The Torah grants the privileges and responsibilities of the priests only to the descendants of Aaron. To be sure, all Jews are of equal inherent value and equally deserve our love and respect. However, when dealing with the question of who can be a religious practitioner or authority – whether a priest or a rabbi – we must realize that G‑d has determined who can and who cannot assume these titles. Just as priests can only be descendants of Aaron, rabbis and teachers can only be individuals who have attained the necessary levels of knowledge, who are truly G‑d-fearing, who observe all the dictates of the Torah, and who have absorbed the traditions transmitted through the generations.
Just as we require strict qualifications for those entrusted with guiding and facilitating our external religious lives, we should equally require strict qualifications for those inner voices that purport to tell us how to behave. We should constantly question our inner voices, in order to be sure that we are being guided only by pure and positive motives.1
Shabbat Shalom 🌹
The first portion of dough [challah] that is given to the priest is holy, which makes the entire portion of the dough holy. Holiness, even in our eating, is a blessing from GD and is suppose to influence everything that we do to include teaching.
If you diligently search for wisdom as one who mine for hidden treasures within the earth, you will find the Glory and Wisdom of GD. Then and only then can one teach as one who is "upright" and has "authority" [Proverbs 2:1-7]. Listen, Hear, Engage, Learn, Teach, and Shine your Light!
Have a blessed Shabbat weekend. 🌹