Thursday, Tammuz 8, 5778 / June 21, 2018

This Shabbat we read Parshat Chukat.

Thus, from the story of the Exodus, in the Book of Exodus, until last week’s Parsha, Korach, the Torah records a period of less than two years. Then skips 38 years of what happened in the desert. From this week’s Parsha, Chukat, until the end of the Torah is a period of less than a year.

 

One of the stories in Parshat Chukat is about the passing of Moshe's sister, Miriam. The Torah tells us that when Miriam passed away, the special well which accompanied the Jewish people in the desert, stopped flowing. Our sages explain that the well which was imbedded in the rock, during their 40 year journey, was in her merit. But when she died it stopped flowing.

 

When the people realized that they had no water, they complained to Moshe and Aaron, "Why did you bring us into this wilderness to die here? Why did you bring us out of Egypt to this evil place... and there is no water to drink."

 

G-d told Moshe, "Take your rod and assemble the congregation; you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes and it will give forth its water." 

 

Moshe gathered the people and addressed them, "Hear now you rebels ...."  Moshe then hit the rock twice and water came forth abundantly and the congregation drank along with their cattle. 

 

Because Moshe didn't speak to the rock as commanded and hit it instead, G-d said, "Because you didn't believe in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you will not bring this assembly to the land which I have given them." G-d decreed that Moshe and Aaron would die in the desert. In this Parsha we also read about Aaron’s passing.

 

Q. How long did Miriam and Aaron live?

 

A. Miriam was 125 & Aaron was 123. Miriam passed away almost 4 months before Aaron.

 

Q. Why did the water flow in the merit of Miriam?

 

A. Miriam had a special feeling for the young. The Torah tells us that while still in Egypt, under the threat of grave punishment by Pharaoh, she devoted herself to saving Jewish babies despite Pharaoh's death decree on Jewish boys to be drowned.

 

As a reward for saving the Jewish children from death by water, G-d paid her, measure for measure, and in her merit G-d gave water, to the Jewish people during their 40 years in the desert.

 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY