Rashi says that Moshe had to order Aharon to approach the Mizbeach because Aharon was bashful and afraid to approach. Moshe said to him: “Why are you ashamed? For this you have been chosen!”
It is stated in Toras Kohanim that the reason Aharon was embarrassed was because he saw the image of a cow emanating from the Mizbeach, which reminded him of the sin of the eigel. If so, we may ask how Moshe comforted him by saying that he was chosen for this task. How did being told that he was chosen for this job make him less ashamed?
The Sinner Will Not be Haughty
The Moshev Zekeinim of the Baalei Tosafos answers this question by quoting the Gemara (Yoma 22B) that says that the reason that Shaul Hamelech was unable to retain the rulership in his family was because his family had no blemish and one cannot rule over the public unless “a box of insects is hanging behind him”, i.e., he has some inferior lineage. The reason for this is because a person who has a blemish in his own family or who has committed a sin in his past will not become haughty and will not lead the people in an arrogant way because he will always remember his own transgression. If a leader would be 100% clean of sin, however, there is a danger that he might lead the people in a haughty way. For this reason, Hashem chose Aharon to serve as Kohen Gadol. Since he had the sin of the eigel in his past, he would never become arrogant and would always be humble. Thus, Moshe was telling him that the cause of his shame was the reason he had been chosen for this position.
Forgiven in the Merit of Shame
The Gemara states (Brachos 12B): “If one commits a sin and feels shame, he is forgiven of all his transgressions.” The Chida zt”l (Sefer Pnei Dovid) quotes Rav Hirsch Balchov zt”l as using this concept to explain why Aharon was chosen to be Kohen Gadol. Since he was ashamed of his sin, he was forgiven of all his aveiros and was now worthy to hold this lofty position.
The Cheit Ha’eigel Became a Zechus
Alternatively, the Chida explains Aharon’s appointment to be Kohen Gadol by citing the Gemara (Brachos 34B) that says: “In the place where baalei teshuva stand, complete tzadikim cannot stand.” The Meforshim explain that a tzadik who has never sinned can only perform the mitzvos asei, and he cannot even perform all 248 of them because some are dependent on a specific time or place. In this regard, both a baal teshuva and a tzadik who has never sinned are equal, as they both can do mitzvos asei. However, the baal teshuva has many mitzvos that a complete tzadik does not have because when he repents from his sins, they are transformed into merits. Thus, in addition to the mitzvos asei, he also has the merits of the mitzvos lo sa’aseh. In this way, the baal teshuva is superior.
Aharon sinned by being involved in the severe aveirah of avodah zara. After he did teshuva, this sin turned into a zechus, which brought him to a very lofty level. Moshe told him that the reason he was embarrassed – i.e., the sin of the eigel – is the reason he was chosen, as the merit of having done teshuva for this aveirah raised him to a very high level of kedusha.
Chosen Because he Fled From Honor
The Pardes Yosef explains by citing the Medrash (Tanchuma Tzav, Siman 10) that says that Aharon was chosen because he fled from honor. It is known that if a person flees from honor, honor pursues him. We find this concept in regards to Shaul (1 Shmuel 10:22) who hid amongst the vessels to avoid being honored and, as a result was chosen to be king. Shmuel told him that because he was small in his own eyes and fled honor, he would be the leader of the nation. Accordingly, Moshe was telling Aharon that because he was ashamed and hesitated to take a position of leadership and honor, he was worthy of receiving the position.
