Answering God's Call

Take (kaḥ) Aaron and Elazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor.                   Numbers 20:25 With the same word God used to bring Aaron to the priesthood, saying to Moses: "take (kaḥ) Aaron,” He called upon Aaron to ascend the mountain.                                                       Yalkut Shimoni

          My saintly teacher, Rabbi Mordechai Rogov, commented that Yalkut Shimoni teaches us the greatness of Aaron. God's first call of kaḥ, elevating Aaron to the High Priesthood, no doubt was a source of joy for Aaron. The second call, informing Aaron that he is to prepare to die, must have engendered sadness in Aaron. Yet Aaron responded in the same manner to both calls, with the sole intention of fulfilling God's command. Just as Aaron answered the second call without remorse over his impending death, but only with desire to fulfill the divine will, so too his reaction to the call to the High Priesthood was devoid of personal feelings of joy or pride. Aaron accepted his commission as High Priest simply because it was God's will, not for reasons of ego. In the same way that God called Aaron to the priesthood, He called him to ascend the mountain, and Aaron responded in the same way.