Aharon's bitachon elevates Yisrael above nature

במד' מה כ' למעלה כי יהי' בהם אוב כו' הה"ד והיית רק למעלה כו' לשאול באו"ת של מעלה ולא למטה באוב כו'.

In the Midrash: what is written above? "if there be among them a ba'al ov (a necromancer)..." (cf. Vayikra 20:27) — this is the meaning of "and you shall be only above" (Devarim 28:13) — to inquire of the Urim VeTumim above and not below through an ov.

The Midrash contrasts two ways of seeking knowledge of the future: the holy way "above" through the Urim VeTumim, versus the impure way "below" through necromancy (ov).

כי בחי' אהרן הכהן הוא היפוך ממעשה אוב שהוא כח הטומאה ויציאה מת"י רשות הקדושה.

For the aspect of Aharon the Kohen is the opposite of the practice of ov, which is the power of impurity and a departure from the domain of holiness.

Necromancy draws on the forces of tumah and steps outside the realm of kedushah; Aharon represents the exact reverse.

ובחי' אהרן לבטל הנהגות הטבע להתמשך אחר הנהגה עליונה.

And the aspect of Aharon is to nullify the conduct of nature so as to be drawn after a supernal conduct.

Aharon's role is to set aside the apparent rule of nature and instead attach oneself to Hashem's higher governance of the world.

ולכן זכה להיות שואל באורים ותומים ע"פ ה'.

Therefore he merited to be the one who inquires of the Urim VeTumim according to the word of Hashem.

Because Aharon nullified himself to Hashem's higher conduct, he became the channel for Divine guidance through the Urim VeTumim.

ועליו כתי' עין ה' אל יראיו למיחלים לחסדו.

And about him it is written, "the eye of Hashem is upon those who fear Him, upon those who hope for His kindness" (Tehillim 33:18).

Aharon exemplifies those who fear Hashem and await His chessed, upon whom Hashem's providential "eye" rests.

והנה משה ואהרן הם בחי' אחת להנהיג את בנ"י כמ"ש הוא משה ואהרן הוא אהרן ומשה כו' על צבאותם.

And behold, Moshe and Aharon are one aspect in leading Bnei Yisrael, as it says, "that is the Moshe and Aharon... that is the Aharon and Moshe... by their hosts" (Shemos 6:26-27).

Though distinct, Moshe and Aharon function as a single unit in guiding Bnei Yisrael, as the Torah itself pairs them in either order.

כי בנ"י נק' צבאות ה' שדומין לצבא מעלה שמנהיגים את הטבע.

For Bnei Yisrael are called "the hosts of Hashem," for they resemble the heavenly host that governs nature.

Yisrael is likened to the heavenly "army" — the celestial forces through which nature is conducted.

ובנ"י יש להם לברר הנהגה מחודשת ע"פ התורה להודיע כי הקב"ה הוא מחי' ומנהיג הכל שלא להתדבק בחכמת הטבע.

And Bnei Yisrael must clarify a renewed conduct according to the Torah, to make known that the Holy One, blessed is He, gives life to and governs everything — not to cling to the wisdom of nature.

Yisrael's task is to reveal that Hashem, not blind natural law, is the One who animates and directs everything; they must not be seduced by the "wisdom of nature" that seems self-sufficient.

ולכן עשה הקב"ה ע"י משה רבינו ע"ה נסים ונפלאות לברר זאת.

Therefore the Holy One, blessed is He, performed miracles and wonders through Moshe Rabbeinu in order to clarify this.

The open miracles done through Moshe served to demonstrate plainly that Hashem governs above nature.

אבל בחי' אהרן הוא להיות בנ"י כלים למשוך אחר הנהגה זו כענין שנאמר לכתך אחרי במדבר.

But the aspect of Aharon is for Bnei Yisrael to be vessels to be drawn after this conduct, as in the matter of, "your following Me in the desert" (Yirmiyahu 2:2).

While Moshe demonstrates Hashem's supernatural rule, Aharon's role is to make Yisrael into receptive vessels who willingly follow that higher path.

משכני אחריך נרוצה.

"Draw me, we will run after You" (Shir HaShirim 1:4).

This verse expresses the desire to be pulled after Hashem — the very quality Aharon instills in Yisrael.

ומדה זו מיוחדת לאהרן שענני כבוד בזכותו.

And this trait is special to Aharon, for the Clouds of Glory were in his merit.

The Ananei HaKavod, which enveloped and drew Yisrael along through the desert, came in Aharon's merit — fittingly, since his quality is "drawing after."

וב' אלו נצח והוד הם בחי' אחת.

And these two — netzach and hod — are one aspect.

Moshe (netzach, victory/eternity) and Aharon (hod, splendor/acknowledgment) are ultimately a single unit.

כי תכלית הנצוח כדי שיבין האדם להכניע עצמו להודות לשמו ית'.

For the purpose of the victory (nitzuach) is so that a person should understand to subdue himself and give acknowledgment (l'hodos) to His Name.

The point of demonstrating Hashem's triumph over nature is to bring a person to submit and acknowledge Him — the quality of hod.

נמצא ההוד תכלית הנצח.

It emerges that hod is the purpose of netzach.

Aharon's quality of submission and acknowledgment is the goal toward which Moshe's quality of triumph is directed.

וכתי' נתת ליראיך נס להתנוסס כי ע"י הנסים נתפעלו בנ"י ונגמר המכוון.

And it is written, "You have given a banner to those who fear You, to be raised up" (Tehillim 60:6) — for through the miracles (nissim) Bnei Yisrael were stirred, and the intended purpose was accomplished.

The miracles ("nissim," playing on "nes," a banner) roused Yisrael to recognize and submit to Hashem, completing the goal.

וכתי' ה' צבאות עמנו משגב לנו.

And it is written, "Hashem of Hosts is with us; the God of Yaakov is a stronghold (misgav) for us" (Tehillim 46:8).

The Sefas Emes will now find Moshe and Aharon hinted in this verse.

משגב גי' משה.

"Misgav" (stronghold) is gematria Moshe.

The word "misgav" equals the numerical value of "Moshe," hinting that Moshe is the "stronghold."

וה' צבאות אשרי אדם בוטח הוא אהרן כמ"ש הבוטח בה' חסד יסובבנהו לכן זכה לענני כבוד.

And "Hashem of Hosts, fortunate is the man who trusts in You" (Tehillim 84:13) is Aharon, as it says, "one who trusts in Hashem, kindness surrounds him" (Tehillim 32:10); therefore he merited the Clouds of Glory.

Aharon embodies bitachon (trust); because "kindness surrounds" the one who trusts, he merited the encircling Clouds of Glory.

והם ב' בחי' נסים.

And they are two aspects of miracles.

Moshe and Aharon correspond to two distinct kinds of the miraculous.

הנפלאות שנעשו ע"י מרע"ה שהוריד המן ואת התורה מן השמים.

The wonders that were done through Moshe Rabbeinu, who brought down the mann and the Torah from Heaven.

Moshe's miracles are external — bringing the mann and the Torah down from above into the world.

והתרוממות נפשות בנ"י שיצאו מן הטבע להיות נמשך אחר ההנהגה עליונה.

And the elevation of the souls of Bnei Yisrael, who left nature to be drawn after the supernal conduct.

Aharon's "miracle" is internal — the lifting of Yisrael's souls above nature so that they cleave to Hashem's higher governance.

וזהו בחי' אהרן אוהב שלום כו' ומקרבן לתורה.

And this is the aspect of Aharon — "loving peace... and bringing them near to the Torah" (Avos 1:12).

Aharon's elevating influence is what draws people close to the Torah through love and peace.

כי הבוטח בה' באמת ומוסר עצמו לגמרי רק לרצונו ית' ממילא אוהב שלום ואוהב לכל והוא כלי מחזיק ברכה.

For one who truly trusts in Hashem and gives himself over completely only to His will automatically loves peace and loves everyone, and he is a vessel that holds blessing.

Genuine bitachon and total devotion to Hashem's ratzon naturally produce love of peace and love of all people, making such a person a fitting container for blessing.

ולכן זכה אהרן לנשיאת כפים לברך את בנ"י דכתי' ה' זוקף כפופים.

Therefore Aharon merited the lifting of the hands to bless Bnei Yisrael, as it is written, "Hashem straightens the bent" (Tehillim 146:8).

Because Aharon is a vessel of blessing, he was given Birkas Kohanim — connected to "Hashem who straightens the bent," i.e., who lifts up the humble.

זה והיית רק למעלה.

This is "and you shall be only above."

Aharon's path of trust and self-nullification is what fulfills the blessing "you shall be only above."

כי הסומך על כחו וחכמתו מתדבק בגשמיות והיא נפש הבהמיות היורדת לארץ.

For one who relies on his own strength and wisdom cleaves to physicality, which is the animal soul that descends to the earth.

Self-reliance binds a person to the material world and to the nefesh ha-behamis (animal soul), which is drawn downward.

וכ"ז מעשה אוב ודורש אל המתים.

And all this is the practice of ov and "one who seeks the dead" (Devarim 18:11).

Relying on one's own power, rooted in the downward-pulling animal soul, is spiritually akin to necromancy — seeking life and answers from the "dead" lower realm.

אבל אדם ובהמה מי שערום בדעת ומשים עצמו כבהמה תושיע ה'.

But "man and beast" (Tehillim 36:7) — whoever is cunning in knowledge yet makes himself like a beast, "Hashem saves" (ibid.).

The one who, despite his wisdom, humbles himself to nothingness "like a beast" is the one Hashem saves — the opposite of arrogant self-reliance.

וזה הסדר נשיאת כפים אחר ברכת הודאה.

And this is the order: the lifting of the hands comes after the blessing of thanksgiving (Modim).

In the Shemoneh Esrei, Birkas Kohanim follows Modim — acknowledgment must precede blessing.

דאיתא מי שאינו כורע במודים שדרתו נעשה נחש.

For it is brought that one who does not bow during Modim, his spine turns into a snake.

Chazal teach that failing to bow in acknowledgment at Modim has the spiritual consequence of one's spine becoming snake-like — a sign of arrogance.

כי הנחש שהלך בקומה זקופה וע"י גאותו נתקצצו רגליו על גחונך תלך.

For the snake, which walked upright, had its legs cut off because of its arrogance: "upon your belly you shall go" (Bereishis 3:14).

The snake is the archetype of haughtiness; its upright stance led to its downfall and crawling. Arrogance and the "upright spine" of pride belong to the serpent.

והכורע במודים ומודה על האמת ויודע ומבין כי הכל ברשות הקב"ה זוכה להתרומם למעלה מהטבע.

And one who bows during Modim and acknowledges the truth, knowing and understanding that everything is in the dominion of the Holy One, blessed is He, merits to be elevated above nature.

Bowing in humble acknowledgment that all is in Hashem's hands is precisely what raises a person above the rule of nature.

ונשיאת כפים היא הארה שלמעלה מכל הקומה כמ"ש ונתנך כו' עליון כו':

And the lifting of the hands is an illumination above one's entire stature, as it is written, "and He will set you... supreme..." (Devarim 28:1).

The priestly blessing draws down a light that transcends a person's own stature entirely — the fulfillment of being set "above," reserved for the one who first bowed in humility.

Summary: Aharon HaKohen is the antithesis of necromancy (ov): instead of drawing on impure lower forces through self-reliance, he nullifies nature and draws himself and Bnei Yisrael after Hashem's supernal governance, which is why he merits the Urim VeTumim and the Clouds of Glory. Moshe and Aharon are one unit — netzach and hod — corresponding to two kinds of miracle: Moshe's external wonders (mann, Torah from Heaven) and Aharon's inner elevation of Yisrael's souls above nature through bitachon and humility. The one who relies on his own power cleaves to the animal soul, akin to ov; but the one who bows in acknowledgment (Modim) and makes himself "like a beast" before Hashem is raised above nature, and through Aharon's lifted hands receives a blessing higher than his own stature.