THE STAFF OF LIFE

     Summer is a time for traveling to many different places and offers valuable time to unwind and to relax. When in our travels this past week a malfunction was discovered in the computer system on our plane and we were informed that we had to return to the gate. Well, enough said about our technological advances that we have become so enamored by and for which we have become so dependent upon. Give me back my old religion that depends upon the human element to solve our problem. Oh , I can hear the groans. Come on now Rabbi, please don't take us back to the Stone Age, and you need to recognize how improved our lives have become by our technological advances. True, but don't rule out the importance of man's input in life's endeavors that is expressive with feelings and empathy which is sorely missed in the world of computers. 

   These thoughts have a direct relationship to the episode  in this week's Parsha  as we read how the Jewish People were complaining  to Moshe once again "Why did you bring us to this dessert to die? We have no water to drink."

    Moshe entreats Hashem for a solution to this water crisis. G-D tells him קח את המטה ודברתם אל הסלע, take your rod and speak to the rock and water will gush forth. This directive raises many questions. If Hashem wanted Moshe to talk to the rock why was it necessary to take his Staff and more so why did Moshe hit the rock instead of following Hashem's directive to speak to the rock?

    For this infraction Moshe was punished, and was not allowed to go into the promised land. Much discussion ensued regarding this severe punishment and many question, "Did the punishment really fit the crime and more so what sin did he really commit?"

    Many answers are brought forth. Some say he disobeyed the word of G-D by hitting the rock instead of talking to the rock, which might have brought greater Kiddush Hashem,as the people would have been more impressed by his speaking.  

   Moshe was very upset with the people's reaction and he feared that they had lost their faith in G-D. At that moment his anger overtook him and he responded in an angry fashion.I am not one to excuse him for his behavior, especially when Hashem specifically told him to speak to the rock and he seemingly disobeyed the will of G-D. 

   However, I think the main purpose of our Torah to bring this entire episode  to the fore in a very transparent way, besides its historical significance, is to teach us as the  Netziv states, "Moshe's leadership up to this point had been very supernatural, as the agent of Hashem. At this point their supernatural water supply was no longer available. Moshe wanted to teach them a very important lesson in life. It was time to make the shift to a more natural way of life, to a more realistic way of fulfilling their needs in life. Their supernatural water would not accompany them into the Promised Land, and now it was time to live in a more natural way." 

    Hashem told Moshe to take the staff, a staff that was performing for them many miracles in a very supernatural way. Hashem says; "Take this staff with you, but no longer use it to perform miracles, now I want you to speak to the rock, and thereby teach them the power of speech. Teach them as individuals and as a people that they have the ability to function and to achieve their goals in life in a very natural way , and when they are inundated with problems , let them use speech, the human element through Tefillah, through a strong commitment of prayer to help them in life's Journey."

   How magnificent these words are and insights of the Netziv, especially in our time. It is that all important lesson of the importance of using our iniative to achieve life's needs, but more so to instill in our hearts more Emunah, which is so needed in our world today. 

    The staff of the supernatural may always be there for us, but today we must strive to achieve greater Emunah, that will be realized with more intense Tephillah. 

    

     May Hashem hear our Tephillot and may we be Zocheh to see the ביאת גואל צדק in our time. 

   

  שבת שלום ומבורך