Chukat 5761 Summary
What happened to the missing 38 years?

Two week ago, in the sedra of Shelach Lecha, we read about the ill-fated mission of the spies. Due to their lack of belief in Hashem's ability to bring them into the Land of Israel, the Israelites were condemned to wander in the desert for 40 years. As they had already been in the desert for over a year, the actual period of this punishment was less than 39 years. Korach's rebellion took place soon after the sin of the spies. Events in this week's sedra took place in the 40th year. So what happened in the intervening 38 years?

This question deepens when we realise that the chapter which is the bridge between the second and last year in the desert, deals with the mysterious commandment of the Parah Adumah, the Red Heifer, at the beginning of this week's sedra. This commandment stipulated that if a person came in contact with a dead body, he or she could be ritually purified by the sprinkling of the ashes of a Red Heifer, mixed with water, cedar, hyssop and scarlet wool. But the Kohain who made the mixture himself became impure, as did anyone who had any contact with the mixture - except the person who needed to be purified! This mitzvah is so difficult to fathom that even King Solomon, the wisest of all men, admitted that it was beyond his understanding.

Just as this mitzvah is shrouded in mystery, so are the events of the intervening 38 years. What we of course do know, it that they were marked by the death of an entire generation; everyone who was aged 20 and older at the time of the spies' sin. The mitzvah of the Red Heifer, dealing with the purification of those who had come into contact with the dead, is thus most apt at this point.

G-d's decrees are sometimes hard to fathom
The next item deals with the death of Miriam. The death of the righteous is also hard for us to understand, as was the punishment meted out to Moses and Aaron, shortly afterwards. It is thus logical for these to appear immediately after the commandment of the Red Heifer.

When Miriam died, the water ran out, and the people complained to Moses and Aaron. G-d told Moses to take his staff, gather the people, then speak to the rock. But in a fit of anger, he shouted to the people: "Listen here rebels, let's see if we can't get water out of this rock for you!" Moses then struck the rock twice, and water came gushing out.

For this behaviour, Moses and Aaron were severely punished, and were not allowed into the Land of Israel. For more comment on this, see below.

In the face of tragedy, Moses remains faithful to his mission
Despite his obvious disappointment, Moses, to his great credit, carried on with his mission of escorting the Israelites to the gates of the Land of Israel, so much so, that he asked the King of Edom if they could take a short cut through their land. But the King of Edom refused, threatening war if the Israelites were to try entering his land. So the Israelites had to travel a long way round. During this time, Aaron died, and was succeeded as High Priest by his son Elazar. Then the people were attacked by the Canaanites. They prayed to Hashem for victory, declaring that they would not keep any spoils gained in battle. Their prayers were answered.

The journey around Edom was too much and the people complained. As a punishment, they were bitten by snakes and scorpions.

The Torah then describes a few journeys in brief, including one when Moses sent out some spies on a reconnaissance mission, and another when the Israelites sang a song in gratitude at receiving water.

The sedra ends with two wars, one with a king called Sichon, who also refused to let the Israelites pass through his Land. The other war was with King Og, who attacked without any provocation. Both were soundly beaten.

Historical fact and fiction...
The Haftarah takes place a few hundred years later, when the nation of Ammon attacked the Israelites. Yiftach was appointed to lead the Israelites into battle. He first sent messages asking why Ammon had attacked, and that he wished for peace. Ammon replied that some 300 years previously, Israel had fought with Sichon and Og, and seized their lands. I f Israel wished for peace, they should return all the occupied lands. (Sounds familiar?)

Yiftach replied that the wars against Sichon and Og had been defensive in nature, and anyway, Ammon was not a part of Sichon. If they felt that they had a claim against that land, they should have made the claim at the time. Ammon didn't accept Yiftach's argument, attacked - and lost.

Points to Ponder
After striking the rock, Moses and Aaron were told "Because you did not believe in Me, to sanctify Me in the presence of the assembly, therefore, you shall not bring this assembly into the Land of Israel". The Torah then continues: "and He (G-d) was sanctified with them (the waters)".

Was G-d sanctified or not? And why did He say that Moses and Aaron did not believe in Him? Surely that can't be true!

The striking of the rock, followed by the miracle of the water gushing out was indeed a miracle, and thus G-d was sanctified. But had Moses spoken to the rock, the sanctification of G-d would have been even greater. Moses, in a fit of anger, failed to achieve the maximum on this occasion and, being Moses, he was held to account, and it was as if he did not believe.

This message is true for all of us, on whatever level of observance we operate. Those who observe less than we do, or non-Jews, scrutinise our actions carefully. If we deviate from our obvious religious and moral levels, we desecrate G-d's Name, Heaven forbid. But if we more than live up to expectations, G-d's Name is sanctified.

Shabbat Shalom