Reb Shlomo Halberstam, the Bobover Rebbe, zt”l of the post-Holocaust era, revived his community with his resilience and faith. The rebbe restored kavod, dignity, to thousands of survivors and helped them rebuild their lives, expressing the paradigm of fatherly love, chein v’chesed, grace and righteousness.

Family weddings in Bobov were majestic; thousands joined the rebbe to share in the celebration, dancing into the wee hours of the morning. For all the survivors, their families and the community, simachos uplifted them with a sense of victory, affirmation, continuity, faith and celebration. All felt certain that, “Netzach Yisrael lo yishaker—The promise of the eternity of klal Yisrael is true.”

At the height of the dancing and fervor, the rebbe took a breather while standing at his shtender. Scanning the thousands of revelers, he caught sight of an elderly chasid dancing—his arms on the shoulders of a taller chasid in front of him in the circle. The rebbe called over a young man who was nearby and whispered to him, “Ti mir a toiveh, please do me a favor: go stand between that elderly Yid and the tall fellow in front of him, so that the zakein (old man) need not exert himself and have to reach uncomfortably during the rikud (dance).”

Amid rejoicing and dveikus, the rebbe not only perceived the vulnerability and possible discomfort of another person, his mind computed and communicated a solution. At the height of his spiritual bliss, the rebbe remained aware of the seemingly minor need of another.

~

וַיַּעַשׂ כֵּן אַהֲרֹן אֶל־מוּל פְּנֵי הַמְּנוֹרָה הֶעֱלָה נֵרֹתֶיהָ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה׳ אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

“Aharon did so; he lit the lamps toward the face of the menorah, as Hashem had commanded Moshe,” (Bamidbar 8:3).

Rashi tells us that the phrase, “Aharon did so,” praises the consistent and passionate avodah of Aharon HaKohen in the way by which he lit the Menorah: לְהַגִּיד שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן שֶׁלֹּא שִׁנָּה—“This is to tell the praises of Aharon: he did not change.” Day in and day out, Aharon HaKohen’s service of Hashem was unwavering; it did not change in the sense that it was constantly new, exciting and filled with chiyus, vitality.

The tzaddik Rebbe Meir of Premishlan shared an expansive interpretation of Aharon HaKohen’s service, and offered a beautiful peshat in explaining this praise. Aharon HaKohen was unique in the trait of “ohev shalom, rodef shalom—a lover of peace between people, and a pursuer of peace.” His days and nights were spent stretching himself to bring people together, helping them work through a falling out or resolve a machlokes.

The great shevach or praise of Aharon is that even while in a deep meditative state of dveikus while lighting the Menorah in the Mishkan, he remained completely open and sensitive to the people around him. He is praised for maintaining his character and his avodah of reaching out to people. His concern and attunement to the needs of those around him did not change—even in intensely introspective moments standing before Hashem in the Beis Hamikdash. Lo shinah, he didn’t change in this flexibility of being.

When we bring to mind a “holy moment” or envision a “spiritual person” or a Kohen Gadol, we might think of someone with their eyes closed, “vertically” focused, reaching beyond this world. A “mundane moment” or “people-person,” by contrast, might seem to be characterized by a horizontal focus, reaching out to the world. These two modes of being seem to be mutually exclusive. However, a person can be completely given over to their inner world, and simultaneously aware of the minutiae of the outer world and the needs of people.

It is davka Aharon HaKohen who is chosen to light the Menorah. Big people, truly holy people—even amid their biggest moments—notice “little things.” May we learn from this and apply it to our lives as well, on our level. May our service of Hashem and fulfillment of mitzvos be one of passionate devotion, intensity and focus, and yet may we remain ever aware of the needs and wellbeing of those around us, and ever-willing to stretch out our hand to them.

Rav Judah Mischel is executive director of Camp HASC, the Hebrew Academy for Special Children. He is the founder of Tzama Nafshi and the author of the “Baderech” series. Rav Judah lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh with his wife Ora and their family.