Rabbi Yosef Tropper
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein zt”l (1895-1986) explains that each person has two values, one value is from being a part of the Jewish Nation and the other is through his or her individual talents. The laws of erechim stress that each Jew is precious and given equal opportunity to greatness. If someone promised to give the erech, Torah value, of Moses at age 120 and that of another simple Jew who was also a 120 year old male, he would pay the same amount. Each Jew is precious. If someone promised to donate the damim, market value of Moses, that would be an entirely different amount than for any other Jewish person. The value would reflect Moshe’s individual greatness. We each have a great value as members of the Jewish nation. We also have our own talents and greatness that only we alone have to share with the world.