Rashi quotes the words of the Sifri: “And Aharon did it so” to tell us the praise of Aharon in that he did not deviate.” Many meforshim comment on this quality of Aharon Hakohen – that he listened to the Word of Hashem and did not so much as change an iota – why did the Torah find it necessary to even mention something as basic as this?
The holy Rebbe, R’ Yerachmiel Yisroel of Alexander zt”l, offers a novel approach: When a tzaddik does a mitzvah, often his fervor and enthusiasm overcome him and he cannot proceed out of sheer zest and excitement. Yet the Torah tells us that Aharon Hakohen was able to control his emotions, to subjugate his will to the command of Hashem in order to ensure that the mitzvah is done accordingly.
“Had the Ribono Shel Olam given the mitzvah of lighting the menorah in the Mishkan to R’ Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev zt”l,” joked the Rebbe of Alexander, “he would undoubtedly have spilled the oil and probably would have even broken the Menorah out of sheer zealousness to perform the mitzvah.” Control and self-discipline in the performance of mitzvos was a praiseworthy characteristic of Aharon Hakohen.
The following story illustrates this idea:
One night, a group of bochurim were studying diligently in the Radin Yeshivah. The hour was late, past midnight, when suddenly the door to the Beis Medrash opened and in walked the holy Chofetz Chaim, R’ Yisroel Meir Hakohen Kagan zt”l, accompanied by his son-in-law, R’ Tzvi. Of course, the sight of the great tzaddik spurred the young men to study even more diligently, and it took a few minutes for all those present to realize that the Chofetz Chaim had raised his arms in a motion indicating that he would like to say a few words.
“My dear students,” began the Chofetz Chaim in a soft voice, “Please go to sleep! It’s past midnight. One is not permitted to over-exert one’s body to the point that it will affect his learning for the next day. Please go to your rooms and go to sleep – this is what the Torah wants of you.” These were the all-important words of the great tzaddik who had come to speak to the bochurim after midnight. R’ Yisroel Meir, as well as many Gedolei Yisroel, believed that everything has its limit, even Torah study, and one is not permitted to overstep his physical bounds. A masmid (one who studies diligently) is one who utilizes his time wisely and never wastes a minute, not one who pushes himself until he causes a detriment to his health.
For some reason, however, a strange thing occurred. The short speech of the Chofetz Chaim had the opposite effect on the bochurim. Rather than get up and leave the Beis Medrash, they threw themselves into their learning with even greater gusto, and their voices rose to a new crescendo, louder than before. It would have appeared as if the tzaddik had just delivered an inspiring message exhorting them to study with even greater enthusiasm, as opposed to a short heartfelt plea urging them to go to sleep! Such was the power of influence that the great Chofetz Chaim had on people, and especially on young innocent bochurim who misunderstood the intentions of the great man.
But the Chofetz Chaim would not let it be. Without another word, he climbed up on a bench and began extinguishing the kerosene lamp that was burning on the wall. One by one, he climbed up – no small feat for a man already in his seventies – and put out each lamp until the entire Beis Medrash was dark. Then, in a voice filled with love and concern, he called out, “My dear children, please go to sleep.”
Aharon Hakohen was praised for kindling the lights in the Mishkan with self-control and discipline. The Chofetz Chaim employed the same discipline to extinguish the lights, all for the benefit of his students.
