Two Minute Torah Podcast

Hukkat 5771 by Rabbi Charles Savenor

In Parshat Hukkat the story of Israelites jumps ahead to the final years in the wilderness. The first thing we learn is that Miriam has passed away, and the very next verse tells us that the people have no water to drink.

The Midrash asserts that this juxtaposition is no accident. Since Miriam's merit enables the people to find water wherever they went, with her passing the well runs dry.

A complete mess ensues. The complaints and conflict escalate until Moses and Aaron seem completely overwhelmed and even angry. The episode concludes badly with Moses and Aaron being told they will not lead the next generation into the Promised Land.

This episode is so strange because it has happened before. Right after leaving Egypt, the people lacked water, and Moses and God responded beautifully.

How did Moses and Aaron drop the ball in this familiar situation? What went wrong?

Commentaries vary from anger management to burn-out, from ego issues to miscommunication.

I believe that the leadership breakdown comes from Miriam's death. It is strange that there is no record of mourning for this prophetess. As soon as she passes on, a crisis emerges.

We may imagine that Moses and Aaron were distracted by their loss. How could we expect them to think clearly, let alone lead a nation, in the face of personal pain.

This episode underscores the importance of shiva practices that allow us to make and take time to mourn. During this painful period we are held by the community and are given the chance to just be, to think and to remember.

Thankfully, there is evidence that the people learn from this episode. When Aaron dies at the end of Torah portion, the text tells us that the people mourned him for 30 days.

In this week's Torah portion the torch has been passed to the next generation. In light of what happened with Miriam and Aaron, this group will now enter the land and build community with a little more wisdom and a little more compassion than they had before.