Parshat Beha’alotecha Schedule

Weekly Words of Torah

Teacher & Parent

Insights into Parshat Beha’alotecha by Mr. Danny Younger of Yeshivat Sha’alvim, by Rav Re’uven Ungar of Sha’alvim.

“The rabble that was among them cultivated a craving, and b’nei Yisrael also turned, and they wept, and said ‘Who will feed us meat?'” The Rav explains as b’nei Yisrael continued to complain, and Hashem responds with great anger, Moshe’s response to their complaints is very out of character. Moshe lived through many crises and stressful moments. The worst was the chet ha’egel (Sin of the Golden Calf), which shook the relationship of b’nei Yisrael and Hashem to the core. Yet, we see that Moshe always kept his cool and never panicked. The Sages explain the extent that Moshe went to get forgiveness for b’nei Yisrael. They explain that he ‘seized’ Hashem by His garments and refused to let go, until he had achieved his goal.

However, in our parsha we see a big change in Moshe’s behavior. Over here, Moshe accuses b’nei Yisrael. The answer to this change in Moshe’s behavior may be found in this rebellion that is quoted in the above pasuk. The group who started the rebellion had a craving and then all b’nei Yisrael started crying for food. It was this anger that made Hashem angry. Why didn’t Moshe daven to Hashem like he did by the chet ha’egel?

The answer is that the two events were different. chet ha’egel was the result of fear, since the people thought Moshe had died, so they were looking for a substitute. However, the incident mentioned in our pasuk stemmed from a desire for a pagan way of life. They showed complete lack of self-discipline that Hashem demands. The Torah detests paganism because, unlike idolatry (which is worshipping some sort of object) paganism spreads and influences others. B’nei Yisrael were mad with desire and abandoned all restraint. As a result of this, Moshe realized that his role as a teacher would no longer be sufficient. Now, not only was he needed to be a teacher, he also needed to be a nursing mother. A baby becomes a part of the mother who nurses him and protects him from the unfriendly outside world, and the mother belongs to the infant due to this constant care.

The Rav explains that Moshe now saw himself as no longer having a life of his own, being able to do whatever he wanted. He was now the mother of b’nei Yisrael. This might explain why Miriam seemingly spoke badly of Moshe. The Sages explain that she criticized his withdrawal from family life. She didn’t understand this new role that Moshe had taken upon himself and that he had no time for anything else. Moshe’s main concern was b’nei Yisrael. Miriam understood this to be contrary to the idea of family life being so essential.

This also explains the issue of the absence of Moshe’s children. In the beginning of Bamidbar the pasuk only mentions the children of Aaron. In Nach (The Prophets and Writings), Moshe’s children are referred to as “the children of Menashe”. This could be because of Moshe’s new role. This new role really started from har Sinai when Hashem commands Moshe to tell everyone to return to their tents but he should stay (Deuteronomy 5:26-7). This realization resurfaced once more by this rebellion, and this is what Miriam and Aaron were worried about.

Does nevu’ah (prophecy) mean separating from ones family? Yet they didn’t understand why they hadn’t been separated from their families. Hashem answers that there is a big difference between them and Moshe. That is why he has to be separate but you don’t.
(Adapted from Darosh Dorash Yosef)