In the beginning of this week’s Torah portion, Beha’alotcha, we read that Aaron the High Priest is charged with the daily lighting of the Menorah.
Rashi explains the connection of the end of last week’s portion dealing with the princes bringing their offerings to this week’s beginning: “Because when Aaron saw the inauguration of the Princes, he felt badly about it, for neither he nor his tribe was with them in the inauguration. The Holy One blessed is He, said to him, ‘By your life! Your role is greater than theirs, for you kindle and prepare the lamps.” [Rashi on Bamidbar 8:2]
The Ramban (Nachmanides) asks why God didn’t console Aaron by telling him that he gets to offer the twice-daily offering of the incense and/or he can enter the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur?
The Ramban suggests, “That the consolation offered to Aaron was not the fact that the High Priest would kindle the Menorah daily during the duration of the Temple service. Rather, the consolation was that the Menorah would be kindled in all generations as a result of the heroism of Aaron’s descendants, the Hasmonean (Maccabees) priests.
In other words, the consolation alludes to the Hanukkah menorah that will continue to be lit, even subsequent to the suspension of the Temple Service.
Rabbi Yissocher Frand writes, “This is saying that there are times in life when we do things in a non-dramatic fashion without a lot of fanfare, but those little things can last for generations, for centuries, even for millennia.
Other times, we do things with great fanfare and great pomp and circumstance, but those things are forgotten shortly and have no lasting importance. The sacrifices of the Princes were offered with great pomp and circumstance, but they were a one-time affair, and it was only for the Mishkan [desert sanctuary].
The Mishkan was eventually put away, and the whole dedication ceremony had no permanent impact. Aaron’s kindling of the Menorah was not only for now, not only for later, but for eternity.”
While the Princes received immediate recognition, Aaron’s ultimate reward would take generations to be fulfilled. Often, the most meaningful accomplishments require patience and develop quietly over time.
We live in a modern culture obsessed with instant results. Investors constantly check portfolio balances. Social media magnifies the illusion that everyone else is achieving financial success overnight.
Young couples feel pressure to immediately buy homes beyond their means. A few weeks ago, I received a call from a young woman moving to the Southwestern US for graduate school.
She asked if I could help her understand her finances in the US.
The young woman told me that while she received a scholarship, she still needs to pay a boatload of tuition and still needs to pay rent and eat. And she’s married.
She mentioned that she just took out a large Israeli bank loan and has some money on the side, but that it’s for a down payment if they win the housing lottery drawing.
In addition, the couple owns property in central Florida, almost all mortgaged. Basically, they are broke.
I suggested that she find a job, but she said she can’t work while she is studying, because it’s too hard to juggle both, and her husband may try to find work. After I told her that I can’t help her, she asked for any other advice.
I told her to take it slow. It takes time to build wealth, but she and her husband are on fast track to bankruptcy. Needless to say, she didn’t appreciate my directness!
Patience often produces the greatest rewards
The Torah’s message through Aaron is that patience often produces the greatest rewards. King Solomon writes in Proverbs (13:11), “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but one who gathers little by little will increase it.”
The emphasis is not simply on earning money but on the process of steady accumulation. Sustainable wealth is usually built gradually through discipline, consistency, and restraint.
Many people sabotage their financial futures because they have no patience. They overextend themselves by purchasing homes they cannot comfortably afford. They take excessive investment risks chasing quick returns.
They accumulate debt to create the appearance of prosperity long before they have actually achieved financial stability.
Like the princes, the rewards may look impressive initially. But appearances can be deceiving. Aaron teaches a different model. Real greatness develops over decades.
Someone who begins investing modest amounts in retirement accounts in her 20s.
At first, the growth appears insignificant. The numbers barely move. Yet through the power of patience and compounding, those small, consistent contributions can eventually create enormous financial security.
The same principle applies to careers and businesses. Those who achieve lasting success are willing to steadily improve, develop expertise, and remain committed through difficult periods. Patience allows wisdom and experience to compound just as investments do.
The lighting of the menorah symbolized continuity, consistency, and quiet devotion.
Unlike the dramatic one-time offerings of the princes, the Menorah in the Temple had to be lit every single day.
True accomplishment often comes not from dramatic moments but from repetitive acts of discipline carried out faithfully over long periods of time.
Financial success works exactly the same way.
Aaron’s story reminds us that delayed recognition does not mean diminished value.
Patience is not passive. It is an active discipline. It is the ability to remain committed to wise decisions even when results are not immediate.
In a world demanding instant gratification, perhaps one of the greatest financial and spiritual advantages we can develop is the willingness to wait.
The information contained in this article reflects the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of Portfolio Resources Group, Inc. or its affiliates.
Aaron Katsman is the author of Retirement GPS: How to Navigate Your Way to a Secure Financial Future with Global Investing (McGraw-Hill).