The Significance of the Aaronic Priesthood in Jewish History

Aaronic comes from the Hebrew word "Aharon" which means "mountain of strength". In the Bible, Aaron was the brother of Moses and the first high priest of the Israelites. The Aaronic priesthood was established by God through Moses to serve as mediators between God and the Israelites.

The Aaronic priesthood was a hierarchical system with different levels of priests, each with their own responsibilities and duties. The high priest was the most important priest and was responsible for making atonement for the sins of the people once a year on the Day of Atonement. The other priests were responsible for leading worship, interpreting the law, and serving as judges in religious matters.

The Aaronic priesthood was a significant part of Jewish religious life for over a thousand years until the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD. After the destruction of the temple, the Aaronic priesthood was no longer able to function and was replaced by the Levitical priesthood.

Today, the term "Aaronic" is still used to refer to the priestly system established by God through Moses and to the descendants of Aaron who served as priests in the ancient Israelite community.