Parshat Vezot Haberacha relates that when Moshe died, “Bnei Yisrael wept for him,” which Rashi explains refers to just the males weeping for Moshe. On the other hand, Parshat Chukat relates that when Aharon died, “They wept for Aharon … the entire House of Israel,” which Rashi explains includes both males and females. Why did the females weep for Aharon but not for Moshe? Rashi explains that since Aharon would pursue peace and instill peace between man and his fellow man and between a wife and her husband, the females also cried when he died.
Rav Henach Leibowitz asks: Still, why did everyone cry over Aharon’s death? After all, it’s logical to say that not every couple had issues with their shalom bayit, and therefore did not need Aharon’s services!
Rav Leibowitz seems to explain that there are two types of love: One love is borne from self-love. Thus, a person loves those who benefit him because he loves himself. Also, he loves his wife and children because he feels that they are an extension of himself. A second love is one that is borne from the spiritual makeup of a person. The spiritual nature of a person loves every matter of holiness, and thus, he loves righteous people even if they may have never given anything to him. Because of this second type of love, everyone—even the females— loved Aharon since they all recognized his great righteousness, for he would exert himself to bring peace between a man and his wife (see Chidushei HaLev, Vezot Haberacha, 34:8). [Hence, it would seem from here that the females cried over his death, for they lost someone they loved.]
The holiday of Sukkot might carry the very important theme of achdut—unity. For one, Rav Chaim Palachi quotes Rav Tzvi Hersh HaLevi Horowitz who seems to say that the idea of Sukkah is the middah of achdut, for the Sukkah is a memorial of the clouds of glory that surrounded all of the Jews, as if to show that they are all considered like one man (see Moed Lekol Chai, 20:48, and Yerach Lemodaim, Sukkot, Shiurim, 31).
Additionally, the Four Species, as well, may perhaps hint to the idea of achdut. The midrash relates that the Four Species allude to four categories of people within Am Yisrael. The etrog alludes to those who possess Torah as well as good deeds. The lulav alludes to those who possess Torah but do not possess good deeds. The hadassim allude to those who possess good deeds but do not possess Torah. And the aravot allude to those who possess neither Torah nor good deeds. Hashem says: “Let [the aforementioned groups] be tied as one bundle, and they will atone for one another” (see Vayikra Rabbah 30:12).
Hence, because there may be an emphasis of the idea of achdut on the holiday of Sukkot, it can be suggested that based on Rav Leibowitz’s insight, we can perhaps offer a way to increase our achdut, namely, that if we aim to find and focus on the good in others this can create more of a liking and appreciation for the other person, which may ultimately lead to a greater level of camaraderie, unity and peace amongst each other.
Binyamin is a graduate of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan, and Wurzweiler School of Social Work.
