Save
Copy
Add to Collection
Export to Google Docs
ShareWhy would Miriam be the one associated with water?
(hint: baby moses and the splitting of the sea)
Was Moshe's punishment fair? What was his sin?
(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) The Israelites arrived in a body at the wilderness of Zin on the first new moon (Nissan 40 years after they left Egypt), and the people stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there (she was 126).
(2) And the community was without water, they joined against Moses and Aaron.
(3) The people quarreled with Moses, saying, “If only we had perished when our brothers perished before G-d! (4) Why have you brought G-d's congregation into this wilderness, for us and our animals to die there? (5) Why did you make us leave Egypt to bring us to this wretched place, a place with no grain or figs or vines or pomegranates? There is not even water to drink!” (6) Moses and Aaron came away from the congregation to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and fell on their faces. The Presence of the LORD appeared to them,
(7) and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (8) “You and your brother Aaron take the rod and assemble the community, and before their very eyes speak to the rock before the people's eyes and it will give of its waters. And you will bring out water from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their animals.” (9) Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as He had commanded him. (10) Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation in front of the rock; and he said to them, “Listen, you rebels, shall we get water for you out of this rock?” (11) And Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. Out came copious water, and the community and their beasts drank. (12) But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity in the sight of the Israelite people, therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them.” (13) Those are the Waters of Meribah—meaning that the Israelites quarrelled with the LORD—through which He affirmed His sanctity.
(1) 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).
(א) ויקהלו וגו'. זֶה אֶחָד מִן הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁהֶחֱזִיק מוּעָט אֶת הַמְרֻבֶּה (בראשית רבה ה'):
(ב) המן הסלע הזה נוציא. לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ מַכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁהָלַךְ הַסֶּלַע וְיָשַׁב לוֹ בֵּין הַסְּלָעִים כְּשֶׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק הַבְּאֵר, וְהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים לָהֶם מַה לָּכֶם מֵאֵי זֶה סֶלַע תּוֹצִיאוּ לָנוּ מַיִם? לְכָךְ אָמַר לָהֶם המרים — סַרְבָנִים, לְשׁוֹן יְוָנִי שׁוֹטִים, מוֹרִים אֶת מוֹרֵיהֶם, הֲמִן הַסֶּלַע הַזֶּה שֶׁלֹּא נִצְטַוִּינוּ עָלָיו נוֹצִיא לָכֶם מַיִם? (תנחומא):
(2) המן הסלע הזה נוציא MUST WE BRING [WATER] OUT OF THIS ROCK? — They (Moses and Aaron) said this because they could not distinguish it (the rock intended by God), for the rock from which the water had hitherto flowed during these forty years had vanished and taken a place amongst the other rocks when the “well” disappeared after Miriam’s death, and Israel said to them, “What difference is it to you from which rock you bring forth water for us?” — It was on this account that he (Moses) said unto them (called them) המרים ... HaMorim - Rebels.
*It is interesting to note that Miriam's name shows up here in the background of this story (right after she died). HaMorim without vowels can be read as Miriam with a Hey in front of it. (According to the Zohar the letter Hey is a symbol for the Shechinah)
(טז) וּמִשָּׁ֖ם בְּאֵ֑רָה הִ֣וא הַבְּאֵ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֤ר ה׳ לְמֹשֶׁ֔ה אֱסֹף֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם מָֽיִם׃ {ס}
(יז) אָ֚ז יָשִׁ֣יר יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־הַשִּׁירָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את עֲלִ֥י בְאֵ֖ר עֱנוּ־לָֽהּ׃
(יח) בְּאֵ֞ר חֲפָר֣וּהָ שָׂרִ֗ים כָּר֙וּהָ֙ נְדִיבֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם בִּמְחֹקֵ֖ק בְּמִשְׁעֲנֹתָ֑ם וּמִמִּדְבָּ֖ר מַתָּנָֽה׃
(16) And from there to Be'er, (*Be'er Lit. “well.”) which is the well where ה׳ said to Moses, “Assemble the people that I may give them water.”
(17) Then Israel sang this song:
Spring up, O well—Answer her!
(18) The well which the chieftains dug,
Which the nobles of the people started
With maces, with their own staffs. And from the Midbar Mattanah - And from the wilderness a gift!
Although this story is only 4 verses, it appears to be an event of great significance in the development and growth of the Jewish people. Up until now, it is Moshe who acts on behalf of the Jewish people in order provide water for them. At this moment, the Jewish people take responsibility for themselves to call the water up to the surface and dig the well on their own. This is an essential survival skill that they will need when they enter the land.
According to midrash, there were three miracles that accompanied the people as they traveled through the wilderness for 40 years:
1. Annanei Kavod - the clouds of glory that surrounded the camp protecting the people from the harsh desert sun and attackers
2. Mahn - The manna - white flakes that fell from heaven which they ground into flour
and made into bread
3. Be’er Miriam, Miriam’s portable wellspring
It is described by the sages as a large round basket shaped rock with holes in it like a sieve. It would roll alongside them accompanying the people on their journey. When they stopped to make camp and set up the Temple, her stone would settle in front of the Mishkan to serve as a mikvah and source of spring water.
Miriam and the chief of each twelve tribes would stand around it and sing a special chant to the rock “Ali ve’er ehnu lah. Rise up oh well, answer her!” And soon the waters would well up from deep in the earth up to the surface and burst through the holes in Miriam’s rock like a fountain flowing with the purest most sacred waters. According to one midrash, the rock would also sing along with them as the waters were coming up to the surface.
Another midrash tells of a blind man who lived in the Land of Israel heard water running from outside a cave, so he went inside the cave and felt there a rock with water pouring out of it like a fountain. It was Miriam’s well. He immersed himself in its waters and was healed from his blindness.
אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא: הָרוֹצֶה לִרְאוֹת בְּאֵרָהּ שֶׁל מִרְיָם יַעֲלֶה לְרֹאשׁ הַכַּרְמֶל וְיִצְפֶּה וְיִרְאֶה כְּמִין כְּבָרָה בַּיָּם — וְזוֹ הִיא בְּאֵרָהּ שֶׁל מִרְיָם.
אָמַר רַב: מַעְיָן הַמִּיטַּלְטֵל טָהוֹר — וְזֶהוּ בְּאֵרָהּ שֶׁל מִרְיָם.
Talmud Bavli Shabbat 35a:6
Rabbi Ḥiyya said: One who wants to see Miriam’s well, should do the following: He should climb to the top of Mount Carmel and look out, and he will see a rock that looks like a sieve (basket with wholes in it) in the sea, and that is Miriam’s well.
Rav said: A spring that is portable, i.e., that moves from place to place, is ritually pure and is regarded as an actual spring and not as drawn water.
And what is a movable spring? It is Miriam’s well. (Be'er Miriam)
(ג) וּפִי הַבְּאֵר. בְּאֵרָהּ שֶׁל מִרְיָם שֶׁהָיְתָה הוֹלֶכֶת עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּכָל הַמַּסָּעוֹת.
וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, שֶׁפָּתְחָה פִּיהָ וְאָמְרָה שִׁירָה,
שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כא) עֲלִי בְאֵר עֱנוּ לָהּ:
Bartenura on Pirkei Avot 5:6:3
(3) "and the mouth of the well" The well of Miriam that went with Israel in the wilderness on all of the journeys. And some say, that she (the rock) opened her mouth and uttered song, (Numbers 21:17), "rise up, O well; answer her." (encouraging the people to echo and answer back with their own song while digging with their staffs.)
ודברתם אל הסלע לעיניהם. הסלע הזה הוא הצור שבחורב, והוא בארה של מרים על דעת רז"ל. ומצינו לו בתורה ארבע שמות, עין משפט וצור וסלע ובאר... צור שנאמר (שמות יז) הנני עומד לפניך שם על הצור בחורב, ונקרא צור על שם השכינה שנגלית שם, וכאן בקדש שלא נגלית נקרא סלע שנאמר ודברתם אל הסלע. באר שנאמר (במדבר כא) היא הבאר אשר אמר ה׳ למשה. לפי שנסתלק במיתת מרים חזר עתה בזכות משה, ועל כן הזכירו בה"א הידיעה, שנאמר ודברתם אל הסלע.
Rabbeinu Bahya, Bamidbar 20:8:2
“You will speak to the rock in their presence, etc.”
the rock called סלע in our verse here is also the one called צור at Mount Horeb (Sinai), and it is also the well of Miriam. This is the opinion of our sages [in Taanit 9]. We find that this rock appears under four different names סלע, באר עין משפט, צור,... [It was called] צור, as it is said "I will be standing before you on the rock at Horeb[, strike the rock and water will issue from it]" (Exodus 17:6) And it was called צור, a name for the Shekhinah that was revealed there. And since here at Kadesh God didn't reveal God's self, it is referred to [merely] as סלע, as it is said, "You shall speak to the סלע." [It is also called] באר, as it is said, "It is the same באר where God had said to Moses: 'assemble the people so that I can give them water'" (Numbers 21:16). Since it disappeared with the death of Miriam, it returns now through the merit of Moses, and thus we are reminded of its significance through the ה, as it says, "And speak to הסלע" [instead of סלע, indicating that this is a very specific rock].
הגה... וי"א לדלות מים בכל מוצאי שבת כי בארה של מרים סובב כל מוצאי שבת כל הבארות ומי שפוגע בו וישתה ממנו יתרפא מכל תחלואיו [כל בו] ולא ראיתי למנהג זה:
Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 299:10 RAMA: ...
And there are those who say to draw water from wells or natural springs every Saturday night, because the well of Miriam passes through all the wells and natural springs every Saturday night. And one who touches it and drinks from it will be healed from all his afflictions. (I have never seen anyone practice this custom though)
