by Rabbi David Katz

In this week’s Torah Portion, we gain much more insight into the brotherly relationship of Aaron and Moses. As anyone who reads the Torah, and gives  a passing thought to the themes that take place, one can’t help but notice the intense and dramatic flair that exists amongst Brothers in the Torah. From the Torah’s very beginning, we are introduced to Cain and Able, and their tragic relationship. Upon continuing in Bereishit, we will encounter numerous Brothers: Isaac and Ishmail, Jacob and Esau, The Twelve Tribes and the suffering of Joseph in context of his Brothers, Levi and Shimon (in association with Joseph and Shechem), and onwards to Moses and Aaron, etc.

The Torah in the Book of Shemos takes a radical change of pace, as we have been witnessing for all of Bereishit angst amongst Brothers, and now we meet two of a different cut: Moses and Aaron. What makes Moses and Aaron so appealing to us, is that for the first time, we meet Brothers who aren’t trying to kill each other (God Forbid!), rather the opposite is true; these two are working in harmony fulfilling the Will of Hashem and refraining from destroying the World!

Moses bursts onto the scene, and his very birth and early life was not supposed to come into existence. Pharaoh had decreed to throw the boys into the water, upon which Amram, Moses’ father had decided to divorce his wife Yocheved to fight this tyranny. To counter such a move, the side of Holiness prevailed, as Miriam, Moses’ sister would challenge Amram, “You are more evil than Pharaoh! Pharaoh wanted to kill the boys only, and now with your actions, boys and girls alike will not be born if the men divorce their wives!” Having understood Miriam’s position, Amram took back his wife of the Tribe of Levy, and the outcome had reverberations of the redemption: Moses would be born. However, after three months, he could no longer be hidden, and having fear of Pharaoh’s decree, Moses’s mother and sister Miriam had placed him in the Nile, to see what Hashem would have with him.

Pharaoh’s righteous daughter would find Moses healthily awaiting his destiny: to grow up in a palace, and eventually become the destined redeemer. Growing up in the palace of Egypt would weigh heavily on the Jewish People for obvious reasons. The only question is, since Aaron, Moses’ Brother was the eldest of Amram’s children, would this pose as a stumbling block, not only in a Brotherly way, but in a Messianic way? For the Redemption to commence, the last thing Hashem needs is for there to be bickering amongst Brothers! After all, imagine what would happen if Hashem had asked Jacob and Esau to bring redemption! (which by the way that was the goal Hashem had in mind of Jacob and Esau, as Esau’s Gematria/Numerical Value of his name is 376, the value of “Shalom”/”Peace” – expressing his great level of soul, for Jacob and Esau were to be partners performing Hashem’s Will)  However, as we are to find out in the Book of Shemos, not only did Aaron not resent Moses and his Life and Destiny, rather, he embraced it wholeheartedly! Thus the stage of Redemption was established, and for the first time in the Torah, we have Brothers to thank!

But were Moses and Aaron the first Brothers to succeed? The answer to this question may depend on how we are to ascertain what a brother is. Before we ponder this question, let’s find out what Moses and Aaron’s secret bond may have been under the surface.

The Redemption comes about in three distinct stages, all sharing one common factor: א and מ (Alef and Mem) of the Hebrew Alphabet: Here, we see Moses and Aaron, each having an Alef and Mem, \alef for Aaron and Mem for Moses. In this level of Redemption we find one problem: it was not a total and complete redemption. Thus the story continues, and we meet Mordechai and Esther in the story of Purim. Moses and Aaron represented a Brotherhood for redemption, yet they still weren’t totally united; the ramifications of the maneuverability between them, gave rise to the Golden Calf and Moses hitting the rock, bearing a punishment that neither of them would enter the Land of Israel. Mordechai and Esther however (another Alef – Esther and Mem- Mordechai), were more united, as a true soul mate union in the spiritual and physical realm. These two were lacking only in one vital area: Their redemption was not complete, as exile continued in their times and afterwards. For in the future, we learn from Mordechai and Esther, the Redemption must be totally male, and totally one amongst Brothers! Where would we find such a combination? Mem Alef! : Moshiach – Mem and Elijah - Alef. Here we have two Men, Brothers, totally united, and bringing the Final and Complete Redemption!

From this scenario, it sounds great, with one glaring question: Who is Moshiach and what is his Brotherly Status with Elijah? The answer may be quite simple: instead of peering into the future, let us peek back into the past! For there is yet another pair that functioned as Brothers, held the same Mem Alef title, and not only had the potential of the Complete Redemption, but they in fact started the process over 3,000 years ago! We are living off of their success even today, and the Moshiach and Elijah that we wait for will parallel their union and even be joined by their company! Who are we speaking of ? Abraham and Shem, otherwise known as Malki Tzedek: Alef – Abraham and Mem – Malki Tzedek / Shem.

Many people are not aware of the bond that Abraham and Shem share. As the two may not have been literal Brothers, they bonded in an unprecedented way in the entire Torah. If Brotherhood is central and primary to Hashem, Shem and Abraham personified it. Both of these Righteous Men even play a part in the Final Redemption due to their merit in what they achieved: as it says of “The Four Craftsmen” in the Midrash and Talmud Sukkah, Shem and Abraham are listed as two craftsmen that are integral of the final redemption. Shem is called “The Righteous Priest” and Abraham is called “The High Priest.”

When Shem came off of the Ark, he sought one thing to allow his Torah to stick and find eternity and success: he needed a partner, a friend, a Brother. Shem was missing this piece of the puzzle, as Ham and Jafet did not measure up to Shem’s level he had envisioned while mastering the Torah. Shem knew something that no one else would have ever guessed: for the Torah to be victorious, Hashem would produce an Abraham. Shem spent his entire life watching Abraham grow into what would eventually be an equal.  Much the same way that Moses and Aaron and Mordechai Esther each grew into their roles with their other half, Shem and Abraham share this trait as well, for after the Binding of Isaac, Abraham was ready for his mission with Shem.

Immediately after Abraham offered the ram in place of Isaac, Isaac was enrolled into the Academy of Shem, where Shem would teach his Torah to Isaac. This Torah that Isaac would merit to learn from the mouth of Shem, was actually Shem’s rendition of: The Life of Abraham! And the Torah that Isaac would learn from Abraham his father, would be of the Priesthood that Abraham merited from Shem himself, when the Brotherhood was fashioned. Thus Abraham and Shem forged a bridge in the past, one that travels and emanates even to this day. When the Torah speaks of the four craftsmen, many are surprised to see the selection of Shem and Abraham, to the likes of Joseph, David and Moses, etc. But when we look at what Abraham and Shem represent, this bond is unique to the whole Torah, and they fit the specific requirements: Male, complete redemption, and unity – for we see not a trace of negativity coexisting amongst the two. When the Redemption does come about, it will be based upon and enveloped in an old friendship that perfected Brotherhood a long long time ago: Shem and Abraham.

In light of this scenario, another Brotherhood is beginning to manifest in our times: The Noahide Nations and the Jewish People. When we look at these two schools, and implement the roots of both from the perspective of how they were both formed, a beautiful bond is emerging right in front of our eyes! Thus what was founded thousands of years ago, is strong enough to this day, to bring together people from all over the World, to partake in Hashem’s Plan and Torah. We saw that this was possible with Shem and Abraham, and we were promised that it would take place in the future with Moshiach and Elijah. It should bring Hashem no shortness in pleasure, to see that even after all of this time and the course of History, Brotherhood remains intact. When the Redemption does finally happen, the four craftsmen will find that they are not unique in the World and share their company, as there is a Great Light of Brotherhood, accompanying the Redemption, in the Bnei Noach and their Jewish Brethren. The Torah dreamed of Brotherhood, and established it with Shem and Abraham; today the Noahides and Jewish People can live this Dream as Reality.