In Parshat VaEra, Shmot 6:23 we read: “Aharon took Elisheva,
daughter of Aminadav, sister of Nachshon, for a wife and she gave birth to
Nadav, Avihu, Elazar and Itamar.”
Why does the Torah bring us so much background information
about Elisheva, listing who her father and brother were?
According to Eben Ezra, the Torah specifically mentions that
she is the sister of Nachshon to teach us about the secret of the Kehuna
(priesthood). The children of Aharon had special “yichus”, in other words they
came form a good family, from their mother’s side as well, since Elisheva was
the sister of Nachshon the son of Aminadav, the nasi (prince) of the tribe of
Yehuda.
Ramban says that Elisheva, the mother of the Kehuna is the
sister of the most important nasi.
Sforno says that Nachson was the most important nasi of his
generation and Elishava was the mother of important people who would later
become the Kohanim.
A lot of people feel that when choosing a spouse their
yichus is important.
It says in Masechet Yoma 85a: Rabbi Yochanan said: “Whoever
is a Talmid Chaham and his son is a Talmid Chacham and his grandson is a Talmid
Chacham, the Torah will never stop from his descendents.”
The problem is that we can’t only rely on yichus. A person
can have wonderful ancestors, but they must continue to follow in their
footsteps.
Unfortunately, two of Aharon’s sons, did not follow in
Aharon and Elisheva’s footsteps and were put to death by God. As it says in
Vayikra 10:1-2: “And Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aharon, took each of them his
censer and put fire in it and put incense on it and offered strange fire before
God which he commanded them not. And a fire went out from God and devoured them
and they died before God.”
We read in Midrash Raba 20:10: “Rabbi Levi said: Nadav and
Avihu were conceited. Many women wanted to marry them but they said: Our uncle
is King (Moshe), our other uncle is head of a tribe (Nachshon), our father
(Aharon) is the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) and we are his two assistants. Who
could possibly be worthy enough to marry us?”
We learn from here that our yichus is only as good as the
effort that we put in to cultivate the next generation.