**The Root of All Evil in This World**
*Primal Distrust vs. Primal Trust, or:
The Story of Moses from the Exodus from Egypt to the Resurrection of the Dead*
---
### Contents
- Preface: 1
- The Entire Story of the Second Creation: 1
- Mishlei - The Poor Man Offers Supplications, and the Rich Man Answers
Harshly: 2
- Shemot - The Rift: 2
- Chukat – Mei Merivah - Primal Distrust: 3
- The Root of All Evil in This World: 6
- Fracture Due to Fatigue: 6
- A Parable – The Broken Wire: 6
---
### Preface
Who am I to make any accusations against *Moshe Rabbeinu*? This is
infinitely far from me. In this text, my aim is to learn and develop a thesis,
supported by sources; under no circumstances do I have any claims against
Moshe. I love him; he is the teacher and master of us all.
And if even he, whom *HaShem* calls “My servant,” had to work so hard on
himself, how much more so must we, who are like atoms before the sun in
comparison to him?
It is equally clear that the great *Mussar* expositors have already said
everything I might say or will say.
I write this for my own edification, to learn and understand the depth of
the text, to see where our Sages derived their wisdom.
And in the hope of inspiring others, and out of the need to share my joy
and love for the holy *Torah*,
for this too is commanded in the *Shema*: *...to learn and to teach... to
guard and to do...*
For this is my way of working on myself.
### The Entire Story of the Second Creation
This story spans from the beginning of *Shemot* – the beginning of the
people of Israel – to the resurrection of the dead, thus the beginning of
paradise.
And there are further parallels in *Tanach*, e.g., Elisha and the messenger
during the siege by Aram. *Melachim* 2, 7:1-2.
The Holy Scripture weaves a story from which we, for our generation – and
indeed all generations – receive a crucial indication of what *HaShem*
considers one of the most important criteria for existence in the Land of
Israel and a condition for entering the World to Come:
It is *primal trust*, respect, and humility, which ultimately lead to
peace.
And so, *Sifrei* in *Parashat Va’etchanan* brings *Mishlei*, the words of
our wise King Solomon, which shall serve here as the overarching theme:
**משלי י"ח:כ"ג**
(כג) תַּחֲנוּנִ֥ים יְדַבֶּר־רָ֑שׁ וְ֝עָשִׁ֗יר יַעֲנֶ֥ה עַזּֽוֹת׃
**Mishlei - The Poor
Man Offers Supplications, and the Rich Man Answers Harshly.**
*Humility is the key.*
This concerns the relationship between the student – the poor beggar in
knowledge and wisdom seeking education – and his *Rebbe*, his teacher, who is
rich in knowledge and wisdom and thus superior.
The student should be aware of his position and speak to his wise teacher
with respect and humility. The teacher, in turn, should be mindful of his
position of power and temper his habit of speaking confidently or in a
commanding tone, so as not to shame the student (*Malbim*).
*Rashi*, however, also relates the text to the relationship between man and
G-d, in line with *Kohelet*: Man is a fleeting, mortal being, and even the
wisest who has studied and experimented for thousands of years is nothing
before HIM, the ETERNAL!
Thus, man must guard himself against speaking disrespectfully to
G-d.
And all the more so with his fellow human beings, who were formed in G-d’s
image.
---
### Shemot - The Rift
The story begins in *Shemot* with a cryptic statement in *Midrash Aggadah*
and *Lekach Tov*.
Moshe was at Pharaoh’s court for the first time, and Pharaoh dramatically
intensified the oppression of Israel.
**שמות ה':כ"ב**
(כב) וַיָּ֧שׇׁב מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶל־יְ־הֹוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֗י לָמָ֤ה הֲרֵעֹ֙תָה֙
לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה שְׁלַחְתָּֽנִי׃
*And Moshe returned to HaShem and said: My Lord, why have You brought harm
to this people, why have You sent me?!*
The *Midrashim* and expositors provide many different facets of Moshe’s
motives and thoughts. Yet one aspect remains a dark spot, or rather a tiny flaw
or rift in the fabric of the world.
Moshe spoke out of turn to *HaShem*, his *Rebbe*, the Creator of the world.
He was angry with HIM and made accusations.
*How could he?*
As stated in *Midrash Aggadah*:
**מדרש אגדה (בובר) שמות ה':כ"ג**
(כג) ומאז באתי אל פרעה לדבר בשמך – שמך הנורא רפואה וחיים לכל העולם, ושמך הרע
לעם הזה, ומה יעשו והם נתונים ביד מצריים, אמר לו הקב"ה עתה תראה מה אני עושה לפרעה ולמצריים,
אבל לאחד ושלשים [מלכים] אין אתה רואה.
*From the moment I came to Pharaoh to speak in YOUR Name – YOUR
awe-inspiring Name, which brings healing and life to the entire world, and for
this people it has brought harm, and what shall the people do, delivered into
the hands of the Egyptians?*
*The Holy One, blessed be He, answered him: Now you will see what I will do
to Pharaoh and the Egyptians, but the thirty-one [kings] you will not
see.*
HIS response in the verse:
**שמות ו':א'**
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה
עַתָּ֣ה תִרְאֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֖ה לְפַרְעֹ֑ה כִּ֣י בְיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙
יְשַׁלְּחֵ֔ם וּבְיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֔ה יְגָרְשֵׁ֖ם מֵאַרְצֽוֹ׃
*And HaShem said to Moshe: Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh, for
with a strong hand I will send them, and with a strong hand I will drive them
out of his land.*
And *Lekach Tov*, much more clearly:
**לקח טוב שמות ו':א'**
ויאמר ה' אל משה עתה תראה אשר
אעשה לפרעה – א"ל הקב"ה אתה אמרת והצל
לא הצלת בחייך אתה תראה במפלת פרעה ולא תראה במפלת שלשים ואחד מלכים, שעתיד יהושע
תלמידך להלחם בהם.
*And HaShem said to Moshe: Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh – the
Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You said, “Rescue? You have not rescued
them!” By your life, you will see the fall of Pharaoh, but the fall of
the thirty-one kings you will not see, for Yehoshua, your student, will fight
them in the future.*
*(Note: And in the subtext of the larger context: Destruction, exile,
suffering.)*
*(Alexander: This recalls Elisha, the siege of Samaria, and his prophecy:
You will see tomorrow, but you will not partake!)*
At this point in the *Torah*, we cannot understand this
statement.
We’ve only just begun! The people are at the lowest point of their
servitude, trapped in unspeakable suffering!
Who is thinking about the end of world history now?
The Creator of the world!
HE shows us here once again (*Isaiah 55:8*):
**ישעיהו נ"ה:ח'**
(ח) כִּ֣י לֹ֤א מַחְשְׁבוֹתַי֙ מַחְשְׁב֣וֹתֵיכֶ֔ם וְלֹ֥א דַרְכֵיכֶ֖ם
דְּרָכָ֑י נְאֻ֖ם יְי׃
*For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says
HaShem.*
There follow many small, medium, and very large rebellions, all of which
have one thing in common: the insolent language, the boundless exaggeration of
an assumed evil intent of the Creator to destroy the people.
Where do these outbursts come from?
It is the poison of the *Satan*, the poison of doubt and suspicion.
Ultimately, a lack of respect and loyalty to *HaShem*.
And where do these come from?
According to the text, from this very moment, where Moshe opened a tiny
rift in the fabric of the newly emerging* world.
*See also *Parashat Vayishlach*, the splitting of the Sea of Reeds. We
witness the creation of an entirely new world, in which *HaShem*’s presence on
earth becomes directly evident.
---
### Chukat – Mei Merivah - Primal Distrust
*The central focus.*
*Mei Merivah* – The Waters of Strife.
Water is also *Torah*. Thus, this is about a fundamental rebellion against
the holy *Torah*.
Which rebellion? The one mentioned above, driven by *primal distrust*
instead of *primal trust*.
There was no water again, this time after Miriam passed away, and no one
mourned.
This is also the reason for the water shortage.
*HaShem* says: You do not honor the righteous woman, and you behave as if
there were no *Torah*. I will take the water from you, for *Torah* is like
water.
The people cry out insolently, and Moshe, once again, falls on his face
before *HaShem* and pleads.
What follows is an event that, when viewed in isolation, barely makes
sense.
Moshe loses his composure for a few minutes, and he and Aaron are severely
punished for a seemingly minor transgression. They must die outside the Land of
Israel, and their graves will never be known before the time of the *Messiah*.
The reason: *You did not believe in ME, to sanctify ME before the eyes
of the people!*
**במדבר כ':ז'**
(ז) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
(ח) קַ֣ח אֶת־הַמַּטֶּ֗ה וְהַקְהֵ֤ל אֶת־הָעֵדָה֙ אַתָּה֙ וְאַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִ֔יךָ
וְדִבַּרְתֶּ֧ם אֶל־הַסֶּ֛לַע לְעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם וְנָתַ֣ן מֵימָ֑יו וְהוֹצֵאתָ֨ לָהֶ֥ם
מַ֙יִם֙ מִן־הַסֶּ֔לַע וְהִשְׁקִיתָ֥ אֶת־הָעֵדָ֖ה וְאֶת־בְּעִירָֽם׃
(ט) וַיִּקַּ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־הַמַּטֶּ֖ה מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְ־הֹוָ֑ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר
צִוָּֽהוּ׃
(י) וַיַּקְהִ֜לוּ מֹשֶׁ֧ה וְאַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַקָּהָ֖ל אֶל־פְּנֵ֣י הַסָּ֑לַע
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ם שִׁמְעוּ־נָא֙ הַמֹּרִ֔ים הֲמִן־הַסֶּ֣לַע הַזֶּ֔ה נוֹצִ֥יא
לָכֶ֖ם מָֽיִם׃
(יא) וַיָּ֨רֶם מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־יָד֗וֹ וַיַּ֧ךְ אֶת־הַסֶּ֛לַע בְּמַטֵּ֖הוּ
פַּעֲמָ֑יִם וַיֵּצְאוּ֙ מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֔ים וַתֵּ֥שְׁתְּ הָעֵדָ֖ה וּבְעִירָֽם׃
(יב) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְ־הֹוָה֮ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן֒
יַ֚עַן לֹא־הֶאֱמַנְתֶּ֣ם בִּ֔י לְהַ֨קְדִּישֵׁ֔נִי לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל
לָכֵ֗ן לֹ֤א תָבִ֙יאוּ֙ אֶת־הַקָּהָ֣ל הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי
לָהֶֽם׃
*And HaShem said to Moshe and Aaron: Because you did not believe in Me, to sanctify Me before the eyes of the
Children of Israel, therefore you will not lead this congregation into the
land I have promised them.*
(יג) הֵ֚מָּה מֵ֣י מְרִיבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־רָב֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶת־יְי
וַיִּקָּדֵ֖שׁ בָּֽם׃
*These are the waters of Strife, where the Children of Israel contended with
HaShem, and He was sanctified through them.*
And here we find a clear statement. It is about the public demonstration of
unwavering faith, of *PRIMAL TRUST IN HASHEM* – THE
CREATOR OF ALL THAT IS – through the precise execution of a command. And why was
the command not executed as given? Apparently due to a lack of humility? Or for
the same reason that the earth, on the third day of creation, did not produce
“fruitful trees bearing fruit” but rather “fruit trees with fruit”?
We will receive a compelling answer from *Or HaChayim* toward the end of
the exposition! *Patience!*
**בראשית א':י"א**
(יא) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים תַּֽדְשֵׁ֤א הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ דֶּ֗שֶׁא עֵ֚שֶׂב מַזְרִ֣יעַ
זֶ֔רַע עֵ֣ץ פְּרִ֞י עֹ֤שֶׂה פְּרִי֙ לְמִינ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ
וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃
(יב) וַתּוֹצֵ֨א הָאָ֜רֶץ דֶּ֠שֶׁא עֵ֣שֶׂב מַזְרִ֤יעַ זֶ֙רַע֙ לְמִינֵ֔הוּ
וְעֵ֧ץ עֹֽשֶׂה־פְּרִ֛י אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ לְמִינֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים
כִּי־טֽוֹב׃
What, then, was lacking with Pharaoh? Apparently, as we learn from the text
here and the associated *Midrashim*: Moshe’s absolutely unwavering faith and
trust in *HaShem*.
For a moment, Moshe’s trust in his all-benevolent *FATHER* was shaken, a
tiny rift emerged – and the *Satan* systematically exploited it.
This trail that Moshe laid there allowed the people later, repeatedly and
continuously, at every opportunity, to pour more poison into this rift, until
the great sins; breaches that ultimately led to the exclusion of Moshe and the
entire generation of the wilderness from the Land of Israel. And consequently,
to the destruction of the Temples, to exile, and to 2,000 years of suffering
and banishment for all nations.
*Midrash Rabbah* also brings another instance, with the event of the
quails:
**במדבר י"א:כ"ב**
(כא) וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף רַגְלִי הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי
בְּקִרְבּוֹ וְאַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ בָּשָׂר אֶתֵּן לָהֶם וְאָכְלוּ חֹדֶשׁ יָמִים.
(כב) הֲצֹאן וּבָקָר יִשָּׁחֵט לָהֶם וּמָצָא לָהֶם אִם אֶת כׇּל דְּגֵי הַיָּם
יֵאָסֵף לָהֶם וּמָצָא לָהֶם.
(כג) וַיֹּאמֶר יְי אֶל מֹשֶׁה הֲיַד יְ־הֹוָה תִּקְצָר עַתָּ֣ה תִרְאֶ֔ה
הֲיִקְרְךָ דְבָרִי אִם לֹא.
*Midrash Rabbah* asks:
*Why did this behavior of Moshe not lead to catastrophe?*
Its answer:
*Because Moshe spoke privately with HaShem about the quails, but publicly
expressed anger at the water.*
*Note: We also learn here, incidentally, how severe it is to publicly
insult or shame a person! See the laws, especially the *Chofetz Chaim*,
Guarding the Tongue (*Shmirat HaLashon*).*
**במדבר רבה מחולק לפסוקים במדבר כ':י"ב**
[י] יַעַן לֹא הֶאֱמַנְתֶּם בִּי – וְכִי לֹא אָמַר דָּבָר קָשֶׁה מִזֶּה,
שֶׁאָמַר: הֲצֹאן וּבָקָר יִשָּׁחֵט לָהֶם וּמָצָא לָהֶם אִם אֶת כָּל דְּגֵי
הַיָּם יֵאָסֵף לָהֶם וּמָצָא לָהֶם (במדבר י"א:כ"ב), אַף שָׁם אֵין אֲמָנָה וְהִיא
גְדוֹלָה מִזּוֹ, מִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא גָזַר עָלָיו שָׁם. לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה,
לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ אוֹהֵב וְהָיָה מֵגֵס בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין הַמֶּלֶךְ בִּדְבָרִים
קָשִׁים וְלֹא הִקְפִּיד הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו, לְיָמִים עָמַד וְהֵגֵס בְּמַעֲמָד
לִגְיוֹנוֹת, גָּזַר עָלָיו מִיתָה. אַף כָּךְ אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא
לְמשֶׁה, הָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ בֵּינִי לְבֵינְךָ, עַכְשָׁו כְּנֶגֶד
הָרַבִּים אִי אֶפְשָׁר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: לְהַקְדִּישֵׁנִי לְעֵינֵי בְּנֵי
יִשְׂרָאֵל.
**Bamidbar Rabbah 20:12, Midrash 13:**
Why Moshe must be buried outside Israel, to then lead the generation of the
wilderness at the resurrection of the dead.
**במדבר רבה מחולק לפסוקים במדבר כ':י"ב**
[יג] אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה בְּאֵיזֶה פָּנִים אַתָּה
מְבַקֵּשׁ לִכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ, מָשָׁל לְרוֹעֶה שֶׁיָּצָא לִרְעוֹת צֹאנוֹ שֶׁל
מֶלֶךְ וְנִשְׁבֵּית הַצֹּאן, בִּקֵּשׁ הָרוֹעֶה לִכָּנֵס לַפַּלְטֵרִין שֶׁל
מֶלֶךְ, אָמַר לוֹ הַמֶלֶךְ אִם אַתְּ נִכְנַס עַכְשָׁו מַה יֹּאמְרוּ
הַבְּרִיּוֹת שֶׁאַתָּה הִשְׁבֵּיתָ הַצֹּאן. אַף כָּאן אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ
בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, שִׁבְחֲךָ הוּא שֶׁהוֹצֵאתָ שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא
וּקְבַרְתָּם בַּמִּדְבָּר, וְאַתְּ מַכְנִיס דּוֹר אַחֵר, עַכְשָׁיו יֹאמְרוּ
אֵין לְדוֹר הַמִּדְבָּר חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, אֶלָּא תְּהֵא בְּצִדָּן וְתָבוֹא
עִמָּהֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֵּתֵא רָאשֵׁי עָם צִדְקַת ה' עָשָׂה (דברים ל"ג:כ"א), לְכָךְ
כְּתִיב: לֹא תָבִיאוּ אֶת הַקָּהָל הַזֶּה, אֶלָּא שֶׁיָּצָא עִמָּךְ.
*The Holy One, blessed be He, spoke to Moshe: “With what claim do you seek
to enter the land? A parable: A shepherd went out to tend the king’s flock, and
the flock was taken captive. The shepherd sought to enter the king’s palace.
The king said to him: ‘If you enter now, what will people say? That you caused
the flock to be taken captive.’ So too here, the Holy One, blessed be He, said
to Moshe: ‘Your glory is that you led out six hundred thousand and buried them
in the wilderness, and now you would bring another generation into the land?
Now they will say that the generation of the wilderness has no share in the
World to Come. Instead, stay by their side and come with them, as it is said:
He came with the heads of the people, he executed the righteousness of HaShem
(Deuteronomy 33:21).’ Therefore, it is written: You shall not bring this
congregation into the land, but rather that they went out with you.”*
*Devarim 33:21* is a verse from the blessing for Gad. And Moshe is buried
in the territory of Gad.
From this, we understand the verse according to the above *Midrash*.
**דברים ל"ג:כ"א**
(כא) וַיַּ֤רְא רֵאשִׁית֙ ל֔וֹ כִּי־שָׁ֛ם חֶלְקַ֥ת מְחֹקֵ֖ק סָפ֑וּן וַיֵּתֵא֙
רָ֣אשֵׁי עָ֔ם צִדְקַ֤ת יי
עָשָׂ֔ה וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֖יו עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
*(21) He secured the first part for himself, for there the portion of the
lawgiver was reserved. He came with the heads of the people. He executed the
righteousness of HaShem, His ordinances with Israel.*
Moshe is buried in Gad’s territory. Thus, the blessing also pertains to
Gad.
The lawgiver is Moshe. He came with the heads: those spies who ultimately
brought about his downfall.
He implemented *HaShem*’s righteousness: He anchored and enacted *HaShem*’s
laws in Israel, even when it came to his own death and banishment from Israel
until the resurrection of the dead.
See also *Va’etchanan*:
**דברים א':ל"ז**
(לז) גַּם־בִּי֙ הִתְאַנַּ֣ף יְי בִּגְלַלְכֶ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר גַּם־אַתָּ֖ה
לֹא־תָבֹ֥א שָֽׁם׃
*Also against me, HaShem was angry because of you, saying: You too shall
not enter there.*
**דברים ד':כ"א**
(כא) וַֽיי הִתְאַנַּף־בִּ֖י עַל־דִּבְרֵיכֶ֑ם וַיִּשָּׁבַ֗ע לְבִלְתִּ֤י עׇבְרִי֙
אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וּלְבִלְתִּי־בֹא֙ אֶל־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר֙ יְי
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַחֲלָֽה׃
*Also against me, HaShem was angry because of your words, swearing that I
shall not cross the Jordan and shall not enter the good land that HaShem your
G-d has promised you as an inheritance.*
**The Root of All Evil in This World:**
*In the primal distrust of humanity, which we must transform into primal
trust!*
On the first verse in *Devarim*, *Or HaChayim HaKadosh* says:
*Summarized:*
The people wept without cause at the spies’ report (*note: and this
baseless weeping stemmed from the same root as Moshe’s protest at Pharaoh, as
we will soon see*), and therefore the Temple was destroyed on the same day,
*Tisha B’Av*, and many other catastrophes and exiles occurred, becoming
reality.
In *Sotah*, the Talmud says that if Moshe had entered the land and built
the Temple, *HaShem* would not have been able to vent His anger over the
idolatry of the Children of Israel on stones and wood, as everything Moshe
built is eternal and indestructible. Thus, He, blessed be His Name, would have
had to pour out His anger on the sinners, and Israel would have
perished.
Therefore, *HaShem* decreed that Moshe must be buried outside the Land of
Israel.
And thus, Moshe says: *Because of you.* For if the Children
of Israel, on that night, had transformed their distrust, resentment, and
suspicion toward *HaShem* and Moshe into *primal trust*, favor, and joy (*–
note: as Moshe hoped through the mission of the spies –*), then Moshe would
have directly entered the land with them, there would never have been an
opening or even a trace of a rift in the fabric of the world, the *Satan* would
have had no opportunity to cause the people to stumble, and the time of the
*Messiah* would have begun immediately.
And now *Or HaChayim* says something even more profound:
Even after the sin of that night, if Moshe had found the strength at the
rock to do exactly as *HaShem* commanded, to overcome his anger and
speak clearly to the rock before striking it:
*HaShem* would have annulled the
decree, He would have restored all of Israel to the state before the sin, and
the time of the *Messiah* would have begun immediately!
**אור החיים דברים א':ל"ז**
(לז) גם בי התאנף ה' בגללכם וגו' – קשה והלא לא מצינו שהתאנף ה' על משה בעון
המרגלים, ורמב"ן פי' ואמר ועוד
הוספתם להרע פעם אחרת עד שגרמתם להתאנף בי ע"כ, ואין דבריו נראים כי רואני שעדיין הוא
מדבר בענין המרגלים שכן אמר הכתוב אחר זה וטפכם אשר אמרתם וגו' עד סוף הפ' והוא
מדבר בענין המרגלים ולמה הפסיק בתוך הענין בשלא כענין, ומה שהליץ הרב שרצה להזכיר
יחד הנמנעים מעבור הארץ שהם היו גרמא לזה, לא ידעתי מה הנאה יש בזה.
והנכון הוא על פי דבריהם ז"ל (תענית כ"ט.) שאמרו בפסוק
(במדבר י"ד א') ויבכו העם
בלילה וגו' קבעו בכיה לדורות כי ליל תשעה באב היתה שבו נחרב הבית, ואמרו עוד (סוטה
ט'.) שאם היה נכנס משה לארץ והיה בונה בית המקדש לא היה הבית נחרב שאין אומה ולשון
נוגעת בו, ואמרו עוד (מדרש תהלים עט) בפסוק מזמור לאסף אלהים באו גוים וגו' וז"ל קינה מבעי ליה אלא
על שהשליך חמתו על עצים ואבנים, מעתה אם היה נכנס משה לארץ והיה בונה בית המקדש
ולהשליך חמתו עליו לא אפשר כנזכר ויחר אף ה' בשונאי ישראל ויהיה כליונם במקום
חורבן הבית, לזה גזר ה' בגזרת המרגלים גם על משה שימות במדבר, והוא אומרו גם בי
התאנף ה' בגללכם פירוש בגלגול דברים שלכם כי אם לא היה עון המרגלים והיו נכנסים
אפשר שהיה נכנס משה עמהם והגם שיבנה בית המקדש אין מיחוש כי לא נתגבר בחינת הרע
והיו עומדים בצדקם בארץ, אלא מאמצעות עון מרגלים גברה יד רשעה וידע ה' כי לא יעמדו
בצדק וצא ולמד משירת האזינו.
ואם תאמר והלא רואני שמיתת
משה היתה על מי מריבה, כבר כתבתי שם שאם משה היה מקדש שמו יתברך היו ישראל חוזרים
לטהרתם שהיו בו קודם חטא המרגלים באמצעות קידוש ה' הגדול והיה ה' מתיר שבועת משה
והיה נכנס לארץ ובונה בית המקדש מכון לשבתו עולמים.
**Fracture Due to Fatigue:**
Had Moshe spoken differently at the event with Pharo and not made
accusations against HIM, the *ETERNAL*, the history of the world would have
been written differently, according to *Or HaChayim*.
We now know that the root of Moshe’s banishment from the Land of Israel
lies precisely in this event.
*How so?*
Had he been able to fully maintain his *primal trust* in the *FATHER* here,
asked the Almighty a question with respect and propriety, or expressed his
suffering, no flaw would have appeared in the fabric of world history.
**A Parable – The Broken Wire:**
How does one break a copper wire, or any other metal wire, without a
cutting tool?
You place the thumb and index finger of one hand at the point where you
want to break it and begin bending the wire back and forth with the other hand.
Eventually, it breaks.
*Why?*
Every wire consists of a composite of metal crystals. These have the
tiniest edges and flaws on their surface, only a few atoms thick. When you
start bending the wire, the material is alternately compressed and stretched,
and these flaws begin to grow, becoming microcracks, then minicracks, until the
material finally breaks.
*Exactly so here:*
Moshe’s protest gave the *Satan* a tiny opening, a path to introduce the
poison of distrust and doubt. With every subsequent opportunity – see the
previous *parsha*, the various sins of Israel – the situation worsened. Doubt,
protest, envy, and distrust could grow.
And ultimately, the great sins – the golden calf, *Korach*, the spies – led
to the people as a whole no longer being worthy to live with Moshe and the
eternal Temple in the Land of Israel.
*(For whatever Moshe built is eternal. And so the Temple would have been
eternal, and the people might have been more immune to the attacks of the Satan.)*
This was already achieved with the spies. And then the event at the Waters
of *strife* was the last opportunity *HaShem* gave to Moshe, Aaron, and the
people to reverse the original cause of the problem – *naafochu* (to turn it
into its opposite).
We learn here how immense the responsibility is for those who lead the
people and rise higher and higher, closer to the *ETERNAL*.
**A Theory:**
Had Moshe spoken differently at Pharaoh, perhaps we could today – living
with the Eternal Temple and in *Gan Eden* – not break a copper wire through
fatigue?!
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