Va’eira

The passuk states, “hu Aharon u’Moshe.” Rashi points out that there are places where it mentions Moshe and then Aharon, and other places where Aharon is mentioned before Moshe. This teaches us that they are equal as one. HaRav Moshe Feinstein asks: We know that Moshe was the head of all nevi’im and the Rabban of Klal Yisrael, and through him the Torah was given. Only Moshe Rabbeinu learned Torah for forty days straight from Hashem. If so, how can it be that Aharon was equal to Moshe?

Rav Moshe answers that since Aharon was needed for the shlichus of Hashem, by helping Moshe to take out Klal Yisrael, so in this part they were equal. Where the gadol Moshe, needs the help of the katan Aharon, as if to say, they split the profit.

I heard another answer from Avi u’Mori shlita b’shem HaRav Moshe. Since Aharon did all that was possible for him to do, just as Moshe did all that he could, he is equal to Moshe. Although Moshe was indeed, truly greater, since Aharon put in his full effort to accomplish his personal mission, they are considered equal. I heard the following mashal for this idea: A person has 2 cups, a 4-oz cup and an 8-oz cup. Both cups are full. The 8-oz cup obviously contains more but since they both contain as much as they are able to, they can be considered equal – they are both full.

People have different potentials and responsibilities in this world. If a person can only learn Chumash and Rashi, then there won’t be a tevi’ah on him to learn shas. If one can learn shas then there will be a tevi’ah on him to learn shas. Rav Yisroel Salanter testified himself that he may have the intellect of 1,000 people, but then he also has to accomplish as much as 1,000 people. If one person learns a few mesechtos, only a part of his potential, and another person learns Chumash and Rashi to the best of his ability, then the Chumash and Rashi person will be more shaleim. And if each person accomplishes his potential, then they will be considered equal.

May we be zoche to recognize our avodah and grow in shleimus until we reach our potential!