Parshas חקת-בלק: Having Trust

In Parshas חקת we read about the episode of מי מריבה.The תורה tells us that that after מרים הנביאה died, there was no water and כלל ישראל complained. Hashem told משה and   אהרן to speak to the rock. Says the Passuk

: ויאמר משה אל העם שמעו נא המורים המן הסלע הזה נוציא לכם מים

Moshe alluded to בני ישראל as “המורים- rebellious.”

He then proceeded to hit the rock twice, after which water came forth. As a result, he was punished as the פסוק says:

יען לא האמנתם בי …לכן לא תביאו את העם אל הארץ אשר נשבעתי

In what way was כלל ישראל rebellious, and what exactly was the חטא of משה רבינו for which he was punished so severely?

The נתיבות שלום explains, based on the פסוק in תהילים

  בטח בה’ ועשה טוב שכן ארץ וראה אמונה

The זוהר הקדוש explains that in order to merit settling in  ארץ ישראל it’s necessary to 1st acquire ביטחון. When ביטחון is strong, we merit Hashem’s protection and are able to live securely in ארץ ישראל.

The episode of מי מריבה happened at the end of the 40 years in the מדבר, as כלל ישראל was about to enter the land. As such, they needed to practice a high level of ביטחון, to show their readiness to enter ארץ ישראל. And so הקב”ה said

ודברתם אל הסלע לעיניהם ונתן מימיו

Speaking to the rock, and expecting it to give water, shows complete ביטחון In Hashem, as it does not involve any means of natural השתדלות. Had they done so, it would have demonstrated that כלל ישראל is indeed prepared to enter ארץ ישראל.

However,  משה רבינו doubted that כלל ישראל was on such a high level. He did not believe that they were holding by complete ביטחון, having led them for 40 years, and witnessing how they often complained. And so he called them  ‘המורים- rebellious,’ and proceeded to hit the rock, showing that  based on their level, השתדלות was still needed. 

Hashem then punished משה and אהרן: 

יען לא האמנתם בי להקדישני לעיני בני ישראל

The reality is that deep inside the heart of every Yid, is a wellspring of אמונה and ביטחון,waiting to be unearthed. All כלל ישראל needed was for their leaders to believe in THEM, that they really did have ביטחון, and then their true levels would shine forth. 

Concludes the נתיבות שלום, that this serves as a lesson to every Yid, in any situation and at any level. We should believe in ourselves that deep inside we are מאמינים and בעלי ביטחון. And even if we don’t feel it, it’s still there, as strong as ever, just hiding beneath the surface.

We’ll conclude with a story that highlights this point, which accured with the Kloisenberger Rebbe זצ”ל, who’s יארצייט falls this week. In 1955 The Rebbe moved to ארץ ישראל and established קרית צאנז in נתניה. Some time later, the Rebbe met with the Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion. The Prime Minister asked the Rebbe to share his impressions on the State of Israel, to which he responded:

” I’m thrilled that I live in a country where ,unlike in Europe, I can walk around on Shabbos with my Shreimel, and nobody will harass me. Yet, I still look forward to the day when every Jew, including you, Mr. Prime Minister, will also return, and wear a Shtriemel too!”

The Rebbe trusted and believed that every Yid has inner greatness,  and as such, can eventually come back to Hashem and His תורה.

Have a good Shabbos.