Shemot

Slavery. Oppression. And then, a glimmer of hope. Moses is born. Raised as an Egyptian prince, but when forced to decide between a Jewish slave and an Egyptian oppressor - he kills the latter and flees to Midian.

Shemot

Slavery. Oppression. And then, a glimmer of hope. Moses is born. Raised as an Egyptian prince, but when forced to decide between a Jewish slave and an Egyptian oppressor - he kills the latter and flees to Midian. There he encounters God at the “burning bush” and is astonished to be told that he is to argue with the Egyptian dictator and to achieve freedom for his people.

Moses is reluctant and repeatedly attempts to deflect God’s command. “Send the one you usually send” (Exodus 4:13) which the commentators explain to be a reference to his older brother, Aaron, who was already the de facto leader.

God became angry at Moses’ refusal to fulfill his destiny, and the rabbis explain that at this moment Moses loses the right to be the High Priest, which was previously designated for him. That privilege is instead given to Aaron, because, as God reports to Moses, “when he (Aaron) sees you, he will rejoice in his heart (at your elevation)”.

This detail marks a seminal point in Biblical history. The book of Genesis is full of dysfunctional families, and examples of older brothers reacting with fury and even violence when their role is usurped by younger siblings. From Cain, who killed Abel, Ishmael who resented Isaac’s inheritance of Abraham's legacy, to Esau who swore to kill Jacob and Joseph who was sold by his older brothers, we can find no instance of harmony between brothers.

But when Aaron not only accepts that his younger brother will be the people’s leader and teacher, but even rejoices in his heart at the news, then a new era of unity has begun, and the task building the Jewish nation into a collective entity can commence

This characteristic, of minimising one’s own importance for the sake of others, is the ideal quality of a Priest. A Priest acts as a conduit between the people and God – offering sacrifices on the people's behalf and conveying the blessings from heaven to the people. Such a go-between is in danger of elevating his own stature and becoming an object of veneration and even deification.

Aaron, who is happy at his brother’s fortune with no thought of his demotion, is thus the perfect candidate for the role of High Priest. He takes his place at Moses’ right hand as they approach Pharaoh, demanding liberation.

Rabbi James Kennard is Principal of Mount Scopus College, Melbourne.