7 Nissan 5783 – 29 Maart 2023
קַ֤ח אֶֽת־אַהֲרֹן֙ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֣יו
Take Aaron
Finding a verse that belongs to today’s Tora-portion and that appealed to me to apply in today’s life was a challenge. I found the following explanation to this verse valuable.
Every one of us has the inner power to not only overcome spiritual darkness but to transform it into light. But this inner power is not always readily available to us, for various reasons. We must therefore seek out individuals who are steeped in the Torah and further along the path of spiritual refinement than we are, so we can benefit from their inspiration and guidance. At the same time, we must also develop our inner “priest,” both in order to transform our ouwn inner darkness into light, as well as to help others do the same for themselves.
In Pirkei Avot 1 Mishnah 6 we read:
Joshua ben Perahiah used to say: appoint for thyself a teacher, and acquire for thyself a companion and judge all men with the scale weighted in his favor.
A teacher, a Rabbi, a companion is someone who knows you, who knows how you think, what drives you, where you need help and, above all, what steps are right for you to take.
Learning with a Rabbi will make you sharpen your Torah study, by giving and taking (discussing and arguing) and through this you will increase your light which will inspire you to make better choices and decisions to improve your properties.
The meaning of “acquire for yourself a friend” is not, “Make for yourself a friend,” or “Befriend others.” The meaning is that a person should acquire for himself a friend, so that all his actions and all his affairs are refined by him. A true friend dares to say what is needed, it is not someone saying what you want to hear, prove you right for the sake of peace, but who says what needs to be said. The beauty is that because someone is your friend and you know that the words are spoken for your good, you don’t get defensive, and the words can be used constructively. As a result, light increases.
The beauty of light is that when someone gives light, the light does not decrease in himself, it only increases in the other person. It can change him to become a “priest” to others, to enlighten others. To pass on that light to another. Through his own light, he will be able to enlighten and help others. In this way, the whole world will become more and more enlightened, and will become a dwelling place for Hashem.
So what can we practically learn from this little piece of Torah?
Everyone should find for themselves a rabbi a friend, who you can learn from, who can advise you. This knowledge and this advice will make you a better person. A person who will be able to help others and teach others.
By Angelique Sijbolts
Sources: Kehot Chumash – Likutei Sichot, vol 7, pp39, 46-47, Rambam on Pirkei Avot 1:6
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