Upon further scrutiny, it is apparent that by performing this remarkable act of self-sacrifice, Aharon was, in a sense, emulating the ways of HKB”H. For, HKB”H said to Yisrael (Shemos 19, 4): "אתם ראיתם אשר עשיתי למצרים ואשא אתכם על כנפי נשרים ואביא אתכם אלי"—you have seen what I did to Mitzrayim, and that I carried you on the wings of eagles and brought you to Me. Rashi comments: The eagle is different from the other birds for it is only afraid of man – that perhaps man will shoot an arrow at it. For no bird soars higher than the eagle, and therefore he places his young on top of him when he flies and says, “Better that the arrow should enter Me and not My children.” I too did so (said Hashem when the Egyptians attacked Bnei Yisrael, as it says): “And the malach of G-d travelled, etc., and came between the camp of Mitzrayim, etc.” And the Egyptians would shoot arrows and catapult stones, and the cloud would intercept them.”
In Avodas Yisrael, the holy Maggid of Kozhnitz, zy”a, wonders: Does anyone have the power to shoot arrows against the will of the Almighty—compelling Him to proclaim, as it were: “Better that the arrow should enter Me and not My children”? He provides the following explanation:
"אלא הענין הוא כך, כי בשעת יציאת מצרים וקריעת ים סוף, וכן בכל זמן כשמגדיל הבורא ברוך הוא חסדיו על עמו ישראל, רוצה המקטרג לקלקל, כמו שאיתא שאמר השר [של מצרים,] הללו עובדי עבודה זרה והללו עובדי עבודה זרה, ומדוע אתה ברוך הוא נושא פנים להם. וזה הקטרוג נקרא חיצים שמורה [גם על קטרוג] בלשון, כמו שכתוב (ירמיה ט-ז) חץ שחוט לשונם וכיוצא בהם. ואף על פי כן הקב"ה מגדיל חסדו, ודן את דיננו, ומוציא משפטינו לאורה, ומסיר כל המקטרגים וסותם פיהם. וזה שכינה הכתוב, ואשא אתכם על כנפי נשרים, ואומר מוטב יכנס החץ בי, שהקב"ה מסיר הקטרוג מעל עמו ישראל ולא יכנס בהם החץ, ומקבל על עצמו כביכול להשיבם תשובה ניצחת ולהסיר כל תלונה".
When Hashem is compassionate towards us, the prosecuting angels try to intervene by finding fault with our actions. Their allegations resemble arrows. Notwithstanding, Hashem subdues and silences them; He carries us and protects us by absorbing all of the arrows our prosecutors aim at us. He accepts upon Himself, as it were, the responsibility of convincingly refuting their allegations.
This is precisely what Aharon HaKohen did by the “cheit ha’eigel.” He avoided allowing himself to be killed, as Chur did, because then Yisrael would not have been afforded the opportunity of tikun. Instead, he sacrificed his spiritual self with his willingness to forfeit his place in Olam HaBa. In this admirable way, he carried Yisrael on his shoulders like an eagle carries its young. Therefore, HKB”H chose him specifically to be the Kohen Gadol, the agent to provide Yisrael atonement.
We can now begin to comprehend the profound wisdom of the blessed Almighty. He commanded Aharon to wear the Eiphod, and to attach straps on each shoulder with stones upon which the names of the twelve shevatim of Yisrael were engraved—half on his right shoulder and half on his left. Thus, he alluded to the fact that in the commission of the “cheit ha’eigel,” the shevatim were divided. Shevet Levi and the tzaddikim from the other shevatim did not participate in that momentous sin; however, the other shevatim that did not align themselves with shevet Levi were guilty of the “cheit ha’eigel.”
Along came Aharon, a member of shevet Levi, who did not have anything to do with the “cheit ha’eigel,” and, nevertheless, was willing to sacrifice his life on behalf of Yisrael. To commemorate his “mesirus nefesh,” Aharon was commanded to wear the names of the tribes of Yisrael on his two shoulders—divided up into two groups. This is the significance of the passuk: “And Aharon shall carry their names before Hashem on both his shoulders as a remembrance.” HKB”H intended to highlight the memory of Aharon’s heroic, selfless act. Thus, it was apparent to all that Aharon merited the position of Kohen Gadol, to provide Yisrael with atonement, because he was willing to sacrifice his life and soul to save Yisrael from annihilation. Therefore, it was fitting for HKB”H to receive the korbanos he offered on behalf of Yisrael.
At this point, it gives me great pleasure to explain why the Eiphod atones for the sin of avodah-zarah. For, as explained, the two stones on its two shoulder-straps with the names of the twelve shevatim of Yisrael engraved on them, commemorated the “mesirus nefesh” of Aharon in the matter of the “cheit ha’eigel.” Therefore, the Eiphod specifically atones for the sin of avodah-zarah just like Aharon atoned for the “cheit ha’eigel.”
