"As G-d prepares to unleash the plagues on Egypt and redeem the Jewish people from bondage the Torah begins by listing the genealogy of Yaakov. Reuven and Shimon’s children are named with the Torah going into greater detail regarding the children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren (Aharon[1] and Moshe) and great-great-grandchildren of Levi and then abruptly stops.
That the purpose of this genealogical table is to trace the lineage of Moshe and Aharon – who would be the ones to redeem the people – is evident by the Torah then stating, “That is Aharon and Moshe, to whom the Lord said, ‘Take the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt with their legions'” (Shemot 6:26). Being a genealogical table, it makes perfect sense that Aharon as the older brother is mentioned first.
Yet in the very next verse the Torah tells us “It was they who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt to free the Israelites from the Egyptians; these are the same Moshe and Aharon” this time placing Moshe first.
The Ibn Ezra explains that while Aharon was older, Moshe was the greater prophet, as G-d himself told Aharon[2] (and Miriam) “If there be a prophet among you, I, G-d, will make Myself known to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream. This is not so with My servant Moshe; he is faithful throughout My household. With him I speak mouth to mouth” (Bamidbar 12:6-7). Hence once the brothers arrived at Pharaoh’s palace Moshe is to be mentioned first. It was he who was the primary redeemer of the Jewish people.
A number of commentaries (see for example Haemek Davar of the Netziv) explain that in the eyes of the Jewish people it was Aharon who was much greater. He was meurav em habroit, beloved by the people an ohev shalom v’rodef shalom, one who loved peace and pursued peace. Aharon lived with the people through their difficult years of slavery while Moshe was living comfortably in Midian – unknown to the vast majority of the Jewish people.
Yet in the eyes of Pharaoh it was Moshe who was greater. It would be Moshe who would be the one bringing the plagues upon Pharaoh and the Egyptian people[3] . Pharaoh most likely even knew Moshe – or at the very least knew of Moshe[4] - as he had grown up in the Royal palace. Hence in the first verse, which references the Jewish people Aharon is mentioned first and in the latter verse which speaks of Pharaoh, Moshe is the one first mentioned.
In a seemingly shocking comment Rashi, quoting a Midrashic interpretation explains, “There are some passages where Scripture mentions Aharon before Moshe and other passages where it mentions Moshe before Aharon; this is done in order to indicate that they were equal like one”. How can Rashi say this? Did Rashi not read the end of the Chumash where G-d declares, “And there was no other prophet who arose in Israel like Moshe, whom the Lord knew face to face”, a similar idea He had declared to Aharon as noted above.
So fundamental is this idea that Maimonides includes it in his 13 principles of faith, meaning that one who claims that there was a prophet equal to Moshe is – in the view of the Rambam – a heretic who loses their share in the world to come.
As is (or should be) well-known Midrashim are very often not meant to be interpreted literally[5]. Moshe was different from his brother – or anyone else. Only he spoke face to face with G-d and it is Moshe whom G-d charged to lead the people out of Egypt and it was through Moshe that the Torah was given. But that means little in determining who might have been greater.
Greatness, from a Jewish perspective is based on doing the best we can, on reaching our potential[6]. It is effort not results that determine greatness. While results do matter – and that is how we do and must determine success in earthly matters – how successful our efforts will be depend on so many factors beyond our control, what some might call luck but is more appropriately called Divine assistance. Those who work harder tend to get “luckier” however our moral mandate is not necessarily to succeed but to try our best. That is all we can do, it is G-d who takes care of the rest. Moshe and Aharon (and Miriam too) did exactly that and hence they were equal in greatness.
No matter how great one may be one can only accomplish so much. Neither Aharon or Moshe could have redeemed the people without their brother. Truly, they were equal.
Great people are all too happy to let others be mentioned first. Yet the Torah is talking to the average person for whom there is much to learn from Moshe and Aharon and Aharon and Moshe.
[1] In keeping with standard Biblical procedure only the male children are mentioned and hence Miriam is absent. At the same time Yocheved, the wife of Amram and Elisheva the wife of Aharon are specifically mentioned. Interestingly, Tziporah is not mentioned perhaps because this would add no new information or perhaps because she played no role in the Exodus itself with Moshe according to some commentators even divorcing her.
[2] They had criticized Moshe for “the Cushite woman he had taken”. What exactly they were critical of is not clear though some commentaries explain that Moshe had divorced Tziporah (as mentioned in the previous footnote).
[3] Even the first three plagues which were brought forth by Aharon G-d told Moshe to tell Aharon to do so, making him an agent of Moshe (who was no more than an agent of G-d).
[4] The Torah notes that the Pharaoh who began the persecution of the Jewish people died after Moshe had fled to Midian. This actually makes it more likely that the Pharoah of the Exodus – presumably the son of the “first” Pharaoh – knew Moshe as they may have been close in age, perhaps even going to school together.
[5] The Rambam actually calls those who interpret Midrashim literally, fools. "One should be pained about the foolishness of this group of simple-minded ones. As according to their opinion, they are honouring and raising the sages; but they are [in fact] lowering them to the lowest depths - and they do not understand this. And as G-d, may He be blessed, lives, this group destroys the beauty of the Torah and darkens its splendor, and makes the Torah of God the opposite of its intention (Commentary to the Mishna, Introduction to Sanhedrin, Chapter 10).
[6] The truly, truly great surpass their potential – making the impossible possible.
I would like to thank Noam Levy, a student at TanenbaumCHAT, who inspired this devar Torah.