Chukas: Preparing for the Next Generation of Leaders - Rabbi Reuven Taragin

this week's parasha parsha khukat we read of the strong gezera of baruch who barring moshe and our own from entry into eret israel we would assume that they did something terrible to deserve such a harsh punishment the truth is when you read the it's hard to understand not only what was so terrible about what they did but even what they actually did wrong torah does not make it clear which is why of course famously there's so many different explanations of the richonim what's ironic is they assume they did one thing wrong and yet there are so many things attributed to them because the torah does not make it clear ravenstein pointed out that when you look carefully at the pasuk you note that the possible speaks not about what they did wrong but about what they did not do right it wasn't something wrong that they had done but the fact that they did not create the kiddush hashem that they could have and should have created you get this sense from rashi's formulation as well rashi famously explains that it was the fact that they hit the rock but if you look at what rashi actually the problem was not that they hit the rock the problem was that they did not bring the water out by just speaking to the rock it was the kiddush hashem opportunity that was missed and the takeaway is obvious life is not just about avoiding sin and avoiding mistakes it's also about the goals we should have for ourselves what hashem has for ourselves which is not just the fulfillment of mitzvot but maximizing opportunities to be makadish shem shamayim we see this in many ghazal and in the rishonim for example [Music] not having children person who could have children does not have children it's as if they're a murderer interesting in context of the debate regarding roe versus wade for us it's not just whether the child is considered a human being or not it's the potential to have brought life into the world that we're responsible to take advantage of the same thing regarding chuva mara says that during a person who's 50 50 a banuni it determines then through his actions whether he's at sadiq or khashoggi when the rambam quotes he says if he does so then he said saddaq and if not he's a russian missionary asks why is he a russia if he didn't do juba he should remain 50 50. explains the opportunity to do chuva generates a responsibility to do and if we don't take advantage of it therein lies the hates they are in something so severe that he kept moshe and aaron fermenting into her throat one additional point looking at the passage [Music] hashem explains the lack of hashem was rooted in a lack of full faith obviously moshe aren't believed in a quran there's a level of belief that gives you the strength to feel responsible to maximize opportunities it's believing in hashem and believing in our connection with hashem and responsibility to fulfill his will that should inspire us to take full advantage of opportunities to be makarish let's learn from the severity of this to take advantage of these opportunities to take advantage of the great gift of life that rakersburgh gives us