Parshas B'Ha'aloscha begins with the commandment for Aharon HaKohein to kindle the Menorah daily, as well as attend to its basic maintenance. Rashi quotes the famous Tanchuma which asks:
למה נסמכה פרשת המנורה לפרשת הנשיאים, לפי שכשראה אהרן חנוכת הנשיאים חלשה דעתו, שלא היה עמהם בחנוכה, לא הוא ולא שבטו, אמר לו הקב"ה חייך, שלך גדולה משלהם, שאתה מדליק ומטיב את הנרות:
Why is the portion dealing with the menorah juxtaposed to the portion dealing with the chieftains? For when Aaron saw the dedication [offerings] of the chieftains, he felt distressed over not joining them in this dedication-neither he nor his tribe. So God said to him, “By your life, yours is greater than theirs, for you will light and prepare the lamps.” - [Tanchuma Beha’alothecha 3]
The obvious question is, why is this a satisfactory compensation? And why is the preparation and lighting of the Menorah greater than the extensive gifts and Korbanos brought by the Nesi'im?
Who would you say has the closer relationship with an infant? The parents, who coddle, wash, feed, and tend to every basic need however mundane it is, or the grandparents who buy the adorably cute and expensive toys and outfits? Obviously, it's the parents, because in any scenario the one who assumes the responsibility of the nitty-gritty is the one who has more devotion to it. And in the long run, the child will appreciate that devotion to his or her basic needs far more than he/she will appreciate the gifts they received.
On the surface, the extravagance surrounding the offerings of the Nesi'im seemed to be the ideal manner in which to show one's devotion to G-d. What better way to honor Him than by providing great fanfare, pomp and circumstance? It's understandable that Aharon was distressed that he had not participated in that manner.
Therefore, Hashem told him that he has a greater method of expressing that devotion- by preparing and lighting the Menorah. Sure, such an act is not going to create a stir or turn heads. But that's not the point. By cleaning out the Menorah, by dealing with the nitty-gritty, Hashem showed Aharon that he is the one that has a much closer relationship with Him.
Glamour is not indicative of meaning or importance. It generally hides the absence of significance. This is particularly true when it comes to service of G-d. The importance of one's role in religious life is not measured by the publicity surrounding the act. Significance in Judaism is measured by how much one shows their devotion to G-d, and that does not simply mean the ability to lead Davening, give a huge donation to a shul, etc. Rather, those that take the time to concern themselves with the nitty-gritty- whatever it is- are the individuals with the true relationship with G-d.
This is the lesson of the Menorah. Light the candles to see beyond the glamour.
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