In this week’s parshah, Parshas Chukas, we encounter a significant event in the life of Moshe and the Jewish People during their journey in the Midbar. It begins with the death of Moshe’s sister, Miriam. Miriam had been a source of inspiration and leadership among klal Yisrael, and her passing marked a moment of mourning and loss for the community.
Following Miriam’s p’tirah, the well that had miraculously provided water for the Yidden throughout their travels in the Midbar disappeared. The lack of water led to the people’s frustration and complaints, directed toward Moshe and his brother, Aharon. They expressed their concerns and anxieties about the scarcity of water, causing a sense of unrest among the nation.
In response to the people’s outcry, Hashem instructed Moshe to gather the community and speak to a rock in order to bring forth water for the people. However, in a moment of anger and frustration, Moshe deviated from Hashem’s specific instructions. Instead of speaking to the rock, he yelled at the people, rebuking them for their lack of emunah, and then struck the rock with his staff, as he had done in a previous incident years earlier.
This act of anger and disobedience carried consequences. Hashem informed Moshe that, due to his actions, he would not be permitted to enter Eretz Yisrael along with the rest of klal Yisrael. Despite Moshe’s extensive dedication and leadership, this incident prevented him from fulfilling the ultimate dream of leading his people into their destined land.
This episode serves as a powerful lesson about the importance of controlling one’s emotions – even for someone as great as Moshe Rabbeinu. His anger resulted in a missed opportunity to witness the culmination of klal Yisrael’s journey to Eretz Yisrael. By reflecting on this story, we can learn the importance of self-control, emotional regulation, and staying true to the hashkafos and values we hold dear – even in difficult situations.
List of People Who Need a r’fuah sh’leimah (a complete recovery)
Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.
Rafael Eliyahu ben Raya Rachel
David ben Liza Leah
Aharon Yirmiyahu ben Perel Peninah
Yaakov ben Leah
Yishak Nissim ben Rosa
Shimon ben Gittel
Zhanna bas Zoya
Leah bas Maria Miriam
Heleni Orna bas Chen Chanah
Esther Hadassah bas Devorah
Zoya bas Richel Raya
Israeli Soldiers (Please recite Psalms 25, 26, 46, 83, 142.)
Yehoshua ben Aliza Esther
Menachem ben Aliza Esther
Gavriel Efraim ben Chanah Yafah
Netantel Akiva ben Chanah Yafah
Yonatan Ezra ben Chanha Yafah
Chaim Aba Menachem ben Naomi Baila
Daniel Moshe ben Devorah
Gavriel Yehudah ben Yaakov
Shmuel ben Aharon
Moshe ben Shoshanah Esther
Yosef Yechiel Ben-Tzion ben Rivkah Beila
Chaim Mordechai ben Sarah Ita
To add names of individuals who need a r’fuah sh’leimah to next week’s T’hilim column, please email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and complete the Google form.
