Learning from Aaron.... Burr

Today, I want to talk about Aaron. No, not that one.  Aaron Burr. Of course, it would have been even more unlikely to talk about Aaron Burr about 8 years ago or so, before the musical Hamilton turned him from just a name  in history to an antagonist to the similarly obscure  Alexander Hamilton. Fans of Hamilton will know that the character of Burr was epitomized by the advice he gave to his young protege, “talk less, smile more, don't let them know what you're against and what you’re for.”  His advice goes unheeded by Hamilton who insists on making himself and his opinion known at any opportunity.  

Should we follow Burr’s advice or learn from the brashness of Hamilton.

For guidance we turn to the other Aaron, the high priest and brother of Moses.  Aaron was very much in the mold of his later namesake. His most notable moments are either silent or reactive or, in the case of losing his sons Nadav and Avihu, both.  Arguably the most consequential incident at which Aaron declines to take a stand is the molding of the Golden Calf.  In his own words he took the gold from the people, threw it into the fire and out came the calf. 

Aaron is involved in a more personal transgression as a silent partner, this time with his sister Miriam who ends up alone in receiving punishment.  Miriam spoke with Aaron some kind of slander or gossip about their brother Moses regarding either his wife or another woman with whom he has been.  Juicy as the gossip is, the subject is then dropped for a seeming non sequitur as to how they are seen as inferior to Moses.  G*d shows up to defend Moses, summoning all three to appear before the Tent of Meeting.  Moses is vindicated and Miriam is struck with leprosy and Aaron… is just there.  Seeing the scene unfold Aaron does not take responsibility or offer himself as a co-conspirator with Miriam. Nor does he make a case to G*d to spare his sister. Instead he turns to Moses to convince him to speak out on her behalf which he does, shouting out his concise and forceful plea: “Please G*d do heal her!” 

Shouting out passionately is on-brand for Moses who several times must go to bat to save the Israelites from G*d’s wrath even demanding that G*d wipe him away too rather than sweep away everyone else.  Back before he even leaves his life as an Egyptian prince, Moses kills an overseer who was harassing a Hebrew slave and intervenes in another fight between two brethren. As the Hamilton of this piece, Moses speaks his mind and takes action rather than wait for matters to unfold. 

Still, the great rabbi Hillel taught that one should in fact be like the disciples of Aaron who according to him was a pursuer of peace in all ways.  This statement is embellished with an anecdote:  when Aaron would see a wicked person he would not reprimand him or speak out against him but would instead greet him pleasantly and say Shalom, peace.  The would-be sinners would then say to themselves “how could I possibly face Aaron when he greets me if I now do this wicked act”  Unlike his brother’s sometimes rash intervention, Aaron was indeed the master of “talk less, smile more”

Silence is golden and yet silence is complicity.  Ultimately there are times that call for Aaron and his disciples and times for Moses and those who must speak. Both our voice and our silence must be tools in making the world kind as well as just, a place of righteousness and a place of peace.