It is praiseworthy to die for God, but even better to live for Him.
Why does Moses order every Levite to practice fratricide?
He is dehumanized, his life circumscribed by the need to achieve perfect purity and be a vessel for the forgiveness of the people’s sins.
Vayakhel records in painstaking detail the making of the tabernacle. It also makes clear one crucial truth: the central task of Jewish leadership is not atonement but teaching.
When he struck the rock to bring forth water.
Moses could confront the wayward children of Israel; Aaron was a peacemaker. Both are crucial components of successful political rule.
Is the priesthood restricted to descendants of Aaron, or is it open to any Levite? The answer depends on which book of the Torah you’re reading.