From the Rabbi’s Desk

Rabbi Manes Kogan

Behalotcha

June 9, 2001

At the center of the book of Numbers is a series of revolts against Moses. These revolts were preceded by a previous series of complaints for water, food,  etc.

While the complaints for improvement in the material and physical conditions that we find in the book of Exodus came from the lower levels within the Children of Israel, the more complex revolts, the challenges to Moses’ authority that we find in the book of Numbers, came from within the higher levels of the Children of Israel.

Chronologically, the first of these challenges to Moses’ authority come from his own family

“Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses regarding the Cushite woman he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman: They said, "Was it only to Moses that Hashem spoke? Did He not speak to us, as well?" (Numbers 12:1-2)

The second one comes from the leaders of the congregation, in the portion of the spies – Parashat Meraglim:

“Hashem spoke to Moses, saying: "Send forth men, if you please, and let them spy out the Land of Canaan that I give to the Children of Israel; one man each from his father's tribe shall you send, every one a leader among them." (Numbers 13:1-2)

“They brought forth to the Children of Israel an evil report on the Land that they had spied out, saying, "The Land through which we have passed, to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants! All the people that we saw in it were huge: There we saw the Nephilim, the sons of the giant from among the Nephilim; we were like grasshoppers in our eyes, and so we were in their eyes!" (Numbers 13: 32-33)

“All the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, and the entire assembly said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this Wilderness” (Numbers 14:2)

“So they said to one another, "Let us appoint a leader and let us return to Egypt!" [...] the entire assembly said to pelt them with stones” (Numbers 14: 4,10)

The third –and apparently the most serious one- is the revolt of Korach and his people:

“Korah son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi separated himself, with Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, the offspring of Reuben: They stood before Moses with two hundred and fifty men from the Children of Israel, leaders of the assembly, those summoned for meeting, men of renown: They gathered together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, "It is too much for you! For the entire assembly -- all of them -- are holy and Hashem is among them; why do you exalt yourselves over the congregation of Hashem?" (Numbers 16:1-3)

As I mentioned before, there is a distinction between the more spontaneous complaints for improvement in the physical conditions and the more organized revolts by the leaders of the congregation.

In order to analyze these more complex challenges to Moses’ authority we need to be familiar with the political and hierarchical system in the desert.

Moses is the main leader. How do we know that? Mainly from the text itself. God appeared to him in the burning bush, God speaks only with him, God gave him the tablets, etc. By the way, you don’t need to agree with this designation. As we know, Moses himself did not agree, as we read:

“Moses replied to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should take the Children of Israel out of Egypt?" (Exodus 3:11)

Second, after Moses are Aaron and his sons. Aaron is the High Priest and his role is very well defined. Although he is in charge of performing important duties, Aaron’s power comes to him through Moses, as we read endless times in Torah, including the first verses of our portion:

“Hashem spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and say to him” (Numbers 13: 1-2)

Third in the hierarchical order are the Levites, and among the Levites there is also an implicit hierarchical order. From the three families of the tribe of Levi: Gershon, Kehat and Merari, the family of Kehat (from where Korach comes) is the most important, since its members are in charge of the Holy of the Holiest:

"This is the work of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting - the most holy” (Numbers 4:4)

At the same level we find the political leaders of the congregation, the heads of each tribe and additional leaders within each tribe.

”The leaders of Israel, the heads of their fathers' household, brought offerings; they were the leaders of the tribes, they were those who stand at the countings” (Numbers 7:12)

Finally we find leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds and leaders of tens.

As you can see, the Jewish system of government is not a democratic one. As I like to mention always, democracy was the contribution the Greeks made to civilization, not the Jews.

Everybody may agree that in a system that has thousands of leaders, some more important, some less important, if you are the second in charge, or the third or the fourth, it isn’t bad at all.

However, while ordinary people among the children of Israel were concerned with lack of food or water, Korach and his people, the leaders of the tribes, and Aaron and Miriam were concerned with one main question: Why am I not the first?

Ordinary people keep away from challenging an established authority. Usually it is the aristocracies, who are the ones who challenge their pears. In our Torah, they were the leaders of the tribes, the head of the Levites, the sons of the High Priest and the brother and sister of the appointed leader. The question is always the same, although it is phrased differently each time: Why are you the leader and not I?

The spies, Korach and his followers, and in our portion, Aaron and Miriam are punished. Miriam is punished on her body, with leprosy, and Aaron on his honor, when he is forced to beg Moses for forgiveness.

One of the most important challenges I found in my short career as a Rabbi is to learn to recognize my limitations. I was born, like most Jewish children, knowing that I was the most intelligent, handsome, kind and smart child in the world. My father and mother up to this day try to be sure that I remember that. However, it took me a long time to learn that I was not the most intelligent, handsome, kind and smart child in the world. I find it very difficult to be the first, but I find it even more challenging to learn how to be the second. It is difficult to be a leader, but it is even more difficult to be a follower. Let me repeat that: It is difficult to be a leader, but it is even more difficult to be a follower.

In our portion, Aaron the High Priest and Miriam the prophetess learn -the hard way- to be seconds.

And now, that we have dealt with the followers, we need to focus on the leader: What is special about Moses? Why we don’t find in him the negative characteristics we find in Korach, the spies and his siblings?

The answer is to be found at the end of our Torah portion:

“Now the man Moses was exceedingly humble, more than any person on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3)

As professor Yeshaiahu Leibowitz, Alav Hashalom, mentioned in his commentary to our portion, the Torah did not find it important to tell us that Moses was exceedingly brave, or knowledgeable, or patient, or determined, although we know he was exceedingly brave and knowledgeable and patient and determined.

The Torah did not find a better quality for the most perfect man in human history –and I stress the word man- than being humble. Not only humble, but exceedingly humble.

The Torah is teaching us why Moses was different from all the other leaders in his generation, including important members within his own family. He was aware of the temptations of power, so he rejected it and remained humble. And because he rejected honor and didn’t ask “why am I not in charge?” he got honor and he was in charge.

Moses knew that it is not enough to be humble when you are so powerful. You need to be exceedingly humble. And Moses was able to achieve this high level of humbleness by placing God always in front of himself. He was so close to God that he knew better that anybody else that he was but “dust and ash”. Moses knew that he was always the second one. He knew that God came always in first place.

When I read and re-read again the verses of our holy Torah, I am overwhelmed by the power of its eternal message.

And may the Almighty help me to incorporate some of these eternal insights to serve Him and you better.

Shabbat Shalom!