Shemos

As Hashem argues with Moshe regarding the mission to go down to Egypt to save the Jews, Moshe says to Him,“Send as Your emissary the one that You usually send”.  Rashi explains that he is referring to Aaron, for Moshe did not want to take the leadership away from his older brother, who was also a Navi. Hashem gets angry at Moshe for worrying about Aaron being upset and responds, “Not only isn't he upset, but he's coming to greet you with joy in his heart."

The Midrash adds that had Aaron known that Hashem would write that he went out happily to greet Moshe, he would have gone out with trumpets & drums to greet him.  The obvious question is would someone as great as Aaron have acted differently just because his behavior would be publicized?

Otzros Hatorah quotes the sefer קהלת יצחק who explains: we need to understand whether Moshe & Aaron were equal in stature.  If so, Aaron was older so why was he not the one appointed as the leader? רב הלל א"בד סואלק explains based on the gemara which relates the story about a drought in the land. Reb Eliezer went up to the pulpit to pray for rain but wasn't answered. Then, Rebbi Akiva went up & was answered.

The people then chattered about how Rebbi Akiva must be greater than Reb Eliezer until a Bas Kol established that it is not that one of them is greater than the other, rather Rebbi Akiva was answered because he is מעביר על מדותיו while Reb Eliezer is not. If that’s the case, one must wonder how they can be equal?  Rebbi Akiva overcomes his character traits while Reb Eliezer does not.  In actuality, neither one was greater than the other. However, Rebbi Akiva was the son of converts about whom chazal tell us their natural tendency to do bad is much greater. That is the reason the Torah warns us not to antagonize the convert. Therefore, Rebbi Akiva had to work much harder to control his natural character traits whereas Reb Eliezer, who was born into a holy family, didn't have to work as hard.  His natural tendencies were for good.  

The reason Rebbi Akiva was answered was that the harder it is for one, the more he is rewarded. Since he worked so hard to get where he was, he was answered as a reward but not because he was any greater.  Here, too, Moshe & Aaron were equal. However, Moshe was born with bad character traits while Aaron was born with good ones. In order for one to lead the nation, one has to be able to control it & be able to take charge in any situation. Moshe, who was tough by nature, had the character needed as he demonstrated by how he took charge, both at the time of Korach, & the Eigle. Aaron, by contrast, was a loving, kindhearted man who would have been too soft hearted to lead. One was not greater than the other; their natures were merely different.

When Hashem told Moshe to go lead, Moshe thought that Aaron would be upset. Therefore, Hashem told Aaron to go out & greet him to demonstrate he wasn't upset at all. In truth, Aaron should have gone out with drums & trumpets to show that there was no jealousy. However, Aaron, who was such a good hearted person, never even thought that Moshe would be jealous & that's why Hashem had told him to go greet him. Therefore he saw no need to bring a band. This is what the Midrash is saying: had he known that Hashem was telling him to go out & greet Moshe because Moshe thought that he would be jealous, then he would have brought the band to show that there wasn't even a drop of jealousy in him.

We have to learn from Aaron not to let jealousy be a part of us. If we truly believe that Hashem controls the world & gives each one of us exactly what we are supposed to have, then there can be no reason for jealousy. If we don't have it, then we must trust that we don't need it.