The Sin of Mei Meriva
The Meforshim are all over the place on what the sin of Moshe Rabeinu was at "Mei Merivah". See the Or Hachaim who goes through 10 different viewpoints mostly from the Rishonim. The Seforno has another view too.
There is a very obvious Rashi in the Parsha that seems to shed light on this topic and none of the Mefarshei Hamikrah seem to take notice!
Rashi quotes an interesting Midrash based on the Pasuk which says "Hamin Haselah Hazeh Notzi Lachem Mayim" where Moshe told Bnei Yisrael or possibly asked (see Ramban) Am I to Get Water Out of This Rock"? Rashi quotes the Midrash that says that after Miriam passed away the well of water which had been flowing from the rock up to that point went into hiding and hid amongst all the other rocks and was virtually invisible. Once Hashem told Moshe to speak to the rock to bring forth water, Moshe went looking for Miriam's rock and couldn't identify it. The Bnei Yirsrael who were thirsting for and demanding water told Moshe that all rocks are the same and if God says to get water out of a rock he should be able bring forth water out of any rock to which Moshe responded "Shimu Nah Hamorim" which Rashi says, in this context, means "Shotim" or "Fools" how dare you think that you can teach your teachers.
Maybe Moshe's sin was that Bnei Yisrael were actually correct in their assuming that it really didnt make a difference which rock Moshe utilized as chazal say "Mi she'amar Lashem Viyadlik Yomar lichometz Viyodlik" Take any rock and bring forth water why are you looking for Miriam's rock? Furthermore why is Moshe Rabeinu not allowing for Bnei Yisrael as a whole to possibly teach him something? don't Chazal say "Umitalmidai Yoser Mekulam" That I have learnt more from my students that I have from my teachers and freinds? Moshe Rabeinu was "Anav Mekul Adam" the most humble of people for him it was uncalled for to deride Bnei Yisrael for A) Assuming that they could teach him something he didn't know, and B) Thinking that they were wrong automatically. Maybe they were in fact correct and he was wrong searching between all the rocks to find the "Right" rock. Maybe Bnei Yisrael's assumption that Moshe shouldn't be driving himself crazy to find the perfect rock when they were all dying of thirst was totally correct.
There is a very obvious Rashi in the Parsha that seems to shed light on this topic and none of the Mefarshei Hamikrah seem to take notice!
Rashi quotes an interesting Midrash based on the Pasuk which says "Hamin Haselah Hazeh Notzi Lachem Mayim" where Moshe told Bnei Yisrael or possibly asked (see Ramban) Am I to Get Water Out of This Rock"? Rashi quotes the Midrash that says that after Miriam passed away the well of water which had been flowing from the rock up to that point went into hiding and hid amongst all the other rocks and was virtually invisible. Once Hashem told Moshe to speak to the rock to bring forth water, Moshe went looking for Miriam's rock and couldn't identify it. The Bnei Yirsrael who were thirsting for and demanding water told Moshe that all rocks are the same and if God says to get water out of a rock he should be able bring forth water out of any rock to which Moshe responded "Shimu Nah Hamorim" which Rashi says, in this context, means "Shotim" or "Fools" how dare you think that you can teach your teachers.
Maybe Moshe's sin was that Bnei Yisrael were actually correct in their assuming that it really didnt make a difference which rock Moshe utilized as chazal say "Mi she'amar Lashem Viyadlik Yomar lichometz Viyodlik" Take any rock and bring forth water why are you looking for Miriam's rock? Furthermore why is Moshe Rabeinu not allowing for Bnei Yisrael as a whole to possibly teach him something? don't Chazal say "Umitalmidai Yoser Mekulam" That I have learnt more from my students that I have from my teachers and freinds? Moshe Rabeinu was "Anav Mekul Adam" the most humble of people for him it was uncalled for to deride Bnei Yisrael for A) Assuming that they could teach him something he didn't know, and B) Thinking that they were wrong automatically. Maybe they were in fact correct and he was wrong searching between all the rocks to find the "Right" rock. Maybe Bnei Yisrael's assumption that Moshe shouldn't be driving himself crazy to find the perfect rock when they were all dying of thirst was totally correct.
posted by funnyfundamentalist at 9:59 AM
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