An explanation of the words "lore" and "legend"helps to understand the way in which the Bible presents to the readers the themes that have inspired writers, musicians, and artists, for more than 2000 years.
By "lore" is meant the learning and background knowledge associated with Christian culture. The use of the word "legend" is in its original sense of "something to be read," a narrative which may be historical, traditional, or symbolic, without pre-judgment as to its veracity.
AARON, elder brother of Moses and Miriam, and his spokesman because Moses was slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. (Exodus 4:10)
He was the first Israelite High Priest and the traditional founder of the hereditary Jewish priesthood and an Old Testament type of Christ.
Aaron is depicted as a lover of peace who would go in turn to each of the two parties to a quarrel and, by telling a white lie, would apologize in the name of the other party, when they next met, their quarrel was over because each believed the other had apologized. This characteristic made Aaron suitable as High Priest, whose sacrifices brought peace between Israel and our Father in Heaven.
When Aaron was crowned with the tiara he represented the maximum authority of the religious world in the earth; and when he was wearing a mitre he represented the Christian priesthood.
He possessed a miraculous rod, created at twilight on the 6th day of creation, which bursted into almond blossom overnight to vindicate him when his suitability as High priest was challenged. In Numbers 17, the miraculous flowering of Aaron's rod or wand was the divinely indication of the exclusive right of his tribe to the privileges of priesthood. Aaron and the head of each of the other tribes of Israel laid their staffs in the Ark of the Covenant. Aaron's rod blossomed and produced ripe almonds, a sign that the tribe of Levi, of which he was the leader, had been divinely chosen for the office.
Aaron was closely associated with Moses in events connected with the Exodus from Egypt. He angered Moses when he fashioned a Golden Calf for the Israelites to worship, he did so because he did not want the Israelites to be guilty of the greater sin of killing their High Priest if he refused. Under human point of view Aaron was justified under his own eyes but not under God's sight, because he ceded indirectly more power to sin rather than to righteousness. However Aaron was divinely assisted to overcome the revolt of Korah.
The elaborate Old Testament description of his vestments mentions the following: a turban or mitre; a breastplate set with 12 gems, one for each of the 12 Tribes of Israel with the Urim and the Thummim in it; and a gorgeous robe adorned with bells. (Exodus 28: 4-39; Leviticus 8:8). This influence his representation in art. One of his attributes is a censer, because he alone could offer incense in the Holy of Holies.
Aaron, like his brother Moses, was not allowed to enter the Promise Land. He died on the Mountain of Hor when he was 123 years old. (Numbers 20). When he died, it was through a kiss of the shekhinah, the easiest form of death, and God Himself prepared his funeral bier and a golden candelabrum to light the Way.
Aaron was very popular among the Israelites, and this explain why all the House of Israel mourned him (Numbers 20). Symbolic of the great loss his death represented was the cessation of the Pillar of Cloud and of Fire, which until then had guided the Israelites through the desert.
Aaron is one of the 7 Faithful Shepherds of Israel, a title given to outstanding biblical leaders, who, in spirit, are invited to the tabernacle (sukkah) each evening as spiritual guests. During the festival of Sukkot Jews transfer their living quarters from the regular house to a sukka, which is a makeshift booth whose roof is of branches or vegetation thin enough to let the rain in. People eat in the sukka, and many even sleep in there. The sukka is meant to remind Jews of the booths in which their ancestors dwelt when they wandered in the wilderness during the Exodus. (Leviticus 23) and of the clouds of glory which surrounded them. They were protected by God from the elements, and by remembering this, spiritual Jews are reminded that it is not the brick and mortar of the house which affords ultimate protection but God Himself.
Aaron was the ancestor of Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist. (Luke 1:5).
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