SHMOS

"AND HE [MOSHE] SAID, 'I BEG YOU, HASHEM, PLEASE SEND IN THE HAND OF ANOTHER !' " (Shmos 4:13)

From this Posuk we see that Moshe attempts to decline the mission that Hashem wishes to entrust him with, that is, to lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt.

The Yalkut Shimoni (Shmos 172) states, "Moshe said, 'All of these years it was Aharon who prophesied to them...Now I enter into the domain of my brother causing him anguish...' Therefore, Moshe did not wish to go..." We see from this Midrash that Moshe declined the holy mission that Hashem wished him to perform because he did not wish to hurt his brother's feelings. Aharon served as the leader and prophet of Klal Yisroel for over eighty years, and it would be insensitive for Moshe, Aharon's younger brother, to replace him.

This is mystifying. Let us consider the nature of the mission that Moshe Rabbeinu balked from accepting. He wished to reject the incredible z'chus and privilege of redeeming Hashem's chosen people from the enslavement and affliction of Egypt to freedom... the chance to bring about the greatest revelation of Divine Providence ever in the history of the world... the chance to give Hashem's nation the greatest gift imaginable, the Holy Torah, and ultimately, the possibility of bringing the Klal Yisroel into Eretz Yisroel, and to build the Beis HaMikdash, the dwelling place of the Shechina. In essence, this mission then involved the issue of Pikuach Nefesh of an entire nation, as well as being the fulfillment of the entire purpose of creation. Is it worthwhile to relinquish all of this simply to avoid a possibility of causing someone pain?

Furthermore, would Aharon really be offended that his younger brother is replacing him? Aharon, of all people, whose extraordinary humility transcended even the humility of Avrohom Avinu (see Chullin 89a). He not only performed kindness but was the essence of kindness and goodness itself¹. Would Aharon, the living angel of holiness and humility, of kindness and goodness, be offended that it is not he, but his younger brother who will be zocheh to bring about the salvation of the Klal Yisroel? How much hurt would Aharon actually feel? In light of this, is it then worthwhile for Moshe to give up this opportunity of immense dimension in order to avoid a negligible possibility of causing Aharon anguish?

The answer is a resounding "yes." Moshe Rabbeinu, who attained the highest levels of wisdom and prophecy, understood that even Aharon, with his holiness and purity, is still only a human being of flesh and blood. There can be buried deep in the depths of even Aharon's pure and holy heart a personal hurt that he would not be chosen to lead the Klal Yisroel to freedom. According to this assessment, Moshe Rabbeinu must decline even this incredible mission that Hashem is entrusting him with. For causing tzaar, however minutely, to another human being is absolutely forbidden. Notwithstanding the infinite magnitude of the mission assigned him, Moshe knew that he could not take part in something that might ultimately lead to causing anguish, however minute, to another individual.

May we merit to realize that causing hurt to another human being is an offense of major consequence. Each and every human being possesses G-Dliness within him. He was created betzelem Elokim and has within him a chelek eloka mimaal, a Divine soul from Above.² Moshe Rabbeinu recoiled from accepting a mission of universal proportion because of a possibility of causing a miniscule amount of hurt to his brother Aharon. May we be privileged to do everything within our power to exert every effort not to inflict any hurt whatsoever upon any individual. May we be zoche to treat each and every human being with respect and with dignity. Amen.