B"H

Friday, Tammuz 8, 5781 / June 18, 2021

 

This week’s Parsha, Chukat, tells of the passing of two of our greatest leaders, Miriamand Aaron.

 

Miriam is first mentioned in the Torah in the Book of Exodus (Shmot) in connection with Pharaoh’s decree that every Jewish male who will be born shall be thrown into the river. Miriam, who served as midwife to the Jewish women, didn’t obey Pharaoh’s decree. Instead, she made sure that the babies lived and were taken care of.

 

We also find that after the Jewish people crossed the Sea, Miriam led the women in song. The Torah tells us that she and the women took their tambourines and sang G-d’s praises for His great miracles. Our sages tell us that the women had more faith than the men. They were sure that G-d will redeem them. They prepared tambourines while still in Egypt for this special occasion.

 

Throughout the forty years that Jews spent in the desert their water supply, which had to supply millions of people, came from a well embedded in a rock. The well travelled with them wherever they went. This rock-well was in the merit of Miriam. Thus, when Miriam passed away, in this Parsha, the water supply stopped. It returned only when Moshe mistakenly hit the rock, instead of speaking to the rock. The Parsha tells us that for this mistake, Moshe was barred from entering into the Promised Land.

 

There is an ancient custom to draw and drink water from a well or natural spring after Shabbat. This is based on the saying of the sages that the waters of Miriam’s Well flow through all the wells and natural springs every Saturday night, and anyone who encounters it and drinks of its waters will be healed. Miriam passed away at the age of 125. Our sages say that G-d took Miriam’s soul via a G-dly kiss.

 

Aaron’s passing is also in this Parsha. G-d told Moshe to tell Aaron and his son, Elazar, to go up the mountain called, Hor Hahar. There they entered a cave. Moshe took off Aaron’s special Priestly garments and he put them on Elazar. G-d wanted Aaron to see his son becoming High Priest.

 

In the cave there was a bed prepared and a lamp lit. Moshe told Aaron to lay down on the bed; stretch out his feet & close his mouth and eyes. At that moment G-d took Aaron’s soul with a G-dly kiss. When Moshe saw how peacefully Aaron’s soul was taken, he desired to die the same way. Indeed, Moshe also merited to die the exact way Aaron did, via a G-dly kiss.

 

Aaron was 123 years when he died. The Torah tells us that the ENTIREhouse of Israel mourned Aaron’s passing. Yet, with Moshe’a passing, at the end of the Torah, it doesn’t say that the entire house of Israel mourned. Our sages explain that for Aaron, not only the men but also the womenmourned. Because Aaron was a peace maker. Whenever he saw people quarreling he would try to bring peace between them. He would especially get involved in bringing peace between husband and wife. Thus the ENTIREhouse of Israel (men and women) mourned his passing. Moshe’s strength was teaching Torah to the men. Thus, when he passed away it was mainly the men who mourned after him.

 

SHABBAT  SHALOM

 

Montreal candle lighting time: 8:28 / Shabbat ends: 9:44