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It is commonly supposed that "peace" is the restoration of harmony between parties that have been at odds with one another. People who conceive of "peace" as being merely that, deprive the concept of much of its value. If "peace" does nothing more than restore a balance where there had previously been an imbalance, it can hardly be considered a blessing. Shame is not a virtue, since it presupposes that an unworthy act had been committed which the perpetrator is now ashamed of. Actually, peace is more like the silver thread that joins two people or two entities combining them into a unified whole. Why is one of the names of G'd shalom, peace? Because He ties together worlds, keeps them united and preserves their appearance and format. (Midrash Chazit chapter 1) When we read in Samuel II 11,7, "David enquired after the "peace" of Yoav, the "peace" of the people, and the "peace" of the "war," there is certainly no reference intended to the cessation of the war. This war was still very much in progress. David merely asked Uriah whether these people or affairs were all well and proceeding according to plan. The word "peace" in that context describes that there was a common bond between the people or the animals described. A city of people who do not quarrel with one another, who tolerate each other's idiosyncrasies, cannot be said to be at peace with each other as long as they do not share a common purpose or goal. Furthermore, when there is no bond joining people, there is a degree of separateness which may eventually lead to disintegration, decay etc. Isaiah 45,7, has this in mind when he contrasts "fashions light, or creates darkness, makes peace or creates evil, I the Lord do all these." The relationship of ra, evil, to shalom, peace, is like the relationship between darkness and light. Peace, i.e harmony, is the fruitful interaction of the various energies of different bodies, elements. It was Aaron's special talent to have understood that it is the task of a leader to weave that thread, the fabric that binds people to one another, and thus help them to establish harmony by desiring for them what one desires for oneself. Moses, on the other hand, was concerned primarily with the intellectual approach. He believed that without the benefit of Torah, whatever man does is of insufficient value to prolong our days on this earth. Without Torah, no degree of harmony can be achieved that would be capable of overcoming the dichotomy due to the fact that this physical universe has been made up of four distinctly different elements. The Talmud Shabbat 89, illustrates this line of thinking when it describes Moses' arrival on Mount Sinai before he had received the Torah. Moses is described as finding G'd "tying crowns to the letters." G'd asks him: "Moses, is there no "peace" in your city?" (are you people not in the habit of extending greetings of "peace be with you" where you come from?) Moses replies: "how can a slave contribute to the "peace"' of his Master?" G'd replies: "at any rate you should have assisted Me." Immediately, Moses said "now let the strength of the Lord become great as You have said." The lesson contained in that Midrash is, that even without the benefit of Torah, man's effort to weave the thread of togetherness, i.e. civilisation, is sufficient to improve his lot down here on earth. This is shalom; peace. When Hillel advised people to emulate the virtue of Aaron, namely to strive for peace, he was quite correct, inasmuch as this is a most positive character trait. Similarly, when Hillel said "do not separate yourself from the community," he was merely describing the other side of the coin. Tzibbur, community, after all, is what has been united by shalom, peace. The holiness of G'd depends on the community. Venikdashti betoch beney Yisrael, I will be sanctified within the community of Israel. When the community sins, one must abandon it. (Jeremiah 9,1) When only an individual sins, the community must see to it that the individual repents, or they must place him outside the tzibbur, into cherem quarantine. Since peace therefore is of vital importance to the existence of the community, it is clear that precisely at the time the tabernacle was put into service, G'd would pronounce the blessing of peace, as we have noted in our opening Midrash.

Since the attainment of peace is as central to successful life as is the well being of the king to its nation, the Torah urges us to do everything in our power to help achieve this goal and blessing. For that reason, the advice of Rabbi Massis, (Avot 4) to be the first to offer "peace," i.e. greeting to every person, represents the Torah outlook on life. It is not sufficient to grasp the opportunity for peace when it presents itself, but it must be actively sought out at all times. For that reason Hillel urged that one be a disciple of Aaron, the High Priest, who excelled in the pursuit of peace. Avot de Rabbi Natan 12, describes Aaron as going so far as to involve himself in family or other personal quarrels, unbidden, in order not to miss an opportunity to restore peace and harmony where it had been shattered. When he died, all sections of the nation cried, having been aware of his outstanding contribution to the unity of the people, and how his departure from amongst the living, might endanger the nation's well being.

In the first chapter of Taanit (9a): Rabbi Yose, son of Rabbi Yehudah, says, “Three good sustainers rose up for the Jewish people, and they are: Moses, Aaron and Miriam. And three good gifts were given through their agency, and these are they: The well, the [pillar of] cloud, and the manna. The well in the merit of Miriam; the pillar of cloud in the merit of Aaron; the manna in the merit of Moses. When Miriam died, the well disappeared, as it is stated (Numbers 20:1), ‘And Miriam died there’; and it says thereafter (Numbers 20:2), ‘And there was no water for the congregation.’ But it returned in the merit of [Moses and Aaron]. When Aaron died the clouds of glory disappeared, as it is stated (Numbers 33:40), ‘And the Canaanite, the king of Arad heard.’ What report did he hear? He heard that Aaron had died and the clouds of glory had disappeared, and he thought he had been given permission to go to war against the Jewish people. And this is [the meaning of] that which is written (Numbers 20:29), ‘And all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead.’ Do not read [the verse as], ‘And they saw (vayiru)’; but rather [as], ‘And they were seen (vayerau)' [since the clouds which had concealed the Jewish people were temporarily removed]. Both returned in the merit of Moses. As it is stated (Zechariah 11:8), ‘And I cut off the three shepherds in one month.’ But did they die in one month? Didn’t Miriam die in Nisan, and Aaron in Av and Moses in Adar? Rather, it is that three good gifts that were given through their agency were annulled, and all disappeared in one month.” To here [is the Gemara].