Knowledge is Power -- G-dly Knowledge is SUPER POWER
’’Kindness and truth have met; righteousness (Charity) and peace have kissed. Truth, will sprout from the earth, and righteousness will look down from heaven.” Psalms 85: 11 – 12
The commentators explain the verse in the following way. When people are truthful, they elicit Kindness from heaven, and the two meet. This combination of truthfulness and kindness, takes pure justice and turns it into peace, which draws even more righteousness (Tzedakah-Charity) from heaven.
The Midrash says, Aaron – Moses’ older brother, represents Kindness and “truth” is represented in Moses. Unfortunately, “Truth” as important as it is, is not very welcome in this world, which is a world of falsehood. For that reason “truth” recommended, that G-d, not create this world. On the other hand the measure of Kindness, recommended that G-d create the world, since “kindness” is also appropriate and relevant in a place filled with deceit and lies.
Moses, because of his special feature, that of truth in the purest sense, was aloof and at a distance from common people and from the world at large. Therefore, when he passed away at the age of 120, the community at large did not feel his loss. While when Aaron passed away at the age of 123, as the person characterized by kindness, and therefore connected even in places and with people of deceit, “the entire house of Israel” mourned him.
Moses, because of his characteristic of truth, was able to be the intermediary between the G-d of truth and this world. Only Moses was able to receive the instructions from G-d in order to transmit them to Aaron. Moses could never communicate with a person like King Pharaoh, the King of the most lewd and lascivious country of the time. Aaron and his virtue of kindness was able to reach so low a point as communicating and transmitting the message to King Pharaoh.
Aaron was the spokesperson of Moses and received all his knowledge and wisdom from the only one who was able to receive it himself from G-d, Moses. All the Israelites recognized this dynamic, that all the instructions originated from Moses. Yet, when Moses passed away, it did not make the impression on the Israelites, as did the passing of Aaron who was connected to everyone.
These two very special characteristics and virtues are not the domain of two separate people. Moses had kindness and Aaron had truth.
The reason why G-d chose Moses as the leader of His special chosen nation was because of his absolute commitment to truth, the hallmark of Moses and yet Moses as a shepherd demonstrated kindness and mercy even toward a weak goat, which so impressed G-d.
Aaron, although he was characterized by kindness and reaching out to make peace between husband and wife warring factions, he never compromised on the “truth” and was always clear on the parameters and limitations set by the rules of the Torah. When reaching out to the common people, one must BRING THEM CLOSER to the Torah of truth and not the other way.
Moses was more emphatic on truth and therefore he was the one able to connect with G-d to bring G-dliness down to the world. Aaron because he was stronger on the kindness side he was able to better connect with ALL the people.
Everyone has their own G-d given strengths that serve their own very unique mission they, were sent down to this world. Trying to mimic someone else, confuses the plan, complicates the person’s life and most important misses the bull eye.
Discovering ones unique strengths and Divine purpose, and contributing it to make the world a better place is the lesson we learn from the same, yet different lives of Moses and Aaron.
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