When a high priest entered the most sacred place in the Day of Atonement, he had to burn incense to create a cloud between him and the divine presence. In that way, the incense protected him from death. (Lev. 16:13).

Even so, Aharon, the high priest had to risk his life when running in the middle of the people to try to stop the angel of death in his task of exterminating the people given by the Eternal. Both of Aharon's sons died before the Eternal when they burned incense incorrectly, and now Aharon had to burn incense in a way that the Eternal hadn’t commanded. In obedience to Moshe, Aharon gave himself to save the people. His devotion had the right effect and the angel of death stopped killing when Aharon arrived where he was. Since Aharon had put the incense in his censer there was a cloud between him and the angel of death. In that way, the angel had to stop, because of the cloud of incense.  

That cloud contains a very big secret. It speaks of the death of the Messiah Yeshua, through which the people of Israel is saved from destruction.

Before that, Moshe had asked the Eternal to forgive the people or to remove him from the book. Now we see the same attitude in his brother, Aharon. He was willing to give his life away for the people. These are true leaders, good shepherds that give their lives away for the sheep.

May the Eternal lift up many leaders of this kind again.

Kol tuv,

Ketriel