BJBE Torah Study - Hukkat 5782
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בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְותָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסוק בְּדִבְרֵי תורָה:
Blessed are You, Lord, our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with mitzvot and commanded us to immerse ourselves within words of Torah.
(א) וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ בְנֵֽי־יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל כָּל־הָ֨עֵדָ֤ה מִדְבַּר־צִן֙ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב הָעָ֖ם בְּקָדֵ֑שׁ וַתָּ֤מָת שָׁם֙ מִרְיָ֔ם וַתִּקָּבֵ֖ר שָֽׁם׃ (ב) וְלֹא־הָ֥יָה מַ֖יִם לָעֵדָ֑ה וַיִּקָּ֣הֲל֔וּ עַל־מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹֽן׃ (ג) וַיָּ֥רֶב הָעָ֖ם עִם־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לֵאמֹ֔ר וְל֥וּ גָוַ֛עְנוּ בִּגְוַ֥ע אַחֵ֖ינוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ (ד) וְלָמָ֤ה הֲבֵאתֶם֙ אֶת־קְהַ֣ל ה' אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה לָמ֣וּת שָׁ֔ם אֲנַ֖חְנוּ וּבְעִירֵֽנוּ׃ (ה) וְלָמָ֤ה הֶֽעֱלִיתֻ֙נוּ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לְהָבִ֣יא אֹתָ֔נוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֥וֹם הָרָ֖ע הַזֶּ֑ה לֹ֣א ׀ מְק֣וֹם זֶ֗רַע וּתְאֵנָ֤ה וְגֶ֙פֶן֙ וְרִמּ֔וֹן וּמַ֥יִם אַ֖יִן לִשְׁתּֽוֹת׃ (ו) וַיָּבֹא֩ מֹשֶׁ֨ה וְאַהֲרֹ֜ן מִפְּנֵ֣י הַקָּהָ֗ל אֶל־פֶּ֙תַח֙ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֵּרָ֥א כְבוֹד־ה' אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ (פ) (ז) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (ח) קַ֣ח אֶת־הַמַּטֶּ֗ה וְהַקְהֵ֤ל אֶת־הָעֵדָה֙ אַתָּה֙ וְאַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתֶּ֧ם אֶל־הַסֶּ֛לַע לְעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם וְנָתַ֣ן מֵימָ֑יו וְהוֹצֵאתָ֨ לָהֶ֥ם מַ֙יִם֙ מִן־הַסֶּ֔לַע וְהִשְׁקִיתָ֥ אֶת־הָעֵדָ֖ה וְאֶת־בְּעִירָֽם׃ (ט) וַיִּקַּ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־הַמַּטֶּ֖ה מִלִּפְנֵ֣י ה' כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּֽהוּ׃ (י) וַיַּקְהִ֜לוּ מֹשֶׁ֧ה וְאַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַקָּהָ֖ל אֶל־פְּנֵ֣י הַסָּ֑לַע וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ם שִׁמְעוּ־נָא֙ הַמֹּרִ֔ים הֲמִן־הַסֶּ֣לַע הַזֶּ֔ה נוֹצִ֥יא לָכֶ֖ם מָֽיִם׃ (יא) וַיָּ֨רֶם מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־יָד֗וֹ וַיַּ֧ךְ אֶת־הַסֶּ֛לַע בְּמַטֵּ֖הוּ פַּעֲמָ֑יִם וַיֵּצְאוּ֙ מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֔ים וַתֵּ֥שְׁתְּ הָעֵדָ֖ה וּבְעִירָֽם׃ (ס) (יב) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן֒ יַ֚עַן לֹא־הֶאֱמַנְתֶּ֣ם בִּ֔י לְהַ֨קְדִּישֵׁ֔נִי לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לָכֵ֗ן לֹ֤א תָבִ֙יאוּ֙ אֶת־הַקָּהָ֣ל הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי לָהֶֽם׃ (יג) הֵ֚מָּה מֵ֣י מְרִיבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־רָב֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶת־ה' וַיִּקָּדֵ֖שׁ בָּֽם׃ (ס)
(1) And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. (2) And there was no water for the congregation; and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. (3) And the people strove with Moses, and spoke, saying: ‘Would that we had perished when our brethren perished before the LORD! (4) And why have ye brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, to die there, we and our cattle? (5) And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.’ (6) And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tent of meeting, and fell upon their faces; and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them. (7) And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: (8) ’Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock; so thou shalt give the congregation and their cattle drink.’ (9) And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as He commanded him. (10) And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said unto them: ‘Hear now, ye rebels; are we to bring you forth water out of this rock?’ (11) And Moses lifted up his hand, and smote the rock with his rod twice; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle. (12) And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron: ‘Because ye believed not in Me, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.’ (13) These are the waters of Meribah, where the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and He was sanctified in them.
ולא היה מים לעדה. מִכָּאן שֶׁכָּל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה הָיָה לָהֶם הַבְּאֵר בִּזְכוּת מִרְיָם (תענית ט'):
ולא היה מים לעדה AND THERE WAS NO WATER FOR THE CONGREGATION — Since this statement follows immediately after the mention of Miriam’s death, we may learn from it that during the entire forty years they had the “well” through Miriam’s merit (Taanit 9a).
מֵיתִיבִי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר שְׁלֹשָׁה פַּרְנָסִים טוֹבִים עָמְדוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֵלּוּ הֵן מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וּמִרְיָם וְשָׁלֹשׁ מַתָּנוֹת טוֹבוֹת נִיתְּנוּ עַל יָדָם וְאֵלּוּ הֵן בְּאֵר וְעָנָן וּמָן בְּאֵר בִּזְכוּת מִרְיָם עַמּוּד עָנָן בִּזְכוּת אַהֲרֹן מָן בִּזְכוּת מֹשֶׁה מֵתָה מִרְיָם נִסְתַּלֵּק הַבְּאֵר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַתָּמׇת שָׁם מִרְיָם וּכְתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ וְלֹא הָיָה מַיִם לָעֵדָה וְחָזְרָה בִּזְכוּת שְׁנֵיהֶן
The Gemara raises an objection from a baraita: Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says: Three good sustainers rose up for the Jewish people during the exodus from Egypt, and they are: Moses, Aaron and Miriam. And three good gifts were given from Heaven through their agency, and these are they: The well of water, the pillar of cloud, and the manna. He elaborates: The well was given to the Jewish people in the merit of Miriam; the pillar of cloud was in the merit of Aaron; and the manna in the merit of Moses. When Miriam died the well disappeared, as it is stated: “And Miriam died there” (Numbers 20:1), and it says thereafter in the next verse: “And there was no water for the congregation” (Numbers 20:2). But the well returned in the merit of both Moses and Aaron.
(ח) וְאֵלּוּ מְפָרְשֵׁי הַתּוֹרָה נִקְרָאִים בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה מוֹרִים, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁמְּקַבְּלִים עַל־יְדֵי הַנְּשָׁמָה הַנַּ"ל הַמְכֻנָּה בְּשֵׁם מִרְיָם. גַּם הֵם מוֹרִים אֶת מוֹרֵיהֶם, כְּמַאֲמַר: וּמִתַּלְמִידַי יוֹתֵר מִכֻּלָּם (תענית ז). וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה: שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמֹּרִים:
(8) This is why those who expound the Torah are called MoRIM (instructors), because they receive through the above mentioned soul which is known as MiRIaM. They are also MoRIM et MoReIheM (instruct their instructors), as in, <“From all my teachers I gained wisdom,” (Psalms 119:99)> “… but from my students most of all” (Taanit 7a). And this is what Moshe replied (Numbers 20:10), “Listen now, you MoRIM (rebels).”
וּמִשָּׁ֖ם בְּאֵ֑רָה הִ֣וא הַבְּאֵ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ לְמֹשֶׁ֔ה אֱסֹף֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם מָֽיִם׃ {ס} אָ֚ז יָשִׁ֣יר יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־הַשִּׁירָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את עֲלִ֥י בְאֵ֖ר עֱנוּ־לָֽהּ׃ בְּאֵ֞ר חֲפָר֣וּהָ שָׂרִ֗ים כָּר֙וּהָ֙ נְדִיבֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם בִּמְחֹקֵ֖ק בְּמִשְׁעֲנֹתָ֑ם וּמִמִּדְבָּ֖ר מַתָּנָֽה׃
And from there to Beer, which is the well where the LORD said to Moses, “Assemble the people that I may give them water.” Then Israel sang this song: Spring up, O well—sing to it— The well which the chieftains dug, Which the nobles of the people started With maces, with their own staffs. And from Midbar to Mattanah,
Rabbi Arthur Green
ותמת שם מרים ותקבר שם ולא היה מים לעדה...וירב העם “Miriam died and was buried there. There was no water for the assembly to drink, and they gathered around Moses and Aaron, and quarreled (20:1-3).” With Miriam’s death, the miraculous well that had accompanied Israel through the wilderness, giving them water whenever they tapped into it, suddenly went dry.
The word be’er, “well,” can also refer to a verb meaning “explanation.” Miriam ha-Nevi’ah, “the prophet,” was the first commentator on her brother’s Torah. The be’er she provided was a wellspring of wisdom. His teaching came from on high, received at the mountaintop. Her wisdom came from the well, deep within the earth, undercutting the hierarchy by the very fact that it was taught by a woman. That gave a new voice, softer and more internal, to the words of Torah. The kabbalists identify the ongoing process called Oral Torah with shekhinah, the feminine voice that speaks from within, ever reinterpreting – and thus renewing – the eternal divine Word.
Perhaps Miriam’s death represents the disappearance of shekhinah from Israel’s midst. Without romanticizing the past too much, there was once a sense that all of Israel were “on the same team,” not only members of the same tribe. All of us were at least theoretically committed to a way of holy living, to fashioning a spiritual and moral “place” where shekhinah might dwell on earth. When we lost that shared sense about one another, when our Miriam died, we turned to quarreling.
ותמת שם מרים ותקבר שם ולא היה מים לעדה...וירב העם “Miriam died and was buried there. There was no water for the assembly to drink, and they gathered around Moses and Aaron, and quarreled (20:1-3).” With Miriam’s death, the miraculous well that had accompanied Israel through the wilderness, giving them water whenever they tapped into it, suddenly went dry.
The word be’er, “well,” can also refer to a verb meaning “explanation.” Miriam ha-Nevi’ah, “the prophet,” was the first commentator on her brother’s Torah. The be’er she provided was a wellspring of wisdom. His teaching came from on high, received at the mountaintop. Her wisdom came from the well, deep within the earth, undercutting the hierarchy by the very fact that it was taught by a woman. That gave a new voice, softer and more internal, to the words of Torah. The kabbalists identify the ongoing process called Oral Torah with shekhinah, the feminine voice that speaks from within, ever reinterpreting – and thus renewing – the eternal divine Word.
Perhaps Miriam’s death represents the disappearance of shekhinah from Israel’s midst. Without romanticizing the past too much, there was once a sense that all of Israel were “on the same team,” not only members of the same tribe. All of us were at least theoretically committed to a way of holy living, to fashioning a spiritual and moral “place” where shekhinah might dwell on earth. When we lost that shared sense about one another, when our Miriam died, we turned to quarreling.