In this week’s parsha, Hashem commands Moshe to go to Pharoah and demand that he let the Jews go free from slavery to serve G-d. After seven days, Moshe finally agrees to do this great honor. He starts walking back to Egypt and meets his brother, Aharon. The Torah tells us that when Aharon heard about Moshe’s mission, he was happy for him. Even though Aharon was the older brother and was a great person also, he was not jealous at all. He was happy that Moshe was chosen to be given this honor. One of the reasons the Torah tells us about this meeting between Aharon and Moshe is to remind us to avoid jealousy. When we hear about another person winning something that we wanted, we should be happy for them.

A woman once came to the Bostoner Rebbe and complained that she could not get an aliyah. The Rebbe answered her stating that if anyone should be complaining, it should be him. There is a custom that the Rav or Rebbe of a shul gets an aliyah during special readings during the year, but he never gets them. For example, during the reading of the Aseres Ha’Dibros (usually translated as Ten Commandments, but really should be translated as the Ten Statements), a Rebbe is usually called up, but the Bostoner Rebbe has never been called up for this aliyah. The Rebbe explained that he is a Levi. Therefore, he can only get the second aliyah and not from special readings come after this point.

The answer the Rebbe gave this woman is a great way for us to learn to avoid jealousy. The Rebbe is not jealous that other people get the aliyah for the Aseres HaDibros. There is not a single Cohain or Levi that is jealous. The reason is because they have a different aliyah. It is not their job to get this aliyah. The same thing should be with the woman. She should not be jealous nor upset that she does not get an aliyah. It is not her job. She has other special things that she is honored with. She has other duties that makes her great.

When we see someone else getting chosen for something we wanted, let’s remember that we have other great things about ourselves. Just as a Cohain or Levi is not jealous that they are not called up for the sixth aliyah, so too, we need to realize that this thing we wanted was not meant for us. Something else is meant for us. It does not mean that we are not good people. It merely means that we have a different direction that our life is supposed to go in. So when we see someone else getting something we wanted, we should be joyful. We should be happy that they have found what they are supposed to get. We should also remind ourselves that we will get what we are supposed to get also. And this will bring us to true joy!

Good Shabbos!
-yes
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