5786/2026
“VaYa’as Kein Aharon El Mul Penei HaMenorah He’elah Neiroteha Ka’asher Tzivah Hashem Et Moshe,” “Aharon did so; towards the face of the Menorah he lit its lamps, as Hashem had commanded Moshe” (BeMidbar 8:3).
Rashi on this Pasuk, citing the Sifrei, comments that the seemingly extraneous phrase “VaYa’as Kein Aharon” is there “LeHagid Shivcho Shel Aharon SheLo Shinah” – “To say how praiseworthy Aharon is, that he didn’t do anything different [from what Moshe told him]”. Many commentators address the following question: what exactly is so praiseworthy about Aharon “not doing anything different”? All he was told to do was to light the candles of the Menorah! Some answer by noting that Moshe’s command demanded more of Aharon than simply lighting. For example, the Maharal MiPrague, in his Gur Aryeh, suggests that it took great effort to align the wicks such that they would face the middle candle perfectly. Indeed, right after the phrase “Aharon did so”, which alludes to Aharon’s praise, the Torah mentions how Aharon made the candles face the middle of the Menorah. However, the Iturei Torah cites, from the Sefer Emes Ve’Emunah, a very different explanation from the Gra and the Kotzker Rebbe. Aharon’s praise is not that he didn’t stray from Moshe’s command, but that he didn’t stray, over the course of 39 years of lighting, from the excitement and spirit which he had the first time he did the Mitzvah. He never viewed this Mitzvah as a burden, nor did it even become commonplace for him; rather, every lighting was another special opportunity to fulfill Hashem’s command.
Baruch Hashem, we are granted many opportunities for Torah learning and Mitzvah performance on a daily basis. This blessing can sometimes present the challenge of routine, fatigued Mitzvah performance. In the spirit of Aharon HaKohen, let us approach each Mitzvah with a renewed passion and vigor.