[Avodah] TWO COMPELLING QUESTIONS

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, Jul 14, 2011 at 18:57:56am EDT, Richard Wolberg wrote:
... [2nd "compelling question:]
: Regarding speaking to the rock, the Torah commands Moshe to gather
: the eidah and Aharon and speak to the rock so that it will give its
: waters. First, the Torah doesn't tell him WHAT to say and the commandment
: is "v'dibartem" which is the plural. Logistically, how were they all
: to speak together when they weren't even told what to say? Perhaps,
: Moshe was so overwhelmed not knowing what to say or how they could
: all speak together that his frustration led him to strike the rock.
: (B'midbar 20:8).

Wouldn't "vedibartem" refer to Moshe and Aharon, not the entire Benei
Yisrael? In which case, planning while walking to the rock wasn't too
onerous.

Besides, why guess what Moshe was frustrated without looking at what
he himself says about it? "Listen now you rebels, from this rock are
we to bring forth water for you?" I would have said either it was the
demand for water or this expectation that the gifts come from people
doing magic -- depending upon whether "for you" (lachem) or "we" (NOtzi)
was emphasized. Trop has "notzi lakhem" with a mercha-tipcha, so that's
no help. Rishonim explain it both ways.

Rabbeinu Chananel's "Do you think WE can bring forth..." harkens back to
the egel; again they're overly relying on Moses the middleman. Emphasizing
the "for you" ingrates would be more like the meraglim -- they can't
picture life without G-d handing them everything on a miraculous silver
platter.

There are other rishonim who give other opinions as to what the sin was,
but they presume that MRAH was angry without telling us why. The Ramban
says the sin was making it sound like they too were waiting to see if G-d
could bring forth water. That contradicts Rabbeinu Chananel, but could
fit the "ingrate" theory. Similarly Rashi (hitting rather than speaking)
and Ibn Ezra (lack of kavanah and shirah made the speech insufficient,
necessitating the hitting) just presume his anger motivated a misstep,
but not what the anger was about.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Spirituality is like a bird: if you tighten
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