The Broken Barrel:
The pasuk in Bamidbor (8:3) states: “And Aharon did so; he lit the lamps toward the face of the Menorah.” Rashi states: “’And Aharon did so.’ This is a praise of Aharon for not changing anything.”
Sefer Abir Haro’im (page 19) quotes Rav Yitzchok Isaac of Kaliv zy”a, as explaining Rashi’s words with the following story:
Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev zy”a once spent Pesach in the city of Kaliv. On the eve of erev Pesach, he went to draw Mayim Shelanu together with Rav Yitzchok Isaac. When Rav Levi Yitzchok had finished filling up his pitcher, he held it up by both handles and began to dance with much joy and d’veikus as he sang the words: “U’sh’avtem mayim b’sason m’maynei hayeshuah.” He danced so enthusiastically that the pitcher broke and he was left holding only the handles, with no pitcher and no water left.
Rav Yitzchok Isaac then said that he now understands Rashi’s words. When Aharon went to light the Menorah, he certainly had many holy kavanos and reached great heights of sanctity. Having reached such a level of fiery enthusiasm for the mitzvah, one might be concerned that he would spill the oil and not get it in the right place. Therefore, the pasuk teaches us that he did the avodah exactly right and every drop made it into the Menorah. Although he was burning inside with a holy fire, this could not be seen outwardly. He did not “put on a whole show.” Rather, he simply did as he was commanded, without any changes.
A Pillar of Fire:
Sefer Raza D’Uvdah (Shaar Ha’Osiyos, page 56) relates that the Shinover Rov zy”a once traveled during the month of Nissan to visit Rav Hirsch of Rimanov zy”a. When he arrived in Rimanov, he went to the Rebbe’s home but found that he wasn’t there. He asked his children where he was and was told that he had gone to draw Mayim Shelanu for his matzohs. Just then, Rav Hirsch returned home, carrying with him two buckets of water. The Shinover Rov later said that at that moment, he saw emanating from Rav Hirsch’s head a pillar of fire that reached the Heavens.
The Shoniver Rov added, “If this is how the Rebbe looked after he drew Mayim Shelanu during the month of Nissan, who can imagine how he looked when he drew Mayim Shelanu for the matzohs he baked on erev Pesach! And who can imagine how he looked when he actually was baking his erev Pesach matzohs? And who could ever describe how he looked as he conducted his actual Seder and ate the first kezayis of matzoh!”
As he said this, the Shinover Rov began to pound his hand on the table. He became so emotional from recalling the holy impression Rav Hirsch left on him that he fainted.
