B"H

Thursday, Tammuz 8, 5776 / July 14, 2016 - Hakhel year

Twice, during the 40 years in the desert, do we find in the Torah that G-d gave the Jewish people water flowing from a rock.

The first time was when they came out of Egypt into the desert, as told in the Book of Exodus. “G-d said to Moshe… take your staff.. you shall strike the rockand there shall come water out of it that the people may drink” (Exodus 17:5-6).

The second time was forty years later, as told in this week’s Parsha, Chukat. After Miriam’s passing, the water stopped flowing from the rock. G-d told Moshe, “Take the staff and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes that it should give forth its water.” But instead of speaking to the rock Moshe hit it twiceand water came out in abundance.

The first time, forty years earlier, G-d told Moshe to take his staff and hit the rock.But in this Parsha, G-d told Moshe again to take his staff, but this time he told him to speak to the rock.

Moshe, who was told also this time to take his staff, mistakenly thought that G-d again intended for him to hit the rock. Hitting the rock was considered a sin for Moshe and Aaron and as a result, they were barred from going into the Promised Land.

Q.If G-d wanted Moshe to speak to the rock, why did He tell him to take his staff?

A.There is an old saying about teachers (in the days when hitting a student was acceptable), “a teacher who has to use his strap to punish the students is not a good teacher. A good teacher places the strap on the table or wall where the students can see it, but shouldn’t have to use it…”

This entire episode was a lesson for the Jewish people in obedience and adhering to G-d’s words. Now, as they were ready to go into the Promised Land, G-d wanted the people to know that punishment is used only as a last resort. One needs to listen to G-d’s commandments out of love and respect, not out of fear of consequences. Yes, G-d did prescribe certain consequences for not adhering to His commandments, but that was intended only as a last resort.

If Moshe would have spoken to the rock, as commanded, and it would have given water, the lesson would have been that one should obey G-d’s commandments because G-d said so. But when Moshe stroke the rock right away and the rock gave water, this important lesson was lost on the Jewish people.

Rabbi Eizel Charif once tried convincing a wealthy person in his community to make a charitable contribution for a needy cause. The person was a miser and had a heart of stone, who couldn’t part with any of his money. It took much effort and convincing, but in the end he finally gave a nice donation.

After this Rabbi Eizel would say, “I have accomplished something greater than Moshe. He was only able to get water out of a stone.. but I.. got money out of a stone..”

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY