Aharon’s Dilemma

During the turmoil of the sin of the Golden Calf, the Torah tells us that וירא אהרון, that Aharon saw. What exactly did Aharon see that made him decide to help create the Golden Calf?

The Gemara in סנהדרין says that he saw his nephew, חור, son of Miriam, murdered by the mob. Aharon was aware that the world would have no תקנתא לעולם, no eternal repair, if a future Pasuk in איכה, would be fulfilled.

The Pasuk said, אם יהרג במקדש כהן ונביא, “if a prophet and Kohein will be killed in the sanctuary. Now that the Prophet חור was dead, Aharon was afraid that he, the Kohein, would also be killed, and it would mean disaster for the world.

He, therefore, made the decision, which he later regretted, that he needed to help make the עגל, in order to save the world.

Isn’t it interesting how so much can be learned from the simple two words, וירא אהרון!