Ken Rosenstein

The Staff of Aaron

It was evening and it was morning:
the sixth day
twilight the cusp of Shabbat

amongst the ten things that were created:
the rod of Moses, and others say:
also the staff of Aaron
both fashioned
from the Tree of Life and
the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad

(how else would Moses our Teacher and Aaron the
High Priest have been sustained for 40 years
in the desert?)

the staff of Aaron shone as the light of Creation's
first day: for it was adorned with the gems of his
breastplate
jewels which reflected God's glory
God's Hod blinded
Pharaoh and his magicians so that
Aaron's serpentine
staff consumed those of the Oppressor

a primordial snake
slithered from the Tree of Knowledge
to the River Nile in an act of teshuvah
for the glory of God for the glory of Aaron

the archetype of Hod who ascended
to the Heavenly temple the Celestial Court
at Mt. Hor 40 years after his
appearance at the idolator's court

The Sages teach: Do not read Mt. Hor
rather Mt. Hod
for upon this mountain those who seek God's glory
shall be guided by
the staff of Aaron