Chukas

The passuk states, “and Aharon died there on the top of the mountain…and all of Beis Yisrael cried over Aharon for thirty days.” In Parshas V’Zos HaBracha the passuk states that when Moshe died, “and the Bnei Yisrael cried in Arvos Moav for thirty days.” There is a pressing question: why by Moshe Rabeinu’s death does it state, “Bnei Yisrael” whereas by Aharon it states, “all of Beis Yisrael”?

The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh writes that Aharon’s death was sudden and unexpected, therefore everyone’s hearts were aroused to cry out. However, by Moshe Rabeinu it wasn’t unexpected. The pesukim state explicitly “and behold I will die…” Therefore, not everyone was aroused to cry. According to this explanation, the words “כל בית ישראל” written about Aharon mean everyone, whereas the words “בני ישראל” mean some cried, but not all.

Rashi answers differently: by Aharon everyone cried; both the men and the women, however by Moshe Rabeinu, only the men cried. Aharon would pursue peace, and make friendship and ahavah between a man and his wife or any two people fighting. Therefore, both men and women cried after his death, as it states, “כל בית ישראל.” However, by Moshe only the men cried, as it states, “בני ישראל”!

The Mishna teaches: Hillel and Shamai accepted from Shemaya and Avtalyon. Hillel said, “be from the students of Aharon, love peace and pursue peace…” Rashi explains “be from the students” – learn from Aharon to be like him to love peace. When he saw two people fighting with each other he would go to each one separately and say, “Ploni (Mr.) why are you fighting with the other person? He begged me to come to you, speak to you, and appease you until you agree to make up.” The Bartenura writes in the name of Avos D’Rabi Nosson that Aharon would say how the person wished he never did the bad thing, and he even hits himself because he sinned to you. And he sent for me to come to you that you should forgive him. Then he would go to the other person and deliver the same speech and they would make peace!

The Gemara writes that the Second Beis HaMikdash was destroyed because of sinas chinom. The Chafetz Chaim writes: if we don’t exert effort to have ahavas chinom, how will we merit the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash. May we learn from Aharon’s midah of ohev shalom v’rodeif shalom to increase our ahavas Yisrael and merit the rebuilding the Third Beis HaMikdash speedily in our days!