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Biography of Yehuda Katz | Archives | This Week's Parsha

CHUKAS

"And all the congregation saw that AAron was dead, they wept for AAron 30 days--all the house of Israel " (20:29)

Rashi comments that when the verse said ,"all the house of Israel", this refers to both men and woman. Since Aaron pursued peace and caused love to prevail among men (including husband and wife), the entire nation mourned for him...........................(please refer to Rashi for further details)

Its interesting to note that even though people can live in peace, yet they dont neccesarily "love" one another. The peace that Aaron established ,according to Rashi, went even further in that it facilitated "love" among the feuding parties. This was a great feat indeed.......................................... In Avos Derov Nosson12, we get a glimpse into the methodogy employed by Aaron in causing others to love one another.It states the following, whenever Aaron heard that 2 Jews were quarreling, he visited one of them and commented as to how sorry and distraught his feuding friend was concerning the quarrel between them. Then Aaron visited the other party and told him the same. When both feuding parties would subsequently meet, they would reunite in friendship and love...................(please refer to Avos DeRov Nosson)

Aaron was in deed a genius when it came to pursuing peace.........................................................................

When the Torah tells how the entire nation (men and woman) mourned for Aaron, this is in deed a tremendous praise for Aaron and how he lived his life. Yet I wish to content that this was actually in praise of the nation of Israel !!!!!! How so? The nation of Israel at its core desires to live in harmony with one another. However, when Aaron passed from this world, their great peace maker was taken from them. They were so to speak at a loss..................Men and woman together cried and mourned............................This surely shows us the tremendous desire the nation of Israel has when it comes to peace.................The Torah is actually demonstrating the greatness of the nation of Israel..... Have a good Shabbos

 


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