Difference between revisions of "Aaron" - New World Encyclopedia
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[[Image:Aaron-ark.jpg|thumb|350px|Aaron, the high first high priest, attends the [[Ark of the Covenant]].]] | [[Image:Aaron-ark.jpg|thumb|350px|Aaron, the high first high priest, attends the [[Ark of the Covenant]].]] | ||
Revision as of 01:44, 11 May 2007
Aaron (אַהֲרֹן;, Aharon—"bearer of martyrs"—also related to the Egyptian Aha Rw, "Warrior Lion"), was the brother of Moses and Miriam and founder of the Jewish priesthood. Aaron was the eldest son of Amram and Jochebed (Exodus 6:16) of the tribe of Levi. Together with Moses, he led the Israelites out of Egypt after confronting the Pharaoh who had enslaved them. He was also a prophet, a gifted speaker, and powerful miracle-worker. His story is preserved in the biblical narratives of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
Although Aaron is infamous for his role in forging the idolatrous Golden Calf, he is revered in Jewish tradition for his leadership during the early stages of the Exodus, and especially for his role as the first high priest of the Tabernacle, the sacred shrine of the Israelites until the establishment of the Temple of Jerusalem. In Christian tradition, Aaron was the ancestor of Zechariah and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist, and may also be the forefather of Jesus through his mother, Mary, Elizabeth's cousin.
Aaron in Exodus
In the Book of Exodus, Aaron first enters the story when Moses, standing in front of the burning bush on Mount Sinai, asks God for help, fearing that the Hebrew slaves in Egypt will not believe him. God appoints Aaron to be Moses' spokesperson. God speaks to Aaron and commands him to meet Moses at "the mountain of God." The two then return to Egypt and gather the elders of the Israelites. Aaron speaks to them and performs miraculous signs, leading them to believe in Moses' message of God's concern for their suffering. (Exodus 4:29-31)
Miracles and plagues
Aaron, aged 83, (Exodus 7:7) goes with Moses to approach the king of Egypt and demands that he allow God's people to leave for a three-day pilgrimage to offer sacrifice to the Lord (Yahweh). When the Pharaoh refuses, Aaron takes the lead in demonstrating God's power before the king. First, Aaron throws down his staff, and it becomes a snake. The king's magicians perform the same feat, but Aaron's snake swallows the Egyptian serpents. However, this only hardens the heart of the king against the Israelites.
Next Aaron turns the Nile to blood, killing its fish. Again, the Egyptian magicians accomplish the same feat, and again Pharaoh refuses to relent. Aaron then causes frogs to emerge from the Nile to plague the land. The Egyptian magicians do the same. This time Pharaoh asks Moses to pray to Yahweh to take the frogs away. God responds to Moses' entreaty, but the king again hardens his heart. Aaron now performs a miracle that the Egyptians cannot duplicate: a plague of gnats. The magicians testify, "this is the finger of God," but Pharaoh stubbornly refuses to listen. The pattern of miracles now shifts away from Aaron, and Moses takes the lead in bringing about the remaining plagues that finally force the Pharaoh to allow the Israelites to leave.
The Exodus
God gives his instruction concerning the Exodus and the commemoration of Passover to both Moses and Aaron. (Exodus 12:31, 43) Likewise, the Israelites obey "Moses and Aaron" during the initial Exodus and also rebel against them jointly. (Exodus 16:2)
When God provides manna for the people's food needs, Aaron perseveres some in a jar for posterity and places it in front of a God's altar. (Exodus 16:34) In battle against the Amalekites, Aaron holds Moses' hands aloft, allowing the Israelites to prevail. (Exodus 17:12) When Moses' father-in-law Jethro visits the encampment and offers sacrifices to Yahweh, Aaron comes "with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God." (Exodus 18:12)
Aaron on Sinai
Aaron alone is commanded to join Moses when Moses first ascends Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments verbally, while other priests, elders, and the people generally are forbidden to do so. (Ex. 19:24)
After this, Aaron ascends the sacred mountain again with Moses and the 70 elders of Israel, at which time God's covenant with the Israelites is confirmed and the priesthood is formally initiated. This version of the story relates that Aaron is among those who actually "saw the God of Israel."
- Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself... They saw God, and they ate and drank. (Ex. 24:10-11)
Aaron's priesthood
Moses leaves Aaron and Hur in charge as he ascends the mountain once more, this time with Joshua, to receive the Ten Commandments in written form. The majority of God's communication to Moses during his 40 days on the mountain concerns priestly issues such as the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, the sacred altars, and detailed instructions about priestly vestments. The role of Aaron is particularly emphasized.
- Have Aaron your brother brought to you... along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests. Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron, to give him dignity and honor... Make the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen—the work of a skilled craftsman... Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord. Also put the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron's heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites. (Ex. 28:1-30)
God further instructs Moses to formally initiate Aaron and his sons as the official priests of Israel. Moses receives instructions on the process of consecration, as well as on the offering of sacrifices, incense, and other priestly duties to be carried out by Aaron and his descendants.
The Golden Calf
Ironically, just as Moses is receiving these commands which give Aaron's lineage the place of highest honor, Aaron himself is about to commit the sin for which he will always be remembered. The people lose faith in Moses because of his long absence, demanding that Aaron make them an image for them to worship. Aaron complies with their demand by fashioning a golden calf out of their jewelry, declaring, "This is 'elohiym, who led you out of Egypt." [1] Although he does not seem to be intending the worship of "other gods" than Yahweh, Aaron's act nevertheless leads the people into the sin of idolatry, for God has already commanded them not to make "graven images." Moreover, the text makes it plain that in their worship of Elohim's image, the people not only offer burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but "indulge in revelry" and "run wild."
Moses descends the mountain at this very moment, breaking the tablets that bear the Ten Commandments and reprimanding Aaron for allowing the people to sin so grievously. (Ex. 32:21) Aaron excuses himself on the grounds that the people are "prone to evil." He receives no immediate punishment for the deed. Aaron and his fellow Levites then rally to Moses and conduct a mass slaughter of 3,000 people at Moses' command. Confirming the Levites' special status, he declares: "You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day." (Ex. 32:29)
The rest of the Book of Exodus deals mainly with the construction of the Tabernacle, for which purpose the people are now completely united. The sin of Aaron seems to be forgotten as he and his sons are solemnly consecrated as priests and clothed in the rich sacred garments prepared to confer honor and holiness upon them. Then, "the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle" and God continues to lead His people through the wilderness.
Leviticus
As the name implies, the Book of Leviticus is largely concerned with the tribe of Levi and the role of Israel's priesthood. In this book, Aaron and his sons mentioned even more than Moses is. Their sacrificial duties, vestments, and their rights to a share of various offerings are described in minute detail. (Lev. 1-7)
In Leviticus 8, Aaron and his sons are formally ordained. Moses ceremonially washes and dresses them, and then anoints Aaron as the chief priest. After conducting several animal sacrifices, he places some of the sacrificial blood "on the lobe of Aaron's right ear, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot." Moses then consecrates Aaron's sons by sprinkling them with sacrificial blood and anointing oil. To complete the act of atonement and consecration, Aaron and his sons must remain in the the sacred tent for seven days after consuming a sacrificial meal.
On the eighth day, Aaron assumes his duties as high priest, carefully conducting various offerings. God signals his approval of Aaron's work by sending fire from heaven to consume the sacrifices Aaron has offered. (Lev 9:24)
Later, the importance of carrying out the priestly duties meticulously is emphasized when Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu use "unauthorized fire" in attending the altar and are immediately slain by God for this sin. (Lev. 10:1) Upon hearing Moses' explanation that this was done to show God's absolute holiness, Aaron "remains silent," neither mourning, nor protesting. Moses appoints Mishael and Elzaphan, cousins of Aaron and Moses, to replace the slain priests. He commands Aaron's family not to tear their priestly clothes—traditional Jewish signs of mourning—upon pain of death.
Aaron conveys to the people various dietary laws. God reveals to Moses and Aaron new instructions concerning skin diseases, mildew in a house, ritual impurity, and bodily discharges. Through Moses, God instructs Aaron to enter the Holy of Holies only once a year on the Day of Atonement. Aaron receives detailed instructions on the proper sacrifices to offer on this holy day, known to Jews today as Yom Kippur. God also stipulates that Aaron's descendants are not allowed to serve at the sacrificial altar if they have various physical defects, although they may still partake of the sacrificial meals. (Lev 21:17:22)
Numbers
The Book of Numbers begins with God ordering Moses and Aaron to carry out a census of the Israelite men who can serve as soldiers. In Numbers 3, the role of the broader Levite tribe as assistants to the Aaronic priests is spelled out. The Levites are to be dedicated to God in place of the firstborn males of all Israel. However, Israelite parents must pay a redemption fee for their firstborn sons. The fee amounts to 1,365 silver shekels, and this sum is given to Aaron and his sons, setting a precedent for future generations to likewise redeem their sons through similar payments to the Temple.
Aaron and Miriam speak against Moses because he has married a Cushite woman, (Numbers 12) pointing out that they, too, are prophets. God calls them and Moses to him at the sacred tent, where he explains that Moses' position is above that of all other prophets, since to Moses alone does God speak "face to face." God grows angry with Aaron and Miriam, and Miriam turns leprous. Aaron pleads for her with Moses, and Moses declares that she must spend seven days confined alone outside of camp as punishment.
For the rest of the narrative, Aaron and Moses stand united again. When God speaks, he often speaks to Moses and Aaron together. When spies are sent to Canaan, they bring their report to Moses and Aaron. When the people grumble, they grumble against Moses and Aaron.
Korah's rebellion
In Numbers 16, the a Levite leader named Korah, together with a large group of respected Israelites, protests the special status of Aaron and his sons, saying, "The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord's assembly?"
Moses declares that it is against God, and not simply Aaron, that this complaint is made. Moses challenges Korah to bring his upstart priests to the sacred tent and let Yahweh himself decide the matter. Many of Korah's followers and their families are soon killed as "the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, with their households... They went down alive into the grave, with everything they owned." God also sends fire to consume the disciples of Korah who, standing at the holy tent, had attempted to usurp and democratize the priesthood. In the aftermath, Aaron's son Eleazer begins to emerge as a faithful successor to his father. Meanwhile, God has sent a plague against the Israelites generally, killing another 14,700 in addition to those killed earlier. Aaron makes atonement for them, and soon the plague stops.
To further demonstrate God's support for Aaron's priesthood, Moses collects one staff from each of the 12 tribes. On Levi's staff, Aaron's name is inscribed. The staves are placed before God's altar in the holy tent, and the next day, Aaron's staff has miraculously sprouted, budded, blossomed, and produced almonds. (Num. 17:8)
At the Waters of Meribah
Even still, the people continue to complain against Moses and Aaron, especially so when they stay at Kadesh. There, Miriam dies and is buried. To make matters worse, there is no water. In response to the people's complaint, God tells Moses and Aaron to take the staff and "Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water." (Num. 20:8)
Here, it is Moses who commits a serious sin. Instead of speaking to the rock, he excoriates the people as rebels and strikes the rock, not once but twice. Abundant water is produced, but God harshly punishes both Moses and Aaron for this act, saying to them: "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."
Death
As the Israelites prepare finally to enter Canaan, God tells Moses to bring Aaron to a place called Mount Hor together with Aaron's son Eleazer. There, Aaron is to die, and Eleazer is to be invested with the office and garments of the high priest. The writer reports: "when the whole community learned that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days." (Num. 20:29)
Legacy
Despite his sin in the matter of the the Golden Calf and his apparent failure to intervene to stop Moses from striking the rock, Aaron's position as the ancestor of the Israelite priesthood was confirmed by his faithful attendance to God at the Tabernacle and his loyalty to Moses throughout most of the 40 years in the wilderness. His priesthood was confirmed by two miraculous signs—the sending of fire from heaven to consume his first offering as high priest, and the later flowering of his staff after Korah's rebellion against his priesthood. His legacy was sealed by his grandson Phineas, who at the plague of Baal Peor (Num. 25) stood strongly with Moses to stop the Israelites from sliding into idolatry.
The Aaronic priesthood, together with that of the Israelite monarchy and the prophets, was a key factor in the history of Israel, especially so in Jerusalem, where the priesthood held significant political power through the Temple. Several young kings were trained an guided by Aaron's descendants, and at times priests were involved in violent political coups and counter-coups. The Aaronic priesthood was also the single most important institution in the creation of the Jewish scripture and the survival of the Jewish tradition after the Babylonian exile. Some Jews expected both a kingly Messiah of Davidic lineage, and a priestly Messiah, of Aaronic lineage.
In Christian tradition, Aaron was the ancestor of John the Baptist, whose parents were both of priestly lineages. Jesus Christ was possibly a descendant of Aaron on his mother's side, since his mother Mary was a cousin of Elizabeth, John's the Baptists' mother.
The vast majority of Jews today are considered descendants of the tribe of Judah. However, a minority claim Levite descent, and some claim to be Kohanim—of the priestly lineage of Aaron. Jewish family names such as Levy and Levin often denote such a supposed Levite genealogy. Names such Cohen and Kohn denote Aaronic descent. While no written genealogies date back nearly so far as to confirm this claim, recent genetic studies have indeed presented some basis for it. (Skorecki et al., 1997).
Aaron in Islam
Aaron, known as Harun, is recognized as both a priest and a prophet in Islam. Islamic tradition sees his role as analogous to that of Ali in relation to the Prophet Muhammad, who reportedly said: "Will you (Ali) not be pleased that you will be to me like Aaron to Moses? But there will be no prophet after me." (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 57, Number 56)
A significant difference between Harun in the Qur'an and Aaron in the [[Bible] is that Harun was not involved with the creation of the Golden Calf. Rather, he did not prevent it, as he feared for his life at the hands of the idol-makers.
Critical Views
Due to Aaron's ambiguous relationship to Moses, the biblical representation of his character is sometimes negative and shadowy. Yet in other places the narrative goes out of its way to demonstrate his faithful service and God's continued support of his position as high priest.
Scholars who accept the documentary hypothesis distinguish various portrayals of Aaron in different sources:
- Aaron as fallible—The Elohist "[E]" represents Aaron as a fallible priest who commits serious sin. Although he comes to meet Moses (Exodus 4:14), supports him in war, (Exodus 17:12) and upholds the law (Exodus 24:14), Aaron yields to the people and makes the Golden Calf (Exodus 32). He also joins with Miriam when she criticizes Moses for marrying a Cushite woman. (Numbers 12) Some believe the story of the Golden Calf reflects the Elohist's opposition to the northern shrine at Bethel, which feature a golden or bronze bull-calf icon.
- Aaron as Moses's prophet—In the Yahwist "[J]" representation Aaron does not figure as negatively. J's version does not speak of the Golden Calf, and Aaron appears as a powerful miracle worker with Moses when the two confront Pharaoh. He partakes the covenant meal on Sinai. (Exodus 24:1, 2, 9-11) However, in both J and E, Moses is the representative of God, while Aaron is Moses' prophet. (Exodus 4:16, 7:1)
- Aaron as idolatrous—The Deuteronomist "[D]" account mentions Aaron only sparingly, but remembers him very negatively. In Deuteronomy 9, Aaron is directly responsible for the building of the Golden Calf. Yahweh is so angry toward Aaron that he was about to destroy him. The account of Aaron's death in Deuteronomy 10:6 is different from that in Numbers 20:22, coming at Moserah instead of Mount Hor—much earlier in the story—and is the result of the incident of the Golden Calf, not striking the rock at Kadesh. File:Tabernacle-constructed.jpgAaron (standing) consults with Moses about the construction of the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle.
- Aaron as archetype—In the Priestly source "[P]" and its various subdivisions, Aaron is referred to even more than Moses. In Exodus 25-30 and 35-40, and especially in Leviticus and Numbers, Aaron is the archetypal priest. When his position is challenged, God upholds it. His role emphasizes the critical importance an authority of the later Temple priesthood. What was done to and for Aaron (in terms of honor an respect) is what should be done with any high priest. The ceremonial investiture prescribed in Exodus 28-29 and Leviticus 8 is a manual for the sanctuary ritual in the Temple of Jerusalem.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Bright, John. A History of Israel, Westminster John Knox Press; 4th edition, 2000. ISBN 0664220681
- Heap, Norman L. Moses, Aaron & Joshua. Family History Pubns, 1990. ISBN 978-0945905059
- Himmelfarb, Martha. A Kingdom of Priests: Ancestry and Merit in Ancient Judaism. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2006. ISBN 978-0812239508
- Miller, J. Maxwell. A History of Ancient Israel and Judah, Westminster John Knox Press, 1986. ISBN 066421262X
- Skorecki K, et al. "Y chromosomes of Jewish priests," Nature:385, 32; 1997.
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