלְּהוּ לָא שַׁקְּרוּ נִימוּסֵיהוֹן, וְלָא אִתְעָרְבוּ בְּעַמָּא אַחֲרָא אִלֵּין אִינּוּן דְּקַיְימוּ בְּדוּכְתַּיְיהוּ קַדִּישָׁא, וְלָא שָׁקְרוּ לְאִתְעָרְבָא בְּהוּ בְּמִצְרָאֵי. אָמַר רִבִּי אֲחָא, בְּגִין לְאַיְיתָאָה לְמֹשֶׁה וּלְאַהֲרֹן, דְּאִינּוּן אִתְחָזוּן לְאַפָּקָא לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְמַלְּלָא לְפַרְעֹה, וּלְרַדָּאָה לֵיהּ בְּחוּטְרָא, בְּגִין דִּבְכָל רֵישֵׁיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח כְּוָותַיְיהוּ.

Aaron Elazar Head Levites Myriads Pinchas Plagues

85. Come and see, IT IS WRITTEN, "And Elazar the son of Aaron took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bore him Pinchas. These are the heads of the fathers of the Levites" (Shemot 6:25). HE ASKS, WHY DOES IT SAY, "These are the heads," IN PLURAL? PINCHAS was only one. HE ANSWERS, Because Pinchas saved so many thousands and tens of thousands of Yisrael, and saved many heads of fathers WHEN HE KILLED ZIMRI AND KOZBI, SO THE PLAGUE WAS STAYED FROM YISRAEL. Therefore, it is written of him, "These" IN PLURAL.

85. תָּא חֲזֵי, וְאֶלְעָזָר בֶּן אַהֲרֹן לָקַח לוֹ מִבְּנוֹת פּוּטִיאֵל לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ אֶת פִּינְחָס אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי אֲבוֹת הַלְוִיִּם. וְכִי אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי, וְהָא הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי הֲוָה. אֶלָּא, בְּגִין דְּפִינְחָס קִיֵּים כַּמָּה אַלְפִין וְרִבְוָון מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, וְהוּא קִיֵּים לְרָאשֵׁי אֲבָהָן, כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ אֵלֶּה.

Abihu Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Fire Form Head Levites Nadab Pinchas

86. Another EXPLANATION OF THE PASSAGE THAT SAYS, "And she bore Pinchas: These are the heads" is IN THE PLURAL because the loss of the heads of the Levites was recovered in him, and he restored whatever they missed and was burned. He earned their priesthood and the form of both of them dwelt IN PINCHAS. HE ASKS, You say that the loss of the heads of Levites is found in him. Who are they? HE ANSWERS, They are Nadab and Abihu. They separated the sign of the covenant from its place, WHICH IS MALCHUT, BECAUSE THEY OFFERED A STRANGE FIRE, and he came and connected them. Therefore the inheritance and the spirit of both of them was given to him. And it is mentioned here IN THE PASSAGE what will occur later on. THEREFORE IT IS WRITTEN BY HIM, "THESE ARE THE HEADS," IN PLURAL.

86. תּוּ, וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ אֶת פִּינְחָס אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי, אוֹבְדָא דְּרֵישֵׁי דְּלֵיוָאֵי אִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ, וּמַה דְּאִינּוּן גָּרְעוּ וְאִתּוּקָדוּ, הוּא אַשְׁלִים, וְרָוַוח כְּהוּנָתָא דִּילְהוֹן, וְשַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ טַסְטוּקָא דְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ. אוֹבְדָא דְּרֵישֵׁי דְּלֵיוָאֵי אִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ, וּמַאן נִינְהוּ. נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא. אִינּוּן פְּרִישׁוּ אָת קַיְּימָא מֵאַתְרֵיהּ, וְהוּא אָתָא וְחָבַר לוֹן. בְּגִין כַּךְ, אִתְיְיהִיב לֵיהּ יָרוּתָא, וְרוּחָא דְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ. וְאַדְכַּר הָכָא עַל מַה דְּלֶהֱוֵי לְבָתַר.

Aaron Abihu Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Egypt Moses Nadab Pinchas

87. And if you ask, Why is Pinchas mentioned here; AFTER ALL, THE PASSAGE CAME ONLY TO IMPRESS THE LINEAGE OF MOSES AND AARON AS MENTIONED. HE ANSWERS, Because the Holy One, blessed be He, saw Aaron, when He said, "And I remembered My covenant," that his two sons would eventually blemish this covenant. Now that He was sending him to Egypt TO TAKE OUT YISRAEL, He wanted to remove Aaron, not allowing him to go on this mission. BUT as soon as the Holy One, blessed be He, saw Pinchas standing and sustaining this covenant in its place, and repairing the blemish OF NADAB AND ABIHU, immediately THE PASSAGE SAYS, "These are that Aaron and Moses" (Shemot 6:26). The Holy One, blessed be He, said, Now he is Aaron, the original Aaron, AS BEFORE NADAB AND ABIHU BLEMISHED THE COVENANT, BECAUSE PINCHAS REPAIRED THE BLEMISH.

87. וְאִי תֵּימָא, אֲמַאי אַדְכַּר הָכָא פִּינְחָס. אֶלָּא חָמָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַהֲרֹן, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאָמַר וָאֶזְכּוֹר אֶת בְּרִיתִי, דִּזְמִינִין תְּרֵין בְּנוֹהִי דְּאַהֲרֹן לְאַפְגָּמָא לֵיהּ לְהַאי בְּרִית, וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּקָא מְשַׁדֵּר לֵיהּ לְמִצְרַיִם, בָּעָא לְאַעְבְּרָא לֵיהּ לְאַהֲרֹן, דְּלָא לְמֵיהַךְ בִּשְׁלִיחוּתָא דָּא. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּקָאֵים פִּינְחָס וְקִיֵּים לֵיהּ לְהַאי בְּרִית בְּאַתְרֵיהּ, וְאַתְקִין עֲקִימָא דִּילְהוֹן, מִיָּד הוּא אַהֲרֹן וּמֹשֶׁה. אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הַשְׁתָּא הוּא אַהֲרֹן, אִיהוּ אַהֲרֹן דְּקַדְמֵיתָא.

Aaron Air Egypt Moses Water Zeir Anpin

88. "These are Aaron and Moses, to whom Hashem said 'Take out the children of Yisrael from the Land of Egypt...'" HE ASKS, THE PASSAGE SAYS, "These are that (lit. 'he is') Aaron and Moses", but it should say, 'These are Aaron and Moses.' HE ANSWERS, It is to combine the air, WHICH IS MOSES, with water, WHICH IS AARON. AND WHEN IT SAYS, "He is Moses and Aaron" (Ibid. 27), it is to combine water, WHICH IS AARON, with air, WHICH IS MOSES. MOSES IS THE ASPECT OF AIR, WHICH IS TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN, AND AARON IS THE ASPECT OF WATER, WHICH IS CHESED OF ZEIR ANPIN. Therefore, it is written, "He is AARON AND MOSES" instead of "These are" BECAUSE THEY ARE COMBINED ONE WITH THE OTHER, AS EXPLAINED.

88. הוּא אַהֲרֹן וּמֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר אָמַר ה' לָהֶם הוֹצִיאוּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וְגוֹ.' הוּא אַהֲרֹן וּמֹשֶׁה. הֵם אַהֲרֹן וּמֹשֶׁה מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא, לְאַכְלָלָא דָּא בְּדָא, רוּחָא בְּמַיָּא. הוּא מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן: לְאַכְלָלָא מַיָּא בְּרוּחָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב הוּא, וְלֹא הֵם.