Forever with his People
A lesson from the Tiferes Shlomo Parshas Chukas
יאסף אהרן אל עמיו
And Aharon will be gathered to his people
And Aharon will be gathered to his people
When the Torah records the passing of Aharon, it does not use the word וימת” and he passed away”. Rather, the Torah employs the euphemism of being “gathered to his people”.
A similar description is used for the passing of the Avos. Instead of saying that they passed away, the Torah writes that they were gathered to or would lie with their fathers. But how we can use this term in relation to Avraham whose people and fathers were idolatrous pagans.
When a Tzaddik passes away, their absence and departure is only to the physical eye, that we can no longer see them. Even after their passing, their spirit remains with us, hovering over and looking after us. This is alluded to in the words בחייהם נפרדו לא ובמותם” n their lifetime and in their death, they were not separated”. Just as they prayed for and protected the Jewish people whilst alive, in their passing, they did not become separate, remaining connected to us.
Whilst the verse quoted above does not mention the passing of Aharon, a later verse teaches ואהרן יאסף ומת שם – “and Aharon will be gathered and pass away there”. The extra word “there”, teaches that only “there” on Hor Hahar would Aharon die. But afterwards he would live on and continue to protect the Jewish people and remain with them.
When the Torah says that Aharon, or other Tzaddikim will be “gathered to their people”, it is not referring to their forebearers. Rather it refers to their people, Bnei Yisroel, teaching that that even in their passing, they will be gathered to and forever present with the Jewish people.
A similar description is used for the passing of the Avos. Instead of saying that they passed away, the Torah writes that they were gathered to or would lie with their fathers. But how we can use this term in relation to Avraham whose people and fathers were idolatrous pagans.
When a Tzaddik passes away, their absence and departure is only to the physical eye, that we can no longer see them. Even after their passing, their spirit remains with us, hovering over and looking after us. This is alluded to in the words בחייהם נפרדו לא ובמותם” n their lifetime and in their death, they were not separated”. Just as they prayed for and protected the Jewish people whilst alive, in their passing, they did not become separate, remaining connected to us.
Whilst the verse quoted above does not mention the passing of Aharon, a later verse teaches ואהרן יאסף ומת שם – “and Aharon will be gathered and pass away there”. The extra word “there”, teaches that only “there” on Hor Hahar would Aharon die. But afterwards he would live on and continue to protect the Jewish people and remain with them.
When the Torah says that Aharon, or other Tzaddikim will be “gathered to their people”, it is not referring to their forebearers. Rather it refers to their people, Bnei Yisroel, teaching that that even in their passing, they will be gathered to and forever present with the Jewish people.