Parshat Chukas
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week's parsha the incident at Mei Merivah, where Moshe Rabbeinu hits the rock instead of speaking to it in order to produce water. As a result of Moshe's action he was not allowed to enter Eretz Yisrael. What is the direct connection between Moshe hitting the rock and not being permitted to enter the Holy Land?
Rashi comments on the pasuk in Devarim (Chapter 1, Pasuk 8), Bo'u U'Reshu es Ha'Aretz, were it not for the sin of the Meraglim, Bnei Yisrael would have entered Eretz Yisrael without any weaponry. This is derived from the words of the pasuk, Bo'u U'Reshu, which indicate they could have just entered and taken over the land without having to engage in warfare. This is because the unique nature of Bnei Yisrael is not to engage in physical fighting; that's the domain of Eisav, as the pasuk in Bereishis states (Chapter 27, Pasuk 22), V'Heyadayim Yedei Eisav, the hands are the hands of Eisav. The way of Yaakov is described in the pasuk as Hakol Kol Yaakov; when we are in distress we call out to Hashem and put our faith in Him.
This is why when Bnei Yisrael fought Amalek the pasuk tells us (Shmos, Chapter 17, Pasuk 11), V'Hayah Ka'asher Yarim Moshe Yado V'Gavar Yisrael, when Moshe lifted his hands up Yisrael was victorious. And Rashi brings the Mishnah in Rosh Hashanah which explains that lifting his hands upwards represents a calling out to and having faith in Hashem. Our hands are not used in a manner of physical confrontation but rather are lifted up as a way of calling out to Hashem. And the one holding up Moshe's hands was Aharon. Aharon himself blessed Bnei Yisrael in a similar manner. We read by the consecration of the Mishkan in parshat Shmini (Chapter 9, Pasuk 22), Vayisa Aharon es Yadav el Ha'Am Vayevaracheim, Aharon lifted up his hands to the people and he blessed them. Rashi teaches that through lifting his hands upward and praying he brought the Shechinah to dwell in the Mishkan. And of course when blessing the people the Kohanim lift up their hands. This is the mitzvah of Nesi'as Kapayim, lifting up the hands.
The Sfas Emes teaches that this is why Moshe was meant to speak to the rock and not hit it. Moshe was a man of speech, Hakol Kol Yaakov, and not meant to hit the rock with his staff. Moshe was a man of Mei Menuchos, the still waters of peace and tranquility, of speech and spirit, and not one who could engage in the fighting of the Mei Merivah, the waters of conflict.
Had Bnei Yisrael not sinned with the spies, they would have just walked into Eretz Yisrael. They would have entered with the special traits of Moshe and Aharon; of Mei Menuchos, peacefully without confrontation and with a relationship of love with Hashem. The midah of Aharon was one of bringing people close to each other and bringing people close to Hashem as the Mishnah in Avos (1,12) teaches. Aharon lifted up his hands and connected the physical with the spiritual, with our Father in Heaven. This was the Avodah of the Kohen bringing the people closer to Hashem through the Karbanos.
When Aharon died Amalek makes a war with Bnei Yisrael. The pasuk says (Chapter 21, Pasuk 1), Vayishma HaCana'ani Melech Arad Yoshev Hanegev Ki Ba Yisrael Derech Ha'Asarim. They heard that Aharon had died and that the clouds of glory were gone. And the simple p'shat says they heard that Bnei Yisrael were going Derech Ha'Asarim, which both Rashi and Onkelos explain to mean the way of the Meraglim. When Amalek saw that Aharon had died and Bnei Yisrael went the way of the spies, they knew they could fight a war with them. They knew the special way of peace and non-confrontation was no longer an option for them once Aharon had died and once they elected to go the way of the spies. They were victorious over Amalek only when they used this trait of Kol Yisrael, of lifting up their voices in prayer to Hashem, as the pasuk says (Chapter 21, Pasuk 3), Vayishma Hashem B'Kol Yisrael. And immediately thereafter the plague of the snakes is also removed by looking upwards in prayer, as the same Mishnah in Rosh Hashanah mentioned above teaches.
This is why Moshe and Aharon didn't enter Eretz Yisrael after the sin of Mei Merivah. The way to enter Eretz Yisrael was meant to be throughHakol Kol Yaakov and not through Hayedayim Yedei Eisav. The way of Bnei Yisrael is meant to be Vayisa Yadav, lifting up our hands to the Heavens and bringing the Shechinah into our midst. The way to Eretz Yisrael was not through Mei Merivah but rather through Mei Menuchos.
Good Shabbos
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