Aharon's staff and elevating all to the root

וזה היה העדות במטה אהרן שפרח והוציא ציץ כו' להודיע שהוא מעלה הכל אל השורש.

And this was the testimony (eidus) in the staff of Aharon that blossomed and brought forth a flower, etc. — to make known that he elevates everything to the root.

Aharon's staff sprouting buds and almonds was a sign testifying to his unique role: he raises all things back up to their spiritual source.

ונראה מדצוה הקב"ה להיות מונח לעולם לפני העדות שהכנת אהרן הי' לדורות עולם.

And it appears, since the Holy One commanded that it be placed forever before the Aron HaEidus (the Ark of Testimony), that the preparation accomplished by Aharon was for all generations.

The fact that the staff was to remain permanently before the Ark shows that what Aharon achieved was not a one-time event but an enduring spiritual preparation that endures for every generation.

וגם עתה מאיר לנו עבודת אהרן כמו שאור תורה של מרע"ה הוא לדורות כן בחי' אהרן.

And even now the avodah of Aharon illuminates for us — just as the light of the Torah of Moshe Rabbeinu is for all generations, so too is the aspect (bechinah) of Aharon.

Aharon's avodah still shines for us today. Just as Moshe's Torah continues to give light in every generation, so the spiritual contribution of Aharon remains a living force.

ואא"ז ז"ל אמר כי בש"ק שיש הארה ממקום הגנוז מאיר לנו הנר המערבי ע"ש בפ' בהעלותך.

And my grandfather, of blessed memory, said that on Shabbos Kodesh, when there is an illumination from the hidden place, the Ner HaMa'aravi (the western lamp of the Menorah) shines for us — see there in Parshas Beha'aloscha.

The Sefas Emes cites his grandfather (the Chiddushei HaRim) that on Shabbos a light from the concealed, hidden treasury shines forth, represented by the western lamp of the Menorah that miraculously stayed lit.

כן יתכן לומר גם על מטה אהרן שג"כ נגנז עם המשכן.

So too it can be said regarding the staff of Aharon, which was likewise hidden away together with the Mishkan.

Just as the western lamp's light is drawn from the hidden place, so Aharon's staff — though concealed along with the Mishkan — still radiates its light to us from that hidden source.

ושבת קודש הוא יום המוכן לדביקות בשורש כנ"ל.

And Shabbos Kodesh is the day prepared for deveikus (cleaving) to the root, as above.

Shabbos is the time most fit for clinging to the Source — precisely the elevation "to the root" that Aharon's staff signifies.

לכן בשבת ניתנה תורה שנעשו כלים לקבל התורה כמ"ש לעיל.

Therefore the Torah was given on Shabbos, for they became vessels (kelim) to receive the Torah, as written above.

Because Shabbos enables deveikus to the root, it was on Shabbos that the Torah was given — the bittul of that day makes a person into a fitting vessel to receive Torah.

וגם כחו של אהרן מסייע לנו כנ"ל.

And the power of Aharon also assists us, as above.

In becoming such vessels, we are aided by the enduring power of Aharon, whose avodah of elevating everything to the root continues to support us.

וכתיב לאות כו' משמע שבנ"י הרגישו כל אחד הדביקות בכחו של אהרן ע"י המטה שמונח לפני העדות:

And it is written, "for a sign…" (Bamidbar 17:25), which implies that Bnei Yisrael each felt the deveikus through the power of Aharon by means of the staff that was placed before the Eidus.

The staff being kept "for a sign" before the Ark means that through it every individual of Bnei Yisrael could personally experience the cleaving to the root that Aharon's power makes possible.

Summary: Aharon's blossoming staff testified to his power to elevate all things back to their root, and because it was kept permanently before the Ark, that avodah endures for every generation — like the eternal light of Moshe's Torah. Drawing on the Chiddushei HaRim's teaching about the western lamp, the Sefas Emes explains that although the staff was hidden with the Mishkan, its light still shines, especially on Shabbos, the day fit for deveikus to the root, when the Torah was given and we become vessels to receive it — aided by the lasting power of Aharon.