Midot Hayom 5770 Day 34: Yesod in Hod
After Aaron offered the sacrifices, the Divine Presence did not appear [immediately]. Aaron was frightened. “Moses!” he said. “Perhaps the Holy One, Blessed is He, is not pleased with the service of my hands.” Thereupon the glory of Hashem
appeared (Targum Yonatan, Leviticus 9:23).
God waited until Aaron experienced the frustration of not being successful in bringing the Divine Presence to actually appear.
Aaron was haunted by his role in the Golden Calf, no matter his intentions. He could not imagine that he would be acceptable as Cohen Gadol. Aaron’s fears and frustration indicate that he felt that the role of Cohen Gadol could be earned or deserved. The man of Hod examined himself and found him to be undeserving. Aaron had to learn that his role as Cohen Gadol was not his, but was entirely a gift from God.
Aaron could sense the inner essence of a person. He learned through this experience that when seeing someone’s Hod, we have to be aware that its foundation, or Yesod, is entirely from God. There is no true Hod without God.
When we see something special in someone else, we are sensing their Hod. Yesod in Hod reminds us that the Hod is a gift from God, which makes that something special all the more special.
When we study Torah and simply sense that there is far more than the surface in what we are studying, we are sensing the Hod of Torah. Yesod in Hod tells us that even the ability to sense the Hod is a gift from God.
Tools:
- Honor that which is special in people as a gift from God.
- Honor your Torah and spiritual insights as gifts from God.