"…all the counted Levites, which Moshe and Aharon counted" (3:39).
The usual rule is that the dots indicate an erasure. Since all of the letters of the name "Aharon" (including the waw) have dots it would seem that the intention was that the name should be erased. The way that Rashi explains this phenomenon is to say that the text is correct but that Aharon's participation in the event described in the text is somehow defective. Aharon himself, who was one of the children of Levi, was not counted.
This point is further explained by the Neziv (in his commentary) as follows:
"He (Aharon) was not included in the total number of Levites as were Moshe and the sons of Aharon. The reason is that the Levites were counted in order to redeem the first born who participated in the building of the golden calf. They would have been the servants of G-d in the Temple, but were excluded because of their participation in the building of the calf."
Aharon counted the Levites with Moshe, but he himself was not counted.
In other words, the Torah wants to protect Aharon's honor. He was the high priest who would serve in the Temple but was not able to redeem a single first born. This unpleasant reality is related by the Torah in a subtle manner. Aharon is mentioned in the verse indicating the counting. However, in some way he is erased from the verse and does not belong there.
Netziv points out that though he could not redeem, he was able to assist in the counting.
Gut shabbos, Chaim Brovender
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