Vayikra

Last week we started to discuss why Yonadav, the son of David’s brother Shama, was willing to advise and encourage David’s oldest son, Amnon, to rape his half-sister. We showed how Shama and David’s other two oldest brothers were unwilling to accept the fairness of their younger brother David having been chosen over them for the kingship. The “debt was paid” with Yonadav’s involvement in creating a stumbling block to the development of David’s dynasty. We will continue developing the story along these lines.

The new sefer begins: “He called to Moshe, and Hashem spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying” (Vayikra 1:1). This opening to Vayikra, which Chazal called, The Torah of the Kohanim, highlights once again the greatness of the spirit of Aharon HaKohen, Moshe’s older brother. One would think that since the main topic of the sefer is the commandments relating to the Mishkan and the service performed in it, about which Aharon was in charge, that the matter would be addressed to Aharon. However, it was actually told to Moshe! Yet, we find no hint in the Torah that Aharon had any jealousy toward his younger brother due to the latter’s greater prominence. To the contrary, when Aharon found out that he would be accompanying Moshe in a junior role, Hashem reports: “He will go out to greet you, will see you, and will be happy in his heart” (Shemot 4:14).