Jewish Encyclopedia/Aaron's Rod
AARON'S ROD.— Biblical Data: A rod which, in the hands of Aaron, the high priest, was endowed with miraculous power during the several plagues that preceded the Exodus. In this function the rod of Moses was equally potent. Upon two occassions, however, the singular virtue of spontaneous power, when not in the grasp of its possessor, was exhibited by Aaron's Rod. At one time it swallowed the rods of the Egyptian magicians, and at another it blossomed and bore fruit in the Tabernacle, as an evidence of the exclusive right to the priesthood of the tribe of Levi (See Aaron). In commemoration of this decision it was commanded that the rod be put again "before the testimony" (Num. xvii. 10). A later tradition asserts (Heb. ix. 4) that the rod was kept in the Ark of the Covenant. The main fact, however, is thus confirmed, that a rod was preserved in the Tabernacle as a relic of the institution of the Aaronic priesthood.
In Rabbinical Literature: The Bible ascribed similar miraculous powers to the Rod of Aaron and to the staff of Moses (compare, for example, Ex. iv. 2 et seq. and vii. 9). The Haggadah goes a step further, and entirely identifies the Rod of Aaron with that of Moses. Thus the Midrash Yelamdenu (Yalḳ. on Ps. ex. § 869) states that
"the staff with which Jacob"
Aaron the Bookseller
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the sanctuary were similarly sealed, to prevent any one from haviujr aciess to the rods at nisrlit. This legend of the ro<l as given bv the Syrian Solomon in "(" Auecdota Oxhis Book of the Hcc •'
Christian oniensia. Scniilie Modifi- ii.) has Christian
Series," vol. i. part rhanieteristies. Ac-
cording to it the statT is a fragment of the Tree of Knowledge, and was succes-
cations,
sively in the possession of Shem, of the three Patriarchs, and of Judah, just as in the Jewish legend. From Judah it descended to Pliarez, anceslorof David and of tin- Messiah. After Pliarez 's death an angel carried it to the mountains of Moab and buried it When Jloses, there. when' the pious Jethro found it. at Jethro's rei|U<st. went in search of it. the rod was brought to him by an angel. With this stall Aaron and Mo.ses |»erfornied all the miracles related in Scripture, noteworthy among which was the swallowing np of the wonder-working rods of the Egyptian Posdi. Joshua received it from Closes and made use of it in his wars (Josh. viii. 18): and Jusluia. in tiirn. delivered it to Phinehas. who buried it in Jerusalem. There it remained hidden until the birth of Jesus, when the place of its concealment was revealed to Joseph, who took it with him on the journey to Egy)it. Judas Iscariot stole it from James, brother of Jesus, who had received it from Joseph. At Jesus' crucifixion the Jews had no wood for the transverse beam of the cross, so Judas prodiiced the stalT fur that purpose ("Book of the Bee," Syr.
This typopp, "lO-.JS; Eiig. cd., pp. .jO—VJ). logical explanation of Moses' rod as the cross is not a novel one. Origen on Exodus (chap, vii.) says: eil.,
"This rod of Moses, with which he sididued the Egyptians, is the syndwl of the cross of Jesus, who Christian legend has preserved the Jewish accounts of the rod of the MesOther siah and made concrete fact of the idea. Western le.trends concerning the connection of the cross and the rod maj' be foimd In Seymour, "The Cross," 1898, p. 83. The rod is likewise glorified in Mohammedan le.srend. which, as is usually the case with the Biblical accounts of the Mohammedans, is plainly deThe following passage rived from Jewish sources. will serve as an illustration:
AARON ABBA HA-LEVI BEN JOHANAN
prominent rabbi; born about the close of the sixteenth century; died in Lemberg, Jiuie 18. 1643.
He was
fliinp his staff
upon the prouncl.
.inci
instantly
it
was
It elared chantreil into a serpent as hu^'e as the largest caniel. at I'haraoh with llre-ilaoins e.ves. and liftcil his tlirone to the ceilinp. Opening its jaws. It cried aloud. ' If it ]>it'i.sed Allah.
could not onl.v swallow up the throne with thee and all that are here present, but even thy pala<'e and all that it con" tains, without any ipue perceiving the slightest change in me (G. Weil. "Bllilische Lcgenden der Muselmiinner," p. 140, Frankfort-on-the-Main. l.'^.ii. I
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