Parshat Chukat: Renewed Hope

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Parshat Chukat marks a transformational moment for Bnei Yisrael, as they begin to find their confidence and commitment as a nation—ready to live in and appreciate their promised land.

As Ibn Ezra notes, the parsha fast-forwards to the 40th year of desert wanderings, after the first generation has mostly passed away. A new generation has arisen, yet their words echo familiar complaints: “The soul of the people grew discouraged on the journey… Why did you make us leave Egypt to die in the wilderness? … We have come to loathe this miserable food.” They sound tired—and “hangry.” Rashi observes that, unlike other instances, the Torah does not explain the cause of their kotzer nefesh (discouragement). It was, he teaches, the journey itself that wore them down. But here, there is a crucial difference: their frustration stems from an impatient longing to finally enter the Land of Israel.

This pivotal shift is reflected in the continuation of the parsha. First, after complaining, the people quickly correct themselves and ask forgiveness. They stumble, but their faith is restored. Second, after the miraculous well disappears, the people don’t despair. Instead, they sing for water: “Az yashir Yisrael…” At the sea, they sang with Moshe and Miriam; now, they sing on their own. Third, they fight two battles—against Sichon and Og—relying less on miracles and more on their own courage and faith. The Ha’amek Davar writes that this parsha marks the beginning of Israel’s spiritual maturation: a move from dependence on overt miracles to experiencing God concealed through nature. 

After 637 days of war, many of us understandably feel a kind of kotzer nefesh—weariness and impatience. And yet, like the second generation in the wilderness, we too are discovering a reinvigorated sense of strength, unity, and commitment to our land and our people – a renewed source of hope. Shabbat Shalom -Karen Miller Jackson

Chukat: Transforming Fatigue into Commitment

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Parshat Chukat marks a transformational moment for Bnei Yisrael as they begin to find their confidence and commitment as a nation, ready to live in their promised land. 

The parsha, as Ibn Ezra writes, has fast-forwarded to the 40th year of desert wanderings, after the first generation has mostly died out. It is a new generation, but it sounds like the same old complaints: “The soul of the people grew discouraged on the journey…” They said: “Why did you make us leave Egypt to die in the wilderness? … We have come to loathe this miserable food.” They sound tired and “hangry.” Rashi teaches that usually the Torah provides the source of the discouragement (kotzer nefesh), yet here it is ambiguous. Hence, says Rashi, it was the journey itself that caused their dejection. However, it stemmed from an impatient desire to go into Israel already. Similarly, the Ha’amek Davar paints the complaint about food in a positive light: like a baby who is tired of drinking his mother’s milk (manna) and is ready for solid food (produce of Israel).

This pivotal shift is reflected in the continuation of the parsha. First, after complaining, they immediately correct themselves and ask forgiveness of Moshe and God. They faltered but their faith was restored. Second, after the disappearance of the miraculous well which supplied them with water, the people proactively sing for water: “Az yashir Yisrael…” At the splitting of the sea the people sang with Moshe and Miriam, while here they were empowered to sing independently. Third, the people fight two wars, against Sichon and Og, where they rely less on miracles and more on their strength and faith. The Ha’amek Davar writes that Chukat is the beginning of Israel’s transformation, from dependence on overt miracles to experiencing God concealed through nature. 

We too, after nine months, may be feeling fatigue. Let’s make it the kotzer nefesh of commitment and eagerness needed to achieve success and hatzlacha for Israel. Shabbat Shalom -Karen Miller Jackson

Parshat Chukat: The Dangers of Anger

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Parshat Chukat seems to be a familiar narrative: Bnei Yisrael complain, Moshe and Aharon intervene and God punishes and forgives. However, it contains a new, unfortunate twist: This time Moshe sins and is punished. What went so wrong and what can we learn from Moshe’s experience?  

After Miriam’s death, the people quarrel with Moshe out of desperate thirst for water. God instructs Moshe to take his staff along with Aharon, gather the people and speak to the rock which would miraculously produce water. However, Moshe and Aharon lose patience and say, “Listen, you rebels…” Then Moshe strikes the rock instead of speaking to it. God says that because he didn’t have faith and sanctify God in public, Moshe is tragically punished: he will not enter the land of Israel. The exact sin is not specified in the Torah. It is clear that Moshe loses his temper with the people and loses control when hitting the rock. This is the view of Rambam, that Moshe’s sin was getting angry and also mistakenly conveying to the people that Hashem was angry with them. Rambam brings this episode (in Shemonah Perakim) to demonstrate that anger is a risky emotion and requires mindfulness and perfecting. 

Rambam’s view on avoiding anger is also expressed in his halakhic writing about tefilla. The Talmud Berakhot teaches that one should have kavanah (intention) in prayer and it is inappropriate to pray from a place of excessive sorrow, laziness, laughter, chatter or frivolity. When Rambam codifies this to law he adds one more emotional state which will disrupt one’s ability to daven properly: anger. By waiting to begin tefillah until the angry feeling has subsided, one learns that anger needs to be regulated and should not be brought along as we approach God in tefilla. 

Moshe provides a lesson: Anger is a natural emotion which can be constructive at times, but unchecked anger, especially in leaders, can have devastating consequences. Shabbat Shalom -Karen Miller Jackson

Chukat: Mayim Chayim (Living Waters)

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Parshat Chukat is a parsha of leavetaking and loss, yet it also contains the seeds of renewal and hope for the future. This is reflected in the imagery of the be’er, the well of water which dries up and then flows once again, yet differently. 

The parsha begins in the fortieth year, when the desert generation has mostly died out. Both Miriam and Aaron pass away and Moshe is told he too will not enter the land. The parsha also contains the hopeful image of Bnei Yisrael (the next generation) poised across from Jordan, readying to enter the land of Israel. With Miriam’s death, Bnei Yisrael cry out for water. Later, the people sing to a well which brings forth water. The Tosefta Sotah explains that there was a be’er which accompanied and sustained Israel for forty years in the desert in Miriam’s merit. After she died, the well disappeared and returned in Moshe’s merit. 

However, Ramban suggests that this may be a new be’er. There are numerous elements which support this position. First, this is the first time the people take an active role and sing for water. Second, the song states “Az yashir Yisrael…” As opposed to the splitting of the sea, when the people sang with Moshe and Miriam, here they sang independently. This be’er represents the passing down of tradition alongside new characteristics. This can be applied to Torah too, which is called “mayim chayim.” Each generation receives it and imbues it with new meaning.

This week the Jewish world lost a great Talmud scholar. Rabbi Prof. David Weiss Halivni represented the transition from the old world of Torah erudition to a post Shoah world, with new approaches to critical study of the Talmud. I, like so many others, am grateful to have merited to drink from the well of his brilliant Torah. May his memory and teachings be for a blessing. Shabbat Shalom – Karen Miller Jackson

  • photo from Columbia.edu