VaYikra Rabbah 7,1: In the Parsha of VaYikra it is written <the sons of Aharon arranged=, <the sons of Aharon sprinkled= or <the sons of Aharon put=. Moshe said to HaShem is the well hated yet the water is beloved? (Aharon is not mentioned while his sons are mentioned) Further, you are apportioning honor to the wood (to be used on the Altar) for the sake of its offspring (its fruits). It is learned that all wood is fit for pyres of fire on the Altar except for wood from olives or grapes. However, to Aharon you are not recognizing him although You are honoring his children. HaShem responses <By your life (a form of oath) I will draw him (Aharon) close and even more so I will make him the main focus and his sons secondary.= Thus, the verse now states <Command Aharon and his sons.=
Panei David: How do we understand this Medrash. It is written in the sefer Chesed L’Avroham that when Adam haRishon sinned all portions of the world were affected (people, animals, vegetation and mineral). The Bais HaMikdash was established to rectify all these areas: humanity though the acts of confession; animals as offerings; vegetation being used as the firewood, meal-offerings and libations; and mineral by means of the salt. Thus, wood rectifies for the vegetation that was involved in the Tree of Knowledge. However, the trees of olives and grapes are already rectified through the fruits direct use and are not used as firewood. Therefore, the produce (olives and grapes) of the trees rectified for their source; so too was the original plan that the sons of Aharon will be meritorious for their father.
