Parashat Beah'alotecha - Moses for President

רפואה מן התורה

Healing from the Torah

Parashat Beah'alotecha 

Numbers 8:1-12:16

By Rabbi Adam Ruditsky

Moses for President 

     The angel that wrestled with Jacob returned to heaven disgruntled that he had lost.  The angel was angry with God for sending him to earth knowing that he would lose to begin with.  Therefore, the angel spars with God for what seemed like a task of futility.  After waiting for the angel to finish speaking God patiently and gently said, “I understand your dismay, but I needed to prepare Jacob to wrestle with me for Israel’s place in the world.”  Jacob, who would become Israel, the one “who contends with God,” set an example for those who would follow, and surely as we shall see that is the case with Moses here in Parashat Beah’alotecha.  The parsha begins by Moses saying to Aaron “when you kindle (בהעלותך, beah’alotecha) the lamps toward the face of the menorah …” (Num. 8:1).  The lights kindled for Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik is connected with “the political leaders, those who lead the people in the field of government,” people who were in “the public eye” day in and day out (see R’ Soloveitchik on Numbers 8:2).  The “government of Israel” we can say was led by its president, Moses, and vice president, Aaron.  As leaders it was crucial to be guided by the right light as they illuminated the way, but leading can be like wrestling because at times it can feel like a chore, but this was not chore, it was Israel’s future.  Moses understood the grandeur of the task before him.
     As such, prior to commencing on their journey from Mt Sinai Moses is presented with his first leadership task here in Numbers.  In this case some men were made impure by coming into contact with a dead body, calling into question their right to partake in the Pesach offering (Num. 9:6).  When Moses was asked about it he responded, “Stand here I will hear what God commands.” Since the Pesach offering was for each person Rashi refers to an early midrash that asks the question; can an impure person have the rituals associated with the sacrifices carried out by the Priests who were pure?  The question of the impure offering a sacrifice was addressed before hand (see BT Gitten 60a), but this was a different question, one in which Moses had no answer. Moses like a student seeking the instruction of a teacher sought God for direction, something that for Rashi meant that Moses “would speak with the divine presence,” something that I will add is both “face to face” but also reflects the wisdom he spoke with to others.  Moses did not know so he went to find out because he cared about other’s needs.  This indeed is a part of the reason why Moses in Numbers 12:3 was referred to as humble.
     Moses then finds himself in a much bigger jam this time.  Three days into the journey the people became angry at God and Moses intercedes on their behalf (Num. 11:2ff, Rashi).  The reason is about food initially, not that they did not have any, but wanted a different menu!  In Egypt there was plenty of food, although Rashi thinks they misremembered, and now they had to gather food that they did not want anymore.  They wanted meat and turned to Moses to make it happen.  The people wept before Moses, but tradition teaches that it was not a weeping cry but a complaint because of what they could not have as opposed to what they needed (see Sifrei Numbers 90 and Yoma 75a).  What is going on in Moses’ mind at this point?  Moses had already contended with Israel’s dismay the moment they left Egypt as well as their rebellion against God with the Golden Calf, Moses also being accused of seeking their harm (see Exodus 14:11).  What type of man takes such criticism and still cares about the rights of others?  Moses gave up a life of luxury and power in order to stand with an enslaved people who would take on a life of wandering.  Surely he deserved better, so he turned his frustration on God.  Moses says to God, “And if this is how you deal with me then kill me now, if I have found favor in your eyes, and let me not see my evil” (Num. 11:15).  Wait, “my evil,” what did Moses do?  Rashi teaches that Moses allowed himself to be weak in that moment and lashed at God although he did not want to accuse God of evil directly.  Franky, I just think Moses was angry, and God let him be that way.  Jacob back in Genesis had no problem telling God, if you do this I will do that, and Moses seems to be doing the same.  In the end, even though the people ate in gluttony and many died, Moses advocated for an unruly people by getting them meat.
     Lastly, we see Moses’ heart of compassion and love.  First he is betrayed by the people and now by his own family.  Miriam and Aaron attack Moses over his wife, the Cushite women, assumed to be the same as Zipporah (Num. 12:1).  They both spoke “harshly” about Moses and his wife,  although it is also understood that since Miriam’s name is listed first she initiated the conversation.  The Bible does not tell us why this is so, but according to tradition Miriam told Aaron that Zipporah told her that she felt sorry for the wives of Eldad and Medad, who for the sake of their prophesying, would separate from their wives just as Moses did from Zipporah (Num. 11:27-28, also see Rashi on Num. 12:1).  This seems to have turned into a family argument between Miriam, Aaron and Moses that spilled outside of the tent.  In the narrative God rebuked Miriam and Aaron, bringing further judgment on Miriam as the primary instigator by inflicting her with leprosy (although Rabbi Akiva taught that Aaron was punished as well; BT Shabbat 97a).  Moses must have been upset with his siblings, how dare they speak against his wife and he, yet when Miriam became a leper he turned to God and said, אל נה רפא נה לה (el nah r’fa nah lah), “Please God, please heal her.”
     Moses was a mensch, a stand up human being who put his community before him.  He listened, advocated, was honest before God, was not afraid to show his emotions but also was guided by compassion and love. When it says that Moses was humble in Numbers 12:3 Rashi says he was, שפל וסבלן (shafal v’savlan), “humble and long-suffering” for others.  All of this is in this parsha from Numbers and continues throughout the journey.  Moses certainly wrestled with his own person, having to deal with the ups and downs of Israel, but he always sought to be guided by the light of God’s good, day in and day out making sure constantly to kindle that light so that he would do better tomorrow than he did today.  The poet Maya Angelou wrote, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”  We can all learn from Moses our teacher.

Shabbat Shalom!