Strive for Greatness: A Torah Perspective
A general principle in the Torah is the person who is mentioned first in a verse is the one who is the most important. Therefore, if there is a pasuk that contains the name of Moshe Rabeinu, the greatest in the nation of Israel, and he is not listed first, there should be a good reason for it. In fact, we do find that there are pasukim that lists Aharon before Moshe. Rashi’s comment on that listing is based upon this general principle. We find as Moshe and Aharon accepted the mantle of leadership as the plagues on Mitzraim were beginning, the Torah lists Aharon first in one pasuk and Moshe first in another. Rashi quotes a Midrash that because the Torah interchanges Moshe’s and Aharon’s names seemingly at random it comes to teach us that the two brothers were equal in their stature and greatness.
HaRav Moshe Feinstein, ZT”L raises a powerful question on this Midrash. How is it possible that Moshe and Aharon should be considered equal in greatness and stature? After all, Moshe was history’s greatest prophet, history’s greatest person and the one who brought the Torah to this world. It’s not possible for Aharon, no matter how great he was, to be compared to his younger brother Moshe.
HaRav Moshe provides two answers to this question both of which help us better understand HaShem’s outlook towards human greatness and what he expects from us in our short stay in this world. This essay will focus on HaRav Moshe’s second explanation.
When Chazal say that Moshe and Aharon were equal in greatness and stature they were not suggesting that the two of them were to be compared to each other but rather each one against himself. And the notion of being equal was in their own life’s successes. Both of them completely fulfilled their missions in life to capacity. Whatever HaShem expected of them, whatever he commanded them to do and whatever mission they were appointed for, they totally achieved.
HaRav Moshe’s explanation of this Chazal is meant to awaken HaShem’s children to His perspective in our lives. However, HaRav Moshe through another Chazal point out that this outlook is not so simple to achieve. Society places undo pressure on mankind to define greatness and stature differently and thereby causing most people to be sidetracked in their pursuit of fulfilling their personal mission in this world.
The Gemarah in Bava Batra relates a story of Yosef the son of Yehoshua who was very sick and it resulted in his being in a state of unconsciousness. When he awoke his father asked him what did he see. He answered, he saw the next world as upside down. Many who were of stature in this world were not recognized for greatness in the next world, and many who were not recognized for anything consequential in this world were of great stature in the world to come. His father replied that the next world is the world of truth and this world is upside down. The reason that people of great stature in this world occupy a place of lower stature in the world to come is because Hashem judges people by their effort and desire and not by their output. Someone who has great desire to fulfill a mitzvah and makes the best effort possible will be recognized in HaShem’s eyes as someone more accomplished and greater than another individual who out performed the first person but only invested partial effort and desire. We see this world, which is influenced by mankind, is heavily influenced by a value system that is not congruent with Torah values. The people of power and influence are not always worthy of recognition because their claim to fame is not in synch with eternal truths.
As parents and educators we are responsible to prepare children to achieve greatness in the eyes of HaShem, to be the best they can be fueled by desire and effort. To that end, we are responsible to manage their exposure to contemporary society’s values during their formative years to help them avoid becoming influenced. However, there is more to it than that. Parents and teachers who are the primary role models need to be cognizant of the subtleies and nuances in our own behavior. What are we promoting as “successful” for our children? Is it the accomplishment of a certain number of Mishnayot memorized or for answering the Rebbe’s “great question”? Or are the stars of our classrooms the children that work hard and try their best when they approach a challenging task?
Let’s carefully follow the Torah’s curriculum as we prepare our children to greet Moshiach Tzidkeinu.