And Moses said to Aharon: Draw near to the altar . . . (ibid. 9:7) Rashi comments that Aharon was ashamed and afraid to draw near [to the altar].⁶ Moses therefore said to him, “Why are you ashamed? You were chosen for this.”⁷ This is a surprising explanation. Just because he was chosen doesn’t mean that he should not be ashamed. Rather, I heard from my grandfather [the Baal Shem Tov] this explanation: [Moses said,] “You were chosen becauseyou feel fear and shame before G‑d,”⁸ of this.” for “The sacrifices of G‑d are a broken spirit” (Psalms 51:19).⁹ This idea has also been mentioned in the writings of the Arizal.¹⁰ on this verse): “Because you have the qualities of humility and shame, you were chosen over your fellows to be the Kohen.” R. Tzadok HaKohen writes that it was the very shame Aharon felt over having made the Golden Calf that made him worthy of being chosen as Kohen Gadol; for every fall can lead a person rise in the very area he stumbled, to the opposite extreme. Degel Machane Ephraim, Shemini

footnotes: ⁶ Because of his involvement in the making of the Golden Calf. ⁷ I.e., to serve G‑d in the Sanctuary. ⁸ That is, when Moses said, “You were chosen for this,” he meant, “You where chosen because ⁹ I.e., because Aharon was humble, he merited offering sacrifices to G-d. ¹⁰ The Arizal writes (Likutey Torah