בס''ד
If something is worth saying once, it is worth saying again. That being said, in the case of Moshe’s mandate to the sons of Aharon, with regard to the laws of priesthood, there was seemingly only one time at this point that it was given over. Why then does Hashem command Moshe to “Say to the Kohanim, the sons of Aharon, and you shall say to them”? Wherein lies the need for a repetition of the decree to “say” it to them?
The
righteous of this world fall into two categories, as laid out by the Noam
Elimelech. One group comprises of those born
into a family of saintly individuals and who inherit much of their elevated
status from the atmosphere and upbringing of such a home. The second consists of those from humble
spiritual beginnings who raise themselves to the heights of purity through
their own efforts and striving. The
advantage of the second group, is that due to a lack of familial support, they
are ever conscious of a need to be resolute in maintaining their level, with nothing
and no one else to rely on but their own resolve. Those whose piety is to an extent a product
of their nurture, can become complacent about the level at which they live, and
can more easily fall if they are not conscious of this danger. The sons of Aharon fell into the first
category and therefore required not only to be told what their responsibilities
were as Kohanim (the first ‘saying’), but also necessitated a warning of the
risk of complacency inherent in being the sons of such noble ancestry. This was the second ‘saying’ that Moshe was
compelled to issue to try to safeguard them from this vulnerability that they
possessed.
Whatever
our background and whatever our lineage, we are sure to have inherited some
positive traits from our parents.
Whether it be a high level of religious practice or innate principles of
honesty and integrity, these may be no more due to our own choices than our
physical appearance or intellectual aptitude.
The important point here however is to realise what these are and to be
alert to the possibility of them falling by the wayside if we do not ensure
that they become truly ours by making conscious choices about continuing their
practice. If we are not choosing to do
that which is right, because we in our heart of hearts truly believe in its
goodness, then we are always open to spiritual decline. But if we make the choice to continue
down this path because we know it is one of truth and virtue, the foundations
will be built for a structure of unfaltering strength that can never be torn
down.
*May the power of Shabbos help
create the fortitude in us*
לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם
לרפואה שלימה: שרה יעל בת
ברכה אסתר
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