Everyone wants to live in peace with their surroundings—but quarrels are part of life, especially the lives of young children. Sometimes when two friends quarrel, they need outside help to make peace. This beloved folk-tale, retold by Shlomo Abbas, tells the story of one such quarrel and teaches us about the power of the one who bridges the gulf between the two sides.
Age Group: KINDERGARTEN
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generalAaron the Priest: Lover of Peace and Pursuer of Peace
Sometimes it’s hard for friends who’ve been quarreling to make up on their own. They may need a third person to intervene and help them find the way back to one another.
Legend tells us that, when the Children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness, Aaron the Priest would go about the camp and serve as peacemaker (or ‘bridge’) between people who’d been quarreling. First, he’d approach one friend and tell that one how sorry the other friend felt and how much the other friend longed for reconciliation. Then he’d go to the second friend and tell them how sorry the first friend was and how much they wanted to make peace. Thus did Aaron reconcile friends who had felt unable to reconcile after quarreling.
“The Wisdom of the Sages” (verse 1:12) says each of us should learn from the example of Aaron the Priest and be “a lover of peace and pursuer of peace.” The sages explain that “loving peace” means to live in peace with our friends, while “pursuing peace” means we should strive to make peace between others.
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Copies Distributed:
120,000 | 3,000 | 45,000
Publishing:
עגור
Year of Distribution:
תשע"ו 2015-2016, nine 2009-2010
