The episode of Moshe hitting the rock, instead of speaking to it as God had ordered, raises many questions. Rabbi Chaim Sabato suggests that when trying to evaluate a text in the Torah,we ought to focus on what the Torah says explicitly instead of trying to figure out what is hidden. There are many great insights available to us by looking at the text in this straightforward manner.
For example, in Genesis we are not told why Hevel’s offering was accepted by God, while Kayin’s offering was not. According to Rabbi Sabato, this is the Torah’s way ofsignaling to us that that question is not the key issue at stake in the story. The fundamental point in that story is Kayin’s response to the fact that his offering was not accepted.
Similarly, Rabbi Sabot suggests that the key issue in the story of Eyov (Job) is not why all the terrible things happened to him (as there is no hint in the text about it), but rather, how to react when the inexplicable happens.
Rabbi Sabato finds another such example in this week’s Torah reading. Moshe sins by hitting the rock, but the Torah does not spend time on the precise nature of the sin, indicating that that issue is not the one that should be highlighted.
The main message, based on what is found in the text, is about the Torah’s relationship to leaders who sin. As we see from the story, when a great person - even as great as Moshe and Aaron - sins, they are punished. In Rabbi Sabato’s words: “There is no distinction, there is no different treatment for a simple person who sins or a man God who sins.”
In fact, as Rabbi Sabato notes, according to the Talmud (Yevamot 121b) God is more demanding in His expectations of leaders. Here are Rabbi Sabato’ words again. “When it comes to standing before God there are no privileges for a prophet or a rabbi. Not only do they not enjoy special treatment, but the greater the status, the more strict will the reaction to sin be.” This idea is stated clearly in our tradition (consider the punishment of the spies who went to check out the land of Israel and Nadav and Avihu, Aaron’s sons), even as it is hard to practice and to realize in society.
How sad it is that Moshe, who was so totally dedicated to bringing the Isrealites to the promised land, was unable to complete his mission! While indeed, it is sad, it also reminds us of the importance of equal treatment for all.
The emphasis put in the behavior of leaders is apparent in these verses about a Jewish king.(Deuteronomy 17:18-20)
(יח) וְהָיָ֣ה כְשִׁבְתּ֔וֹ עַ֖ל כִּסֵּ֣א מַמְלַכְתּ֑וֹ וְכָ֨תַב ל֜וֹ אֶת־מִשְׁנֵ֨ה הַתּוֹרָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ עַל־סֵ֔פֶר מִלִּפְנֵ֥י הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים הַלְוִיִּֽם׃ (יט) וְהָיְתָ֣ה עִמּ֔וֹ וְקָ֥רָא ב֖וֹ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֑יו לְמַ֣עַן יִלְמַ֗ד לְיִרְאָה֙ אֶת־יי אֱלֹקָ֔יו לִ֠שְׁמֹר אֶֽת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֞י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּ֛את וְאֶת־הַחֻקִּ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לַעֲשֹׂתָֽם׃ (כ) לְבִלְתִּ֤י רוּם־לְבָבוֹ֙ מֵֽאֶחָ֔יו וּלְבִלְתִּ֛י ס֥וּר מִן־הַמִּצְוָ֖ה יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול לְמַעַן֩ יַאֲרִ֨יךְ יָמִ֧ים עַל־מַמְלַכְתּ֛וֹ ה֥וּא וּבָנָ֖יו בְּקֶ֥רֶב יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
(18) When he is seated on his royal throne, he shall have a copy of this Teaching written for him on a scroll by the levitical priests. (19) Let it remain with him and let him read in it all his life, so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God, to observe faithfully every word of this Teaching as well as these laws. (20) Thus he will not act haughtily toward his fellows or deviate from the Instruction to the right or to the left, to the end that he and his descendants may reign long in the midst of Israel.
The king must always have a Torah scroll at his side and the Torah gives two reasons why. 1. As a reminder to keep the mitzvot, after all, the king may feel he is “above the law”. The constant presence of the Torah serves as an antidote to that. 2. So that the king not be filled with conceit due to his exalted position, which may again, lead to not following the rules.
Maimonides, restating this law, emphasizes the extent to which the king must keep the Torah nearby. He notes that it “must never leave his side, other than when he goes to the lavatory or the bath or a place where it would be improper to read from it. When he goes to war, it is with him. When he returns, it is with him. When he sits in judgment, it is with him. When he eats it is next to him, as it says, “And it shall be with him, and he shall read from it all the days of his life” (Deut. 17:19).
Rabbi Sabato’s essay taught me two things.
erodes trust in government and leadership and makes it hard to inspire people to work for a cause.
The tragic end of Moshe’s career is a reminder that the Torah's vision of society demands that it not be this way.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Gelman
For example, in Genesis we are not told why Hevel’s offering was accepted by God, while Kayin’s offering was not. According to Rabbi Sabato, this is the Torah’s way ofsignaling to us that that question is not the key issue at stake in the story. The fundamental point in that story is Kayin’s response to the fact that his offering was not accepted.
Similarly, Rabbi Sabot suggests that the key issue in the story of Eyov (Job) is not why all the terrible things happened to him (as there is no hint in the text about it), but rather, how to react when the inexplicable happens.
Rabbi Sabato finds another such example in this week’s Torah reading. Moshe sins by hitting the rock, but the Torah does not spend time on the precise nature of the sin, indicating that that issue is not the one that should be highlighted.
The main message, based on what is found in the text, is about the Torah’s relationship to leaders who sin. As we see from the story, when a great person - even as great as Moshe and Aaron - sins, they are punished. In Rabbi Sabato’s words: “There is no distinction, there is no different treatment for a simple person who sins or a man God who sins.”
In fact, as Rabbi Sabato notes, according to the Talmud (Yevamot 121b) God is more demanding in His expectations of leaders. Here are Rabbi Sabato’ words again. “When it comes to standing before God there are no privileges for a prophet or a rabbi. Not only do they not enjoy special treatment, but the greater the status, the more strict will the reaction to sin be.” This idea is stated clearly in our tradition (consider the punishment of the spies who went to check out the land of Israel and Nadav and Avihu, Aaron’s sons), even as it is hard to practice and to realize in society.
How sad it is that Moshe, who was so totally dedicated to bringing the Isrealites to the promised land, was unable to complete his mission! While indeed, it is sad, it also reminds us of the importance of equal treatment for all.
The emphasis put in the behavior of leaders is apparent in these verses about a Jewish king.(Deuteronomy 17:18-20)
(יח) וְהָיָ֣ה כְשִׁבְתּ֔וֹ עַ֖ל כִּסֵּ֣א מַמְלַכְתּ֑וֹ וְכָ֨תַב ל֜וֹ אֶת־מִשְׁנֵ֨ה הַתּוֹרָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ עַל־סֵ֔פֶר מִלִּפְנֵ֥י הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים הַלְוִיִּֽם׃ (יט) וְהָיְתָ֣ה עִמּ֔וֹ וְקָ֥רָא ב֖וֹ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֑יו לְמַ֣עַן יִלְמַ֗ד לְיִרְאָה֙ אֶת־יי אֱלֹקָ֔יו לִ֠שְׁמֹר אֶֽת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֞י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּ֛את וְאֶת־הַחֻקִּ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לַעֲשֹׂתָֽם׃ (כ) לְבִלְתִּ֤י רוּם־לְבָבוֹ֙ מֵֽאֶחָ֔יו וּלְבִלְתִּ֛י ס֥וּר מִן־הַמִּצְוָ֖ה יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול לְמַעַן֩ יַאֲרִ֨יךְ יָמִ֧ים עַל־מַמְלַכְתּ֛וֹ ה֥וּא וּבָנָ֖יו בְּקֶ֥רֶב יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
(18) When he is seated on his royal throne, he shall have a copy of this Teaching written for him on a scroll by the levitical priests. (19) Let it remain with him and let him read in it all his life, so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God, to observe faithfully every word of this Teaching as well as these laws. (20) Thus he will not act haughtily toward his fellows or deviate from the Instruction to the right or to the left, to the end that he and his descendants may reign long in the midst of Israel.
The king must always have a Torah scroll at his side and the Torah gives two reasons why. 1. As a reminder to keep the mitzvot, after all, the king may feel he is “above the law”. The constant presence of the Torah serves as an antidote to that. 2. So that the king not be filled with conceit due to his exalted position, which may again, lead to not following the rules.
Maimonides, restating this law, emphasizes the extent to which the king must keep the Torah nearby. He notes that it “must never leave his side, other than when he goes to the lavatory or the bath or a place where it would be improper to read from it. When he goes to war, it is with him. When he returns, it is with him. When he sits in judgment, it is with him. When he eats it is next to him, as it says, “And it shall be with him, and he shall read from it all the days of his life” (Deut. 17:19).
Rabbi Sabato’s essay taught me two things.
-
A general approach to studying the bible. The main message of the text is what is plainly available for the reader to see. Of course, we can always delve into the hidden messages, but it is important to zero in on the main idea.
-
Our tradition expects our leaders to uphold the highest standards. Failure to do so results in being held to the same or maybe even higher) standards than everyone else.
erodes trust in government and leadership and makes it hard to inspire people to work for a cause.
The tragic end of Moshe’s career is a reminder that the Torah's vision of society demands that it not be this way.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Gelman