No matter how often we
travel, we ought to be keenly aware that our arrival at our desired destination
is indeed a miracle. When we arrive safely according to the schedule, we almost
take it for granted. However, when things go wrong, and we still arrive safely,
well, sometimes we can’t help but feel blessed. As I write this, it is dawn in
Yerushalayim. The sun is rising, the birds are chirping, there is the
noticeable quiet between intermittent early morning traffic. A city is waking
up, Yerushalayim is waking up. Because of
the early dawn’s peacefulness, I take a deep breath and feel blessed to be
spending some time here. My family and I
were supposed to be here, in Yerushalayim three days earlier. However, a flat
tire, rolling thunder and lightning storms, and then the fact that the pilots
shift was ending meant that our Thursday evening flight was cancelled until
Friday afternoon at 12:30pm. Because, we
are Shomer Shabbat, the res-scheduled flight on Friday afternoon meant that we
stayed in Toronto for Shabbat. Finally on Sunday evening we were air born and
by Monday afternoon we were driving up the hills and entering Yerushalayim. It
was sitting on the plane for four hours, and then waiting for another three and
half while the airlines decided if and when the next flight would be that
raised our frustration. Then as we trekked through the airport to get, our
children in tow with their backpacks, quietly complaining about being hungry,
thirsty, and tired, I looked at them and was actually quite proud at how they
were handling all this. When we finally
arrived home on Friday morning at 2:45 am, our children were exhausted but I
felt strangely rejuvenated. Our flights were successfully re-arranged, we were
home, safe and sound, and not stranded at an airport. We only had to deal with
some disappointment. Instead of hustling everyone to bed, I decided that we
needed to begin getting over our disappointment, so I made omelettes and bagels
and had a big meal. Then everyone went to bed with a full stomach.
This Shabbat we read
from Parshat Chukkat. The Parsha receives its name from the Chok, (the statute)
of the Red Heifer. The Kohen Gadol would take a completely Red Heifer, and
offer it on behalf of the people as a form of national atonement. The Parsha then
returns to the narrative of Bnai Yisroel’s wandering in the wilderness. Now it
is 38 years later and the Torah shares the last year of Bnai Yisroel’s journey.
Miriam dies and the water dries up. God
commands Moshe and Aharon to speak to the rock in order to draw more water for
the people. However after hearing more
complaining, Moshe hits the rock out of frustration. As a result, neither one
will be permitted entry into the Land of Israel. The people resume their
journey and ask the Edomites if they can pass through Edomite territory. They
are refused. Aharon dies and his son Elazar
takes up the mantle of the Priesthood. Bnai Yisroel resumes its journey and
contends with the Canaanites. Eventually they win. However the people complain
again about the lack of food and water. This time the people are punished.
After the punishment concludes, the people begin their journey again only to do
battle with Sihon, the king of the Amorites on the border of the Moabites. The
Parsha ends with Bnai Yisroel on the plains of Moab ready to enter into Eretz
Yisroel.
As the Torah shares
with us mishap after mishap, obstacle after obstacle of their journey, we
cannot help but be reminded that the journey is a test. When confronted with the
lack of water the people complain Lamah
Haveitem et Khal Hashem el Hamidbar HaZeh Lamut Sham Anachnu U’Vireinu – Why have you brought the congregation of
Hashem to the wilderness to die there us and our animals (Num.20:4)? This complaint
and similar complaints will be the ongoing complaint throughout the rest of the
Parsha. The people and their animals are
suffering. Inherent to the complaint is
the fact that Bnai Yisroel has lumped itself together with its animals: Anachnu
U’Vireinu – we and our animals. Although Bnai Yisroel does not realize it or is
unable to see it; it is being tested as to its worthiness of covenant that God
made with Avraham Yitzchak and Yaakov. With each trial and tribulation, Bnai
Yisroel and its leadership must be able to find the blessings and sanctify God.
However God supplies the answer to the test!
VaYidaber Hashem el Moshe Leimor.
Kach et Hamateh, vHakheil et HaEidah, Atah v’Aharon Achicha, V’Dibartem el
Haselah L’Eineihem V’natan Meimav V’Hoteita Lahem Mayim Min HaSelah Vhishkitah
et HaEida vEt HaBiram. Hashem spoke
to Moshe saying: take the staff and gather together the assembly, you and Aaron
your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes that it shall give its
waters. You shall bring froth for them water from the rock and give drink to
the assembly and to their animals (Num. 20:7-8). Even with the answer these
tests must be difficult. Even Moshe and Aharon failed. What is the answer? Within the instructions,
God separates the people from their animals
Et HaEida v’Et HaBiram – instead of Anachnu
v’Ireinu. In God’s
command the Eidah and the Biram are two separate and distinct direct
objects. In their complaint, Bnai Yisroel and the animals are part of same
list. God saw Bnai Yisroel as his people, as a treasure. Bnai Yisroel saw
itself as similar to animals because at that moment that was how they probable
felt, like starving and thirsty animals. When we fail to make that distinction,
we fail the taste much like Moshe and Aharon.
Our test, whether it is
walking through airports at a very late hour burdened by luggage, or when our
patience is waning, or when we feel that our lives are utterly miserable, is to
be able to find the sanctity of the human spirit within our souls. That “human
spirit” is not the animal within us. Rather the “human spirit” is really the
divine spirit that God breathed into the soul of Adam. Sometimes we can find that “divine spirit”
with sanctifying God over a glass of water, or a meal or even watching a sunrise
in Yerushalayim.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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