Truth at All Costs

As great as Moshe Rabbeinu was, there were a few instances when he let his anger get the better of him. One such example was when he was upset with Elazar and Itamar, the surviving sons of Aharon. He felt that it was their duty to eat the remaining meat of the חטאת sacrifice. Aharon gave an explanation that being that they were in a certain state of mourning, it would not have been appropriate to eat of that sacrifice.

Moshe showed his humility and greatness by accepting this explanation, and admitting he was wrong. This is the sign of a true leader that when he makes a mistake, he owns up to it.

Moshe could have been concerned that such an admission would diminish his authority, and people might start second guessing him. This was not his concern as it was more important to him that he set the record straight and tell the truth. He wanted to show that truth must never be compromised. People must be honest to the end. This is true to such an extent that one should not even tell a “white” lie, or utter falsehoods even in jest.

The stories mentioned in the Torah are meant to teach us important life’s lessons. Admitting when one is wrong and being absolutely truthful are two such lessons.