Thoughts
on The Parsha
Parshas
Beha'aloscha
The
Story of Miriam: The Foundation of Judaism
By:
Daniel Listhaus
וַתְּדַבֵּר
מִרְיָם וְאַהֲרֹן בְּמשֶׁה עַל אֹדוֹת
הָאִשָּׁה הַכֻּשִׁית אֲשֶׁר לָקָח כִּי
אִשָּׁה כֻשִׁית לָקָח:
וַיֹּאמְרוּ
הֲרַק אַךְ בְּמשֶׁה דִּבֶּר ה'
הֲלֹא
גַּם בָּנוּ דִבֵּר וַיִּשְׁמַע ה':
וְהָאִישׁ
משֶׁה עָנָיו מְאֹד מִכֹּל הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר
עַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה
“Miriam
and Aharon spoke about Moshe regarding the Cushite woman he had
married, for he had married a Cushite woman. They said, 'Was it only
with Moshe that Hashem spoke? Did he not speak with us as well?' And
Hashem heard. Now the man Moshe was exceedingly humble, more than any
person on the face of the earth!”
-Beha'aloscha
12:1-3
This
episode in our parsha
is
one which is well known and filled with many lessons to learn.
However, a closer look at story which the Torah relates reveals many
complexities and difficulties in what exactly happened at the time
that Miriam and Aharon1
spoke lashon
harah about
their brother, Moshe rabbeinu.
The
story begins with Miriam realizing that Moshe separated from his
wife, Tziporah.2
Rashi3
comments that
Miriam
exclaimed, “Is it only with Moshe that Hashem speaks to? Hashem
speaks with us and the other nevi'im
(prophets)
as well. Yet we did not part from the way of the world.” The Ohr
HaChaim4
explains that Miriam had no intention whatsoever of speaking lashon
harah about
Moshe. Rather, Miriam was trying to offer constructive criticism to
pressure Moshe into staying with his wife, Tziporah, which Miriam
herself thought would be the correct thing to do. The passukim
then
interrupt the actual story line to tell us two facts. The first fact
is that Hashem heard what Miriam had said. The second fact that the
Torah reminds us of is that, “Moshe was exceedingly humble”.
Why
is it necessary for the Torah to tell us that Hashem heard? It is
obvious, Hashem hears everything!5
Imagine for a moment that for every time there is a conversation in
the Torah, the Torah would tell us “And Hashem heard”. It would
be completely unnecessary and redundant. So why is it that the Torah
taps us on the shoulder here to notify us that Hashem heard what
Miriam said?
A
very similar question could be asked on the second unnecessary fact
the Torah provides here. At this point in the chumash,
we have been watching and following Moshe: The way he was as a lad in
Mitzrayim,
the story of the s'neh
(burning
bush), his many back-and-forths between Hashem and Pharoah, bringing
the ten plagues upon Mitzrayim,
leading the B'nei
Yisroel out
of Mitzrayim,
receiving the Torah, and continuing to devote his life as the medium
between Hashem and the B'nei
Yisroel
in the midbar
(desert).
Certainly we know enough about Moshe rabbeinu
that
he was indeed a magnificent person and was obviously exceedingly
humble in order to be fit to receive the Torah. So why is it that the
Torah is choosing here to remind us of yet another known fact –
that Moshe was more humble than any person on the face of this earth?
The
difficulties with this story do not stop here. The narrative
continues with Hashem appearing suddenly to Moshe and his siblings
and commanding them to go to the Ohel
Moed (Tent
of Meeting). At this point, the Torah6
relates that Hashem called Miriam and Aharon out and said the
following, “Please hear my words. If there shall be prophets among
you, in a vision shall I make Myself, Hashem, known to him. But not
so is My servant Moshe; in My entire house he is trusted. Mouth to
mouth do
I speak to him, in a vision and not in riddles, and at the image of
Hashem does he gaze. Why did you not fear to speak about My servant,
about Moshe?” The Torah7
then describes that the wrath of Hashem flared up against Miriam and
Aharon, and that when Hashem left, Miriam was left with tzara'as
(leprosy).
Upon
reading these passukim,
the question which comes to mind is: what did Hashem tell Miriam now
that she did not know before? Everyone knew that Moshe was on an
incredible level and received the highest forms of nevuah
(prophecy).
So what chiddush
(new
piece of information) was Hashem teaching to Miriam that had she
known she would not have said what she said? Rashi8
seems to understand that Hashem was telling Miriam and Aharon that He
Himself told Moshe to separate from his wife. However, if that was
the whole message that Hashem was trying to convey, why not be more
specific in the Torah and say it explicitly instead of writing a
whole list of descriptions as to how Moshe is greater than any navi
(prophet)
who ever lived and will ever live?
However,
the story does not end here, nor do the difficulties. The passukim
continue
to relate that when Aharon saw that Miriam was stricken with
tzara'as,
the passukim
describe
that Aharon implored of Moshe, “I beg you, my lord, do not cast a
sin upon us, for we have been foolish and we have sinned. Let her not
be like a corpse....”9
Moshe, who understood that Miriam was only trying to look after him,
immediately turned to Hashem and cried out, “Please, G-d, heal her
now.”10
Despite
Moshe's strong request, Hashem responded quite unexpectedly. Hashem
said to Moshe, “And were her father to spit in her face, would she
not be humiliated for seven days? Let her be quarantined outside the
camp for seven days, and then she may be brought in.”11
There
are two additional questions which come to mind when reading this
part of the story dealing with the correspondence between Moshe and
Hashem. The first question is as follows. Rashi12
points out that Moshe's tefillah
for
Miriam was very short. He offers two possible explanations for this.
One, is that Moshe was afraid that if he were to daven
a
long time, people would blame him for prolonging the tzara'as
of
his sister, which they assumed would disappear as soon as Moshe was
done davening.
Therefore, Moshe said a short tefillah
instead.
The
second answer Rashi
offers
is that Moshe did not want to daven
a
long time because then perhaps people would comment and say, “For
his sister, he prays at length, but for us he does not pray at
length”.
These
concerns which Rashi
brings
are difficult to understand. First-of-all, from the first answer in
Rashi,
it seems that everyone was expecting Miriam to get better immediately
after Moshe would finish his davening.
If this is something which was so obvious to the B'nei
Yisroel to
the extent that Moshe withheld himself from davening
a longer tefillah,
then why did it not happen? Miriam did not get healed as soon as
Moshe was finished, rather Hashem said that she had to go outside the
camp and remain alone with her tzara'as
for
seven days. Why did Miriam indeed not get completely better upon
Moshe's completion of his tefillah?
The
second explanation of Rashi
is
troubling as well. Did Moshe really have to be concerned that the
B'nei
Yisroel would
point at him and accusingly declare, “For his sister, he prays at
length, but for us he does not pray at length”? Moshe had an
incredible amount of love for every single person, and this was
something of which everyone was aware. Is it abnormal or striking
that even someone who cares a great deal about everyone, would show a
little more emotion when it is his own sibling on the line? Miriam
was Moshe's older sister who sat and watched Moshe as a child to
ensure nothing would happen to him.13
Would it really be a valid accusation to point Moshe out for davening
longer
for his sister than for others?
Additionally,
what was the basis of Hashem's response? Granted Miriam spoke lashon
harah,
but what she said was only said with the best intentions to help
Moshe. Furthermore, not only did Moshe forgive her completely, but he
even implored that Hashem heal her. Why did Hashem respond, “No”?
What was so bad about this seemingly minor sin which was only
directed at Moshe for his benefit? Why did Hashem not only consider
it unforgiven at that point, but take it personally – so to speak –
by telling Moshe that his feelings were not the only factor but
rather, as the passuk14
describes,
Hashem was also angry at her and proverbially spit in her face?
In
order to get a better understanding of this complex episode, we must
explore on a deeper level who Moshe rabbeinu
really
was.
In
the sixth Ani
Ma'amin15,
we declare: “I believe with complete faith that all the words of
the prophets are true”. Then, in the seventh Ani
Ma'amin,
we affirm, “I believe with complete faith that the prophecy of
Moshe rabbeinu,
peace be upon him, is true, and that he is the father of the prophets
– both those who proceeded him and those who came after him.
Similarly, we find in the tefillah
of
Yigdal16,
which is a summary of the Ani
Ma'amin's,
that there are two separate stanzas – one declaring the belief that
Hashem granted the abundance of His prophecy upon people of His
choosing and splendor; while another declares that there never was or
will be a navi
like
Moshe rabbeinu.
The
question which begs to be asked on the format of the Ani
Ma'amin and
Yigdal,
is why are the nevuos
of
Moshe not simply included with the nevuos
of
all the other navi'im?
Why are there two separate principles of faith – one testifying to
the truth of all prophets and one specifically referring to the
prophecies of Moshe? What exactly was so special about Moshe's nevuah
that
was more unique than anyone else's? Furthermore, even if we could
pin-point the perquisites that Moshe's nevuah
would
come with, how could we understand the fact that there will never be
anyone else like him?
The
Rambam17
elaborates on the passukim
in
our parsha
and
writes that Moshe's nevuos
(prophecies)
were indeed quite different from any other navi's.
Moshe rabbeinu
received
nevuos
while
he was awake and standing, whereas other navi'im
would
only receive nevuos
while
asleep. Moshe's nevuah
was
lucid and direct from Hashem, unlike others' who received their
nevuos
in
riddles through malachim
(angels).
Moshe's nevuos
were
clear and conversational – like a friend speaking to a friend, this
was not an experience any other navi
could
claim to have had. Additionally, Moshe's prophecies could come at any
time either Hashem or Moshe wanted, other nevi'im,
however, only received nevuos
at
specific times. Furthermore, Moshe remained on the same exact high
spiritual level to receive a nevuah
every
second, whereas other nevi'im
would have to “return to their tents” to take care of their
needs.
Certainly
Moshe's nevuos
were
of an entirely different caliber. Why was it only he, though, who was
privy of achieving such a level, and what was the purpose of him
having such special nevuos?
The
first passuk
of
parshas
Mattos18
says, “Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes of the B'nei
Yisroel,
saying, “This is the matter that Hashem has commanded...”. Rashi19
on this passuk
points
out that only Moshe related prophecies using the word “zeh”
(this). All other prophets, including Moshe, used the phrase, “So
said Hashem”. However, Moshe is the only one who ever uses the
expression, “This is the matter that Hashem has commanded.”
Based
on this Rashi,
the Maharal20
explains the fundamental difference between Moshe rabbeinu
and
all other nevi'im.
He writes that there are two types of nevuos.
One type of nevuah
is
a prophecy which relates the way that Hashem will bring his hashgacha
and
direction into the world. This is something which is constantly
changing depending on the generation and the situation occurring in
the world at any given point in time. There is no question that to
reach such a level to receive this form of prophecy, requires the
navi
to
be perfectly in control of himself and his middos
(character
traits).21
However,
although this may be the highest form of nevuah
which
an individual is capable of reaching, it is not the highest form of
nevuah
in
existence.
The
second type of nevuah
- the
nevuah
of
Moshe rabbeinu - is very different. This form of nevuah
is
one which conveys prophecies of the Torah and mitzvos
themselves.
This form of prophecy is not time-sensitive or specific to any
generation, rather it is the timeless, unchanging facts of the Torah
which Hashem wills to be tamid
– constant
and consistent. The Torah is the blueprint of the world demonstrating
and guiding us how to live. As the Maharal
writes,
it is the metzias
k'lali beolam
and provides order and direction in the facts of the world.
Using
this concept, the Maharal
explains
that when Moshe prophecised
about
what would be included in the Torah and mitzvos,
Moshe did so with the word “zeh”
(“This...”). During times when Moshe prophecised about the will
and hashgacha
of
Hashem during specific times, he used the word “koh”
(“So...”).
The
content of Moshe's prophecies were different from anything else any
navi
ever
related. Moshe was the leader of B'nei
Yisroel who
taught us what is included in the Torah and the mitzvos
of
Hashem. The unquestionable authority we attribute to Moshe does not
solely come from his greatness alone, but rather what we experienced
at Har
Sinai.
When Moshe went up to receive the Torah from Har
Sinai,
Hashem told Moshe, “Behold! I come to you in the thick of the
cloud, so that the people will hear as I speak to you, and they will
believe in you, also forever.”22
The
entire B'nei
Yisroel heard
Hashem communicating to Moshe the Aseres
Hadibros (Ten
Commandments). This, along with the concreteness of the fact said at
that time that there will never be another Torah and that any navi
who
says anything against the Torah is a navi
sheker (false
prophet), is the foundation of our religion. We all witnessed Hashem
telling us through Moshe the fact that the Torah is the only emes.
Moshe's
role and responsibility in B'nei
Yisroel went
beyond just being a leader; it tasked him with being in direct
communication with Hashem Himself in order to deliver the Toras
emes.
This is why Moshe's bar was higher than any other navi
who
ever lived or will ever live – because the Torah is unchanging, and
that was the content of Moshe's nevuos.
Moshe therefore had to receive his nevuos
with
aspaklariya
ha'meirah (a
clear lens – as if seeing them through a glass), whereas other
navi'im
received
their nevuos
with
an aspaklariya
sh'eino meirah (an
unclear lens – seeing unclear images and riddles).23
Certainly this privileged level of closeness with Hashem demanded of
Moshe to indeed be anav
m'kol adom
– exceedingly humble, more than anyone who has ever lived.
Perhaps
with this Maharal,
we
could better understand the episode which takes place at the end of
our parsha.
As good-meaning as Miriam was in saying what she said to Aharon about
Moshe, it was also, albeit unknowingly and accidentally, a loophole
for disaster. Questioning an action of Moshe, who was on constant
call to be ready to communicate with Hashem, was in essence
questioning Hashem Himself and the foundation of the Torah. This is
perhaps why at the time Miriam spoke the light lashon
harah, the
Torah tells us that Hashem heard, and why even when Moshe forgave her
completely and even davened
for
her immediate recovery, Hashem argued that He has spat in the face of
Miriam and therefore she must be sent outside the camp for seven
days.
This
is exactly what Hashem was reminding Aharon and Miriam as a lesson to
all of B'nei
Yisroel.
Moshe's role of leader during this vital time in history of compiling
the Torah is one which is being directed by Hashem. Every action and
decision Moshe made had to be checked and discussed with Hashem in
order for Moshe to understand the complete emes
of
Torah with absolute clarity. This is something which Moshe himself
understood, which perhaps is the reason he did not daven
long
for Miriam. As the leader of B'nei
Yisroel during
the time of traveling through the midbar
(desert),
he was indeed in no position to play favorites – even for his own
family. His job was to be the accepted medium, declared by Hashem –
which everyone heard – between the B'nei
Yirsoel and
Hashem. Therefor, even his own sister was just as close to him as any
member of B'nei
Yisroel.
This was a perspective and fact which Moshe could not compromise.
The
story of Miriam is one which seems embarrassing for her to focus so
much on, yet it is so important in the Torah and is even one of the
essential six remembrances the Torah commands us to remember daily,
“Remember that which Hashem your G-d did to Miriam on the way when
you were leaving from Egypt”.24
The
foundation of Judaism is the emes
of
the unchanging Torah. The fact that we heard Hashem say to Moshe at
Har
Sinai “Anochi
Hashem Elokecha...”25,
built into the Torah itself a system which tells us that anyone who
says anything contrary to the Torah or the nevuos
of
Moshe
must be a navi
sheker.
All other nevi'im
have
the ability to relate to us the way Hashem will interact with the
world at a given point in time, but no one has the stamp of approval
from Hashem and the entire B'nei
Yisroel - who
witnessed Hashem Himself communicating with Moshe – as Moshe
rabbeinu.
With
this in mind, let us feel a gratitude towards Hashem Who not only
created us as humans with tremendous potential, but Who also gave us
the privilege of being descendents of the prestigious family of
Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, who received the Toras
emes
from
Hashem at Har
Sinai through
Moshe.
1See
Ibn Ezra (12:1) who says
that although Aharon did not say anything himself, he was either
quiet or actively agreed and was therefore punished as well.
2See
Rashi Bamidbar 12:1
3Bamidbar
12:1
4Ibid.
5We
state in the tenth Ani Ma'amin – The Thirteen Principles of
Faith based on the Rambam (see
Rambam Peirush Hamishnayos Perek Yud in
Sanhedrin
– “I believe with complete faith that the Creator, blessed be
His name, knows all the deeds of human beings and all their thoughts
as it says, 'He Who fashions together their hearts, and who
comprehends all their deeds.'” (Tehillim
35:15)
– Hashem knows our thoughts and comprehends the reasons for our
actions. Surely He hears what we say.
6Bamidbar
12:5-8
7Bamidbar
12:9-10
8Bamidbar
12:8
9Bamidbar
12:11-12
10Bamidbar
12:13
11Bamidbar
12:14
12Bamidbar
12:13
13See
Shemos 2:4
14See
Bamidbar 12:14
15The
Thirteen Principles of Faith based on the Rambam. This could
be found in most siddurim after
shacharis.
16Could
be found in the siddur at
the beginning of shacharis.
17Hilchos
Yesodei HaTorah Perek Zayin
18Bamidbar
30:2
19Ibid.
20In
his peirush Gur Aryeh on
this passuk.
21See
Rambam Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah Perek Zayin
22Shemos
19:9
23See
Gemara Yevamos 49b
24Devarim
24:9
25Shemos
20:2
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