Mark Goldman

July 4, 2008

Waters of Strife

Thank you … Originally, today, I wanted to talk to you about the theme of water in this week’s Torah portion, Chukat.  Water is both a potent symbol of spirituality – its creativity, its often-uncontained power – and a very real source of conflict between the Israelites and their neighboring tribes, and between the people and Moses.  Moses’s very name mean’s “drawn from the water,” and in this passage, when his sister Miriam dies, the people lose their ability to find drinking wells in the desert, so they rebel against Moses and Aaron. 

In our own lifetimes, conflict and strife over water will become a growing problem.  The tragedy in Darfur is due to a seven year draught of unprecedented proportions.  Here in the American West, the blanket of snow that gives the Sierra Nevada their name may disappear within decades, and with it, most of our drinking water – so this story, from so long ago, could hardly be more timely for us.   

After Miriam’s death, when the people arrive in the wilderness of Zin after 40 years of wandering in the Wilderness, there is no water, and the people complain bitterly – “why have you brought us to this wilderness for us and our beasts to die?  Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us to this wretched place?  There is no water to drink!”  Moses and Aaron retreat to the Tent of Meeting and fall on their faces, beseeching God for help.  The Lord tells Moses to gather the people and command a particular rock to “yield its water.” 

Moses gathers the people but apparently becomes frustrated with them.  He calls them rebels then strikes the rock twice with his staff.  This is the crucial detail – he does not talk to the rock, he hits it.  An abundance of water does indeed come forth, and the people and their animals have plenty to drink, but God tells Moses – “because you did not trust me enough to affirm My sanctity in the sight of the people, you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them.”  

The waters become known as the Waters of Strife because here the people doubted, and here God affirmed His sanctity by bringing forth the water despite the people’s doubting.  Now, this passage is variously translated as saying that Moses did not trust God, or have faith in Him, or believe in Him, but regardless, the text says that because of this lapse – despite all he’s done and accomplished – Moses shall not enter the Promised Land.  The punishment – if indeed that’s what it is – seems hardly to fit the crime. 

Maimonides says it’s not because Moses struck the rock but because he spoke harshly to the people that he is punished.  Rabbi Nachman, also in the Middle Ages, points out that in Exodus 17, in a very similar story, God tells Moses specifically to strike another rock with his staff to make water issue forth from it.  Rabbi Nachman also points out that elsewhere in the Torah, Moses gets angry at the people with no consequences.  He says the punishment stems from Moses’s behavior, because Moses said “we will bring water forth,” implying that he was putting himself above God, and thus Nachmanides calls Moses’s faith into question.  Frankly, I do not think Moses ever put himself above God – I cannot think of a single example in the Torah where Moses ever acts as if he is greater than God … but maybe he did – hubris is certainly a common trait among the mighty.

A more modern commentator, Yossy Goldman (no relation to me) says that Moses is simply being held to a higher standard – like a public official for whom a breach in trust can have far-reaching consequences – but again, for me at least, the punishment seems not to fit the crime.  Can a fit of anger or frustration – hitting a rock with a stick, saying We instead of He – justify denying a fitting reward for a lifetime of struggle, commitment and sacrifice? 

Naftali Silberberg gives an explanation I find more accessible.  He says that Moses wasn’t really equipped to deal with the frustrations of the world.  Moses resorts to supernatural powers again and again to solve problems for the Israelites and to remove barriers throughout their wandering.  While Moses, with powers directly transmitted from God, could dominate his landscape, we cannot – and this is the crux of the story. 

Miriam has died, and with her the ability to find water in the desert.  Aaron – Moses’s brother – also dies, and with him the miraculous clouds of glory that protected the people from all sorts of dangers – storms and sun, slings and arrows, snakes and scorpions.  Indeed, Moses himself will soon be gone, and with his passing, the transformation of the Israelites will be complete.  They will leave the Wilderness – a place of miracles and magic – and re-enter the world as Jews, just like us. 

So perhaps Moses was not punished at all.  Perhaps instead his life’s purpose had been fulfilled, and gloriously at that.  His job was done, his journey complete, and perhaps, in a way, he was not fit for our world.  I confess, I sometimes think I understand Torah less the more I study it, but I do not think Moses was punished for a lack of faith or a lapse in judgment – which brings us back to water…

In our lifetimes, the West may run out of easy to find water, things may get a lot tougher for us – but like our people in the desert and our people who founded this great, creative country, if we can maintain our faith and see ahead to a righteous, glorious destination, then, like the Israelites, not only will we get through the trials and wandering, but we’ll wind up a stronger, more united and mature people, with trust in each other and a greater sense of meaning and our true purpose here on Earth. 

Happy 4^th, everyone.  Thank you.