And you, bring near to you your brother Aharon and his sons with him from among the Children of Israel to serve Me as priests: Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, Elazar and Itamar, the children of Aharon...
The Torah again uses the word וְאַתָּה – and you, which is unusual. The Torah also uses other unusual expressions that seem unnecessary - הַקְרֵב אֵלֶּיךָ. Why does the Torah tell Moshe to draw the Leviim near and not merely to separate them? Why does he have to draw them near to him? Was he not to draw them near to Hashem?
The Ohr Hachaim explains that the answer is based on a Medrash that Moshe was supposed to have the Kehunah for himself, but he lost it. When Hashem wanted Moshe to go and save Klal Yisroel, Moshe refused to go. He argued for a whole week about it, and eventually, Hashem became angry with him. Hashem referred to Aharon as אַהֲרֹּן אָּחִיךָ הַלֵוִי - Aharon your brother the Levi. Chazal say that this was the last occasion that Aharon was a Levi, because that was the time Aharon became a Cohen, when the position of Cohen was removed from Moshe.
Now, when Aharon was told that he was to be Cohen, and the choice was certified and publicized, the Torah explains how Moshe was commanded to pass on this message. Moshe was to draw the Cohanim to himself, showing that he was willing to relinquish the priesthood and transfer it to his brother. He was not just to do it to fulfill Hashem’s words, but from his own will. This would be considered a Korban on his part, and Moshe was to draw them near as a Korban. This would bring him forgiveness for his refusal to listen to Hashem.
וְאַתָּה הַקְרֵב אֵלֶּיךָ – and you, on your own behalf, for your own reasons, should make a Korban out of bringing them near, for your own purposes. This would help Moshe personally, it would bring him forgiveness.
Another allusion that the Ohr Hachaim finds in this possuk is that a person who does an aveira has distanced himself from his Neshama. The part of his soul that is connected to that aveira has been removed from his source, and he is not complete any more.
When Hashem begged Moshe to save Klal Yisroel and Moshe refused, he cut off his connection to that wing of his soul. Hashem punished him, but until that punishment took effect, he is still distanced from his Neshama and attached to his aveira.
Now that he had his punishment, his aveira was repaired. The Torah tells Moshe that he should draw the Cohanim near to him. Through the punishment of removing the priesthood, he would be reconnected to his source, and he would achieve his repair.
The Mishna says that a person needs to thank Hashem for the bad things that happen to him just like he has to thank Hashem for the good things that happen to him. The Gemara explains that this Halacha demands that we accept the bad things with happiness. This seems to be difficult to follow and keep. However, based on the previous point, we can understand how to follow this directive. When a person realized that until he has suffered his punishment, he is somewhat disconnected from his source. Some wings of his Neshama are not attached, because of the aveira that he did. There is nothing as bad for a person as being disconnected from Hashem and when someone appreciates this, his only desire is to reconnect. When a person is punished, he knows his aveira has been erased and he has reconnected with his source.
The Torah says וְעָּשִיתָּ בִגְדֵי קֹּדֶּשׁ לְאַהֲרֹּן אָּחִיךָ לְכָּבוֹד ולְתִפְאָּרֶּת - You shall make holy garments for your brother Aharon, for glory and splendor. These clothes are a sign of happiness when Moshe Rabbeinu is finally reconnected. If Moshe Rabbeinu only transferred the Kehuna to his brother under duress, he would not celebrate it with honor and glory. Now that he dressed his brother with wondrous clothing, he showed his happiness in the removal of the aveira from his soul.
Of course, he was commanded to dress his brother in these clothes; he had no real choice in the matter. But Hashem wished him to do it in a happy excited manner to show his joy at being free from his aveira.
The Ohr Hachaim even considers the idea that it was incumbent on Moshe Rabbeinu to make the clothing of the Cohanim from his own money, afterwards transferring ownership to the public. This was all to show the tremendous happiness Moshe experienced when his aveira was wiped out.
