"Has HaShem spoken only to Moshe?"

(Numbers 12:2)
Sivan 18, 5775/June 5, 2015

This week's Torah reading, Beha'alotcha, opens with the kohen gadol, (High Priest),Aharon, lighting the seven menorah lamps, precisely as commanded by G-d , followed by the finishing touches and flourishes to the establishment and inauguration of the Mishkan, (Tabernacle), in the desert. The building, establishment and inauguration of the Tabernacle, has preoccupied Torah every since Israel left Egypt back in the book of Exodus. Now Israel can turn its face toward its ultimate destination - entering into the land of Israel.

Everything is going just the way it should be going. The cloud of G-d's glory rests upon the Tabernacle, and when it rises up, the Levites take down the Tabernacle, the nation strikes camp, and Israel sets out on its way. When the cloud descends again the nation stops and sets up camp just as it had been, the Tabernacle in the center, surrounded by the Levites, and the twelve tribes along the perimeter in the very order they had been in before.

The nation is united and disciplined. Israel is literally in step with G-d . All is good, and, our sages tell us, Israel was just three days away from entering the land of Israel. Things couldn't get any better. And tragically, they didn't. In fact, as the second half ofBeha'alotcha explains, things only went downhill from here.

The people develop a sudden craving for meat, creating a demand that Moshe cannot possible satisfy. He, in turn, turns despondently to G-d , and G-d , after making the impossible possible, exacts a harsh price from Israel. From here on the troubles avalanche, and most of the book of Numbers from this point on, is a chronicle of what goes wrong.

Parashat Beha'alotcha concludes with what may be the saddest of all the mishaps, the misgivings voiced by Miriam and Aharon against their brother Moshe. But the manner in which G-d intervenes and concludes the incident gives hope that in the end, all may work out as originally intended.

The two older siblings, Aharon and Miriam, take offense "regarding the Cushite woman he [Moshe] had married." (Numbers 12:1) While the actual matter of the Cushite woman is unclear, it also seems incidental. The two feel snubbed, and express themselves: "Has HaShem spoken only to Moses? Hasn't He spoken to us too?" (ibid 12:2) So close to the end goal and it seems that the entire nation has become infected with hurt feelings. A crisis of confidence has seized the people, beginning with Moshe, ("If this is the way You treat me, please kill me if I have found favor in Your eyes, so that I not see my misfortune." ibid 11:15), and now has affected Aharon and Miriam, Moshe's siblings and loyal supporters through thick and thin.

At this point G-d decides to step in, literally: "HaShem suddenly said to Moshe, Aharon and Miriam, 'Go out, all three of you, to the Tent of Meeting!' And all three went out. HaShem descended in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tent. He called to Aharon and Miriam, and they both went out." (ibid 12:4-5) Like an annoyed father, G-d deals sternly but lovingly with all three children. He stood them up before Him and he dressed them down. He took the two perpetrators, Miriam and Aharon, aside, and severely reprimanded them, reminding them that their status as prophets was not the same as Moshe's and that simply is the way it is. G-d is angry and when he leaves their presence his anger is manifest in Miriam, whose body is suddenly afflicted with tzar'at, the leprosy-like affliction first described in Leviticus, which visits those who speak ill of others. The three children of Amram and Yocheved, Aharon, Miriam and Moshe, are the closest thing to "royalty" in the generation of the desert, but G-d makes it very clear: they do not get a pass. They need to play by the same rules as the others. Speak ill of others and you will pay the price. At the same time G-d shows that He also abides by the rules: "The cloud departed from above the Tent, and behold, Miriam was afflicted with tzara'at, as white as snow. Then Aharon turned to Miriam and behold, she was afflicted with tzara'at." (ibid 12:10) Aharon turned to Miriam to verify whether she indeed hadtzar'at, for it was up to Aharon, a kohen, to determine whether her symptoms were indeed tzar'at. G-d retracted His presence and the system worked! A sin was committed, the kohen fulfilled his role, and now the seven day of seclusion for Miriam was in order. The healing would begin.

This doesn't put an end to Israel's troubles in the desert, but it does add some perspective: the bickering and fighting that marks much of the book of Numbers, and nearly tears apart the nation, is nothing more and nothing less than strife within the family. As worrisome as that it, it is G-d Who calls Israel "My children," providing for an unruly family fatherly reward, when deserved, and punishment, when required.

The nation seems sobered by G-d's harsh but loving treatment of Miriam. The incident ends with a closing observation: "So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not travel until Miriam had entered." (ibid 12:15) An increasingly boisterous people show a sincere and heartfelt contrition in light of their sister and leader Miriam's punishment. Israel will endure!

-The Temple Institute