Moses was eighty years, and Aaron eighty three years, when they spoke to Pharaoh. Usually Aaron is portrayed as a spokesperson who is second to Moses: God told Moses…your brother Aaron will be your prophet And yet among yeshiva students there is an aphorism “if you can’t explain it, you don’t know it.” The person who can explain and transmit an idea – the spokesperson – is its owner. Perhaps this is why when the brothers speak to Pharaoh, we are reminded that Aaron was more than just Moses’ spokesperson, he was also his older brother. Indeed, our Sages remarked that sometimes Moses is mentioned first and sometimes Aaron, to teach us that in this regard the brothers were equals, for a message without a medium is no message at all.