(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 livestock drank. (12) But GOD 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.”

The Gemara answers: Rav Ami stated his position in accordance with this tanna, as it was taught in a baraita: Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: Even Moses and Aaron died due to their sin, as it is stated: “And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: Because you did not believe in Me, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation in to the land which I have given them” (Numbers 20:12). Had you believed in Me and spoken to the rock as commanded, your time would not yet have come to leave the world.

"Shall we bring forth water for you from this rock?" Israel understood the phrase according to its simple meaning, namely: "How could it be that this rock will bring forth water for you?" But Moses intended to say: "Did you think that we would bring forth water for you from this rock, as we did previously?" Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, was upset, because Moses should have explained his words more clearly, so that everyone would explicitly understand that it was God who was giving them water. But he was not sufficiently precise in his language.

There are two ways in which a leader may rebuke Israel and inspire them to do the will of the Creator. One way is through kind and uplifting words. Such a leader speaks of the greatness of every Jew, of the lofty source from which the Jewish soul is hewn—for in truth the souls of Israel originate beneath the Throne of Glory. He speaks of the immense pleasure that God, as it were, derives from the mitzvot of every Jew, and of the joy that fills all the worlds when a Jew fulfills the will of the Creator. Through this kind of encouragement, the hearts of Israel are inclined to accept upon themselves the yoke of Heaven.‎

The other way is to rebuke Israel with harsh words, criticism, and humiliation until they are compelled to do the will of God. The difference between these approaches is significant. One who rebukes through kindness elevates the souls of Israel higher and higher, continually speaking of their righteousness and greatness and of how powerful they are in the upper worlds. Such a person is fit to be a leader of Israel. One who rebukes through harshness does not operate on this spiritual level.

This is the meaning of the verse, "Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me before the eyes of the Children of Israel" (Numbers 20:12). For when one rebukes Israel in a spirit of goodness, he is also able to bring the people to attain this understanding. This is the allusion in the words, "to sanctify Me before the eyes of the Children of Israel"—that is, as our Sages said, "the eyes of the congregation" refers to the sages of the congregation. They too should come to attain this understanding.