Is there a reward for not getting jealous?

[Dani Schreiber]

Some quick notes of a dvar torah I said over at our Youth minyan in Raanana this past Shabbos (Ki Sisa):

• Midrash says that Aharon was  gifted the אורים ותומים because of how he was happy for Moshe when Moshe became the leader.

שמות רבה ג:יז

ומה שאתה סבור שהוא מיצר לא כן אלא שמח שנאמר וראך ושמח בלבו אמר רבי שמעון בר רבי יוסי הלב ששמח בגדולת אחיו ילבש אורים ותומים שנאמר (שמות כח ל) והיו על לב אהרן

• What’s the connection? And why specifically the אורים ותומים?

• First, we should understand what the אורים ותומים is

• Ramban/Rashi - the slip of paper with Hashem’s name on it

• Rambam - the stones which were uncarved and reflected light

• R. Baruch Simon points out that the Derashot ha-Ran understands that Aharon was rewarded for acknowledging and celebrating Moshe’s dominant role, and accepting that he didn’t get it. He wasn’t jealous because he understood that it wasn’t his role. As a middah keneged middah, Hashem rewarded him with something that wasn’t his role - nevuah. He was kohen gadol, not a navi, but he got prophetic powers.

• But there’s something very strange here: why is the reward for not being jealous getting something that wasn’t coming to you? Doesn’t seem a bit backwards? Don’t get jealous, and you’ll get extra stuff?

• I think the answer is along the following lines:

• Some things in life are a zero-sum game (sports/games).

• There are 3 types of leaders: Kohen Gadol, King, and Prophet.

• There can only be one king, and one kohen gadol, but there can be many prophets. Aharon was able to also be a prophet because he understood that gaining something doesn’t have to mean that someone else is losing.