What’s in a Voice?

Last week, I gave the D’var Torah on the double parsha Matot-Masei for Shir HaMa’alot, an independent minyan/chavurah in Brooklyn. The main text follows.

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Some of you may remember that in last week’s parsha, Pinchas, there is mention that Aaron already died (Numbers 27:12-13 [reads וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה עֲלֵ֛ה אֶל־הַ֥ר הָעֲבָרִ֖ים הַזֶּ֑ה וּרְאֵה֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ וְרָאִ֣יתָה אֹתָ֔הּ וְנֶאֱסַפְתָּ֥ אֶל־עַמֶּ֖יךָ גַּם־אָ֑תָּה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר נֶאֱסַ֖ף אַהֲרֹ֥ן אָחִֽיךָ׃] tells us that Moshe “will also be gathered to [his] ancestors, just like [his] brother Aaron”). But, in the non-chronology of the text, the event actually occurs in this week’s parsha:

וַיַּ֩עַל֩ אַהֲרֹ֨ן הַכֹּהֵ֜ן אֶל־הֹ֥ר הָהָ֛ר עַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה וַיָּ֣מׇת שָׁ֑ם בִּשְׁנַ֣ת הָֽאַרְבָּעִ֗ים לְצֵ֤את בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַחֲמִישִׁ֖י בְּאֶחָ֥ד לַחֹֽדֶשׁ׃

Aaron ha-Kohen ascended Mount Hor upon the word (mouth — פי) of G!d. He died there in the fortieth year after b’nei Israel went out from the land of Egypt, on the first of Av (in the fifth month, on the first [day] for that month). (Numbers 33:38)

וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן בֶּן־שָׁלֹ֧שׁ וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָ֑ה בְּמֹת֖וֹ בְּהֹ֥ר הָהָֽר׃

Aaron was 123 (one hundred twenty-three years old) at the time of his death upon Mount Hor. (Numbers 33:39)

There’s a couple salient points that could be made about the deaths of Aaron and his siblings:

* Both Aaron and Moses die על-פי ה, and both on mountains.

* The Israelites have just left Kadesh/the Wilderness of Zin (one of my favorite hikes), where Miriam died, before they encamp at Mount Hor.

* Of course, the obvious: none of them go into ha-aretz with b’nei Israel.

What strikes me, though, is how we meet Aaron as the voice (פי) and he dies by that same word (פי). In fact, Aaron, regardless of how often we see him speak directly to Pharaoh or truly on Moshe’s account, functions as an important voice for b’nei Israel for three essential reasons.

Who knows when we first encounter Aaron in the Torah? While we learn that Moshe has a sister early in Shemot, Aaron is not a known character until Exodus 4:14, when we read —

וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֨ף יְהֹוָ֜ה בְּמֹשֶׁ֗ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הֲלֹ֨א אַהֲרֹ֤ן אָחִ֙יךָ֙ הַלֵּוִ֔י יָדַ֕עְתִּי כִּֽי־דַבֵּ֥ר יְדַבֵּ֖ר ה֑וּא וְגַ֤ם הִנֵּה־הוּא֙ יֹצֵ֣א לִקְרָאתֶ֔ךָ וְרָאֲךָ֖ וְשָׂמַ֥ח בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃

G!d’s anger flared (up) with Moshe, and G!d said, “Isn’t (there) your brother Aaron ha-Levi? I know (that) he is ready and willing to speak. Also — look, he is (leaving) on his way to meet you, and will be joyful in (his) heart when he sees you.” (Exodus 4:14)

וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֔יו וְשַׂמְתָּ֥ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים בְּפִ֑יו וְאָנֹכִ֗י אֶֽהְיֶ֤ה עִם־פִּ֙יךָ֙ וְעִם־פִּ֔יהוּ וְהוֹרֵיתִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֽׂוּן׃

So you will speak to him and place the words in his mouth (פי) — I will be with your speaking (פי) and with his speaking (פי) — I will instruct/teach (ירה) you (both) that which you should do. (Exodus 4:15)

וְדִבֶּר־ה֥וּא לְךָ֖ אֶל־הָעָ֑ם וְהָ֤יָה הוּא֙ יִֽהְיֶה־לְּךָ֣ לְפֶ֔ה וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶה־לּ֥וֹ לֵֽאלֹהִֽים׃

(In this way) He will speak on youand behalf to the people. He will be for you a spokesperson (lit. mouth — פי) and you will act as (lit. be — היה) for him as G!d (אלהים). (Exodus 4:16)

Since G!d said so — telling Moshe, and by default all later readers, that Aaron is ready and willing to speak and be the mouthpiece (פי) of G!d’s emissary through Moshe (as אלהים), we see Aaron as the voice we’re used to knowing. Beyond this Hebrew school passage, though, how else was Aaron’s voice essential for b’nei Israel?

Well, Moshe wasn’t a slave. Yes, we meet Miriam earlier, in her context as spy to see what Moshe’s fate would be as he floated in a basket among the reeds on the Nile, where Pharaoh’s daughter would find him. By tradition we learn that Moshe doesn’t experience life as a slave in Egypt, but rather in a privileged position in the Pharaoh’s house. In this case, Aaron’s voice as a Hebrew slave would be essential both for speaking on behalf of his fellow slaves, and for speaking to Moshe about slavery. His voice reflected the reality of the everyday life of the Hebrew people, and acted as protection and interpretation between them and Moshe/G!d.

Finally, in the role he assumes as ha-Kohen Gadol, and the first person referenced as a mashiakh, based on his being anointed (Exodus 29:4-9, enacted in Leviticus 8:12 — וַיִּצֹק֙ מִשֶּׁ֣מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָ֔ה עַ֖ל רֹ֣אשׁ אַהֲרֹ֑ן וַיִּמְשַׁ֥ח אֹת֖וֹ לְקַדְּשֽׁוֹ׃), Aaron functions as a voice for the people, offering sacrifices and intercessing for the community both directly and indirectly with G!d. In the priestly blessing — known in Christian circles as the “Aaronic Benediction” — Aaron’s voice, then other priestly voices, are essential for the people. The high priest’s voice was essential to enact the atonement ritual for the people, bringing sacrifices and pleading for both individual and communal forgiveness.

Aaron, of course, is not alone in using his voice. All three siblings lead through their voices, and Aaron’s voice mirrors that of the people very often. In contrast to Aaron’s voice mirroring the people, and Miriam leading spiritual songs of the people, Moshe as “אלהים” may seem more removed, or as a response to the voice of the people/Aaron. The addition of the communal voices, individually and as a whole, allows G!d to hear more strongly from b’nei Israel. Last week, the voices of Tselofakhad’s daughters brought about G!d’s acknowledgment that women must be able to inherit land, creating a famous instance of the voice of people enacting new halakhah.

A mouth (פי), a voice, is valuable gift we are given to use — as individuals, leaders, and especially in community. By choosing, working closely with, and building up good leaders, we build trust in the voice they use to lead and plead for us. When we add our voices together as a community, and with our leaders, we often see greater change and fortify our connections to each other and our surroundings. Through the mouth (פי), action is dreamed of, planned, encouraged, completed, and reviewed. Words illuminate, build up, tear down, compound, and invent. How can we use our voice(s), individually and collectively, especially as we approach this season of memory, lamentation, and somehow — hope?