The Antidote to Jealousy

A Message from the Kalever Rebbe Parshas Shemos 5786 Faith is the Antidote to Jealousy Moshe & Aharon. The Klausen Tehilim 1706 - Bayerische Staatsbibliothek Cod. hebr. 473 "And behold, he is going out to meet you; when he sees you, he will rejoice in his heart." (Shemos 4:14) The Destructive Power of Jealousy — even Among the Righteous Chazal taught, that jealousy is one of the qualities that "remove a person from the world." Even tzadikim can stumble in subtle forms of jealousy, and with the righteous, Hashem is exacting to the finest degree, like the measurement of a strand of hair (Yevamos 121b). Thus we find with Leah, who said, "Is it a small matter that you have taken my husband...?" (Breishis 30:15). This is astonishing. Rachel had enabled Leah to marry Yaakov through immense self-sacrifice. Yet jealousy still brings destruction. So too with Yosef HaTzaddik. He wanted Yaakov to place his right hand upon Menasheh, the firstborn, even though Yosef himself knew through divine inspiration that the younger brother would ultimately surpass him. However, he was worried that this might cause jealousy. When Jealousy Clouds Judgment This same pattern can be seen in the episode of Yosef and his brothers. Although they were righteous men, jealousy subtly distorted their perception, causing them to see deficiencies in Yosef where none truly existed. What began as inner resentment, escalated until it led them first to consider taking his life, and ultimately to selling him. Yet once Yosef was gone and the force of jealousy subsided, clarity returned. They recognized their terrible mistake; their hearts broke within them, and they were filled with deep remorse. From that point on, they labored earnestly to repair what had been damaged — working to rebuild unity and love, in direct opposition to jealousy, hatred, and the pursuit of honor. This dynamic is not limited to the past; it is something we can observe clearly even in our own times. There are moments when people revolt against someone who is genuinely advancing in Torah and mitzvos, and very often this opposition is rooted in deep jealousy. The holy Baal Shem Tov explained that when a person begins to ascend in the service of Hashem, others may surround him, pursue him, mock him, and subject him to ridicule. The reason is that they share the same spiritual root. Even if they themselves are not consciously aware of it, their spiritual mazal perceives that the other person is rectifying himself and rising higher than they are. This unconscious awareness awakens jealousy, which then expresses itself as an effort to obstruct and interfere with his spiritual growth. The Path of Yosef The primary strength to overcome jealousy is Emunah — the deep awareness that everything comes from Heaven. Yosef HaTzaddik excelled in this quality. Already at the age of seventeen, he was firmly rooted in faith, and throughout every stage of his suffering he strengthened himself with the conviction that "all that the Merciful One does is for the good." It was this faith that empowered him to go on his father's mission and fulfill the mitzvah of honoring one's parents, even after the angel Gavriel informed him that his brothers had severed themselves from brotherhood. Yosef trusted the words of the holy Torah, which promise "that your days may be lengthened." When he was cast into a pit filled with snakes and scorpions, his faith did not weaken — on the contrary, it intensified. When he was sold into slavery, he strengthened himself even further, accepting with complete certainty that this too was unfolding for his ultimate good. Even in the lowest and most degraded circumstances, Yosef remained unwavering, continually reinforcing his faith — following the path of Avraham Avinu, who stood firm through every trial. This same inner strength accompanied Yosef when he entered prison. He viewed his situation with clarity and composure, seeing it as a release from the crushing labor and relentless trials of servitude. In his eyes, the prison itself became a place of relative rest. There, too, he continued to grow, refusing to despair, and he raised above the limitations of nature. With this perspective, Yosef was later able to say to his brothers that they should not be distressed over having sold him. In truth, it was Hashem who had sent him ahead for the good—to sustain them all. In this way, Yosef already at the very beginning of the Egyptian exile weakened the power of jealousy among the Jewish people and strengthened the power of faith. Through this, they ultimately merited to be redeemed from Egypt. Aharon HaKohen: Chosen Through Peace and Unity We find a parallel to this in Aharon HaKohen, who merited to be chosen from among the entire tribe of Levi for the sacred service of the priesthood. This distinction was not incidental; it was earned through a lifetime devoted to making peace and increasing unity among the Jewish people. The Zohar draws attention to this idea when commenting on the verse, "Say to the Kohanim, the sons of Aharon." Why does the Torah emphasize "the sons of Aharon," rather than simply saying "the sons of Levi"? The Zohar explains that Aharon was the root and source of all priesthood. Through him, the Holy One, blessed be He, was appeased both above and below, in order to establish peace in the world. Because every path of Aharon's life was dedicated to increasing peace and harmony, Hashem elevated him even further — granting him the ability to bring peace not only among people, but within the supernal realms as well. Teaching Faith to Uproot Jealousy The way Aharon loved peace and pursued peace—nullifying jealousy and hatred between one person and another—was through the great faith he instilled in the Jewish people. As the prophet states, "For the lips of the Kohen guard knowledge" (Malachi 2:7). He taught that one must know that everything that occurs comes solely from Hashem, for a person's ultimate good. Once this is internalized, there is no room to be jealous of another who appears to have more, nor to fall into gossip, discord, and strife that destroy a person's life. Why the Metzora Is Brought to the Kohen In light of this, we may understand why the metzora is brought specifically to the Kohen. Chazal teach that afflictions come as a result of forbidden speech—lashon hara, slander, and the like—sins that commonly stem from a narrow, jealous eye. The Kohen would then teach the metzora the path of Torah and deep faith, a legacy inherited by the Kohanim as descendants of Aharon. Through this path, unity is restored. Redemption Through Rejoicing in Another's Greatness Therefore, before the Exodus from Egypt, when Hashem commanded Moshe Rabbeinu to go and redeem the Jewish people, it was necessary that an auspicious moment be awakened through this exalted trait. Thus Hashem said to Moshe, "Aharon your brother shall be your spokesman." Moshe reasoned that Aharon himself was already a prophet and leader, and that by natural reasoning—even though he was a great tzaddik—he might feel anger or resentment at serving his younger brother. Hashem therefore assured Moshe, "He will see you and rejoice in his heart"—that on the contrary, Aharon would truly rejoice. And when Aharon indeed relinquished his honor and went joyfully to assist his brother, a complete redemption took place: the Exodus from Egypt occurred beyond nature and logic. They merited the indwelling of the Shechina in the service of the Mishkan. As Chazal state, "In the merit of 'he will see you and rejoice in his heart,' Aharon merited the Choshen." Kaalov Headquarters - 188 Hewes St, Brooklyn, NY, 11211 unsubscribe