Moshe Rabeinu | Rabbi Neil Winkler | July 10th 2025

uh the sponsors for all of today's classes um is is a dedication in memory of the the the father and grandfather Ralph Ralph um Pierre Kartz from the Pier family and Abraham Moshia of Moral of Shalom 14th Tam Tamuz is uh today that's his theory was born in Germany arrived in the United States at the age of eight and he served on the highest levels of the government and together with their mother they instilled uh the children the Jewish identity and a love of Israel and therefore we are dedicating for the aliyah of the shama of Abam Moshe Morai. Now, some of you have kept LA, yes, last week's um source sheets. If you have not, I will give them out here. Okay. Um I'm going to give this. You have yours or No, you have it. Good. So, there's Okay, you want one? All right. Good. I told you that these uh this this lecture, this approach, this year is going not going to be a one time year, which is why we barely got finished with the first third of it just um uh last week. Uh and just to review and uh refresh your memories as to what we were talking about in discussing why the punishment was such as it was put this uh uh for Moshe because he he hit a rock instead of talking to the rock which is the basic approach and which as we went through the specific um the specific shall we say um plan program that God had told Moshe, I want you to do this and this and this. There were five things he was told to to do to bring them water. He did four out of the five and but the third one which is to talk to the rock and he hit the rock. So that was what's wrong and that's why most people say that seems to be the problem. But either way, um, it was problematic because it just doesn't seem to be, uh, as both Gilbert and Sullivan would say, a punishment that would fit the crime. Um, not so many people will see that, you know, punishment fits the crime. Anyway, so um, it's maccado. Um so therefore many of the um look and search for another reason uh some other thing that may have caused God to be upset. In fact as we I I pointed out later on in Kanan when Moshe says okay I made a mistake but help me out. let me go into the land after he had been punished not to do so. And God doesn't simply say no, I'm sorry. He says that Moshe tells a story saying that God got very angry doesn't find is not found often. You have Evra meaning meaning very of anger tremendous anger bear Rashi others say that he filled like he filled himself with anger like an isa like a a pregnant woman that's how it's just filled with anger and he told Moshe no that little hitting rock just doesn't fulfill this at least satisfy us for a reason for Moshe to be so upset I mean for God to be so upset with Moshe. Um and while going through that statement we have in Kanan, we found a crucial word which sort of made us and that was when that God claimed Moshe that Mo Moshe claimed in telling the people what happened that he was refused that that request to go into the land even asking please to God a second time. It says, "So God got got very angry at me and Rashi says right there because of you big because of your fault that that happened." Very difficult difficult thing to imagine that we saw what happened. It says God anger at Moshe and Moshe said, "Yeah, it wasn't me. It was your guys." You know that's not a moer thing to do to blame others for a mistake that he himself made. And therefore we began to um search and search and search and the verse that Rashi brings down and I did this toward the end of the class comes from to prove his point and there inim it doesn't say um that you know it doesn't say as he that Rashi says it means big you caused it which is what he says but the says that they got angry at and things went bad for Moshe. Now does not mean does not mean as Rashi says that you caused it to happen. Lem as a better explanation actually a very clear is for your sake. God got angry with me not because of you but for your own sake. Yes, I made the mistake and I I had to be punished because that would be better for you. That approach is a fascinating one and a very important one. So I began by telling you let's see what are the possibilities that a make God so angry at Moshe and B why was it considered not as Rashi says because it was the fault of B Israel but rather as a Tahilim indicates that B that it was for the better benefit of Israel. So that's in it's in it's actually in tahim. I think I have that down here. I'm sorry. I just um wherever it says I don't you know I may not it was just a short one so I may not have included it. Yeah. No I didn't include it because but Rashi uses it anyway. the quotation of Ra that Rashi has. I think I have I do have that quotation where he says [Music] um come on come on come on maybe not but Rashi says that and he quotes that that to him. So at any rate it's if you really want to know specifically I can tell you exactly where it is. Okay. But anyway, um we went through the different approaches, the approaches of Ibenezra, of the Rambam and the Ramban. And then I brought to you uh what I felt was a very very fascinating approach that of the Rashbam. Rashbam was actually uh the grandson of Rashi, grandson of Rashi. He uh he was about 20 years old and Rashi who was nefarashi passed away in the year of uh 1105. He was born in 1040. He died in 1105. Uh the rash bomb was born in 1085 about 20 years before Rashid died. Uh he had a brother by the name of Rabinotam. Rabinota Tom was born in about the year 1100. He was about 5 years old and his grandfather died. And if you know those who have learned Gamarra, I know Tom was probably the greatest genius of the Toapo. Um and and they disagree about different things. But at any rate, the Rashbam's uh approach was always one of he always looks for the most direct understanding of what the simple text says. and he brings the source that we found uh here the um I want to see exactly what it is. Okay, that it's based upon Rashi. I'm sorry. The text tells us that when God says that you're being punished and you will not be able to lead the people into the land, which we generally means that he weren't allowed to go into the land. Although I pointed out that at that point it doesn't seem that he says you can't go in that you can't lead it, but later on it seems clear that it would happen. Um anyway uh that that we find that at the text there in the 20th uh perk of Bidbar in fact that we have it in our first source that it says in the um second to the last verse the 12th verse there in source number one by Hashem El Moshe Haron that Moshe that God tells both Moshe and Haroni because you failed to I'll give the usual um explanation which I think is the incorrect one the translation you failed to have enough faith in me liaki to bring to to sanctify my name to sanctify me in the ben is and the eyes of the people. Therefore, you will not bring these people into the land that I've given them. That's it. And this also opens question because it's telling that that what Moshe did and what Aharon did failed to sanctify God. That too is a question. the the clear and assumption is for those who take this simple approach that well he shouldn't have hit the because he when you were in the first year and the first time when it happened and God and Moshe hit the rock as he was told to and the water came out. That was the first generation. Now it's 40 years later, 39 years later. And when this happens, God purposely told them, "Don't hit the rock." Why do you think there's any sanctification one way the other? It's a miracle. I hit a rock and water comes out. I talk to a rock and water comes out. What is the big difference? So, I think you could figure this one out. Can you imagine what what impre impact would it hap on happen to people when it hits the water comes out or he simply says water come out and the water comes out that second one is a lot more powerful to those who take this uh and that's why perhaps it's the most popular approach that the sin was that he hid it because had he spoken to it would have been a greater miracle and the people of Israel would have been even sanctified they would have sanctified God's name even more in realizing what an amazing thing happened that so that is why God got angry and so on and so forth but again as we pointed out it's difficult to think that that m and I say it as a minor difference they would have taken such a such a a a rather radical punishment and as I pointed out again remember what what Moshe had done over for 40 years what he did for them he he and you know what I would understand why Moshe would have did what he did yeah maybe he didn't hear God well didn't listen well but why would God have told him told him I'm Moshe and I'm not I'm Moshe but if Moshe hears from God take the staff and go of the rock. What is he going to think? He's going to sing a lullaby to the staff. Why would God want him to take the staff? Obviously, like he didn't not 39 years ago. Why don't you watch me hit the the rock? It's only logical if God didn't want him to hit the rock. Why does he say take the staff? That would have been the logical thing. So I un you know we I try to understand and trying to understand that it Moshe you know it was not that far off. It's understandable why he would do that and given the fact that you can understand why he would get confused about that. Why would he God after all want me to bring a stick if he doesn't want me to use the stick to hit the So why would he guess it's a terrible punishment and then beyond that this Yeah. Okay. It would have been better if he spoke to it. I mean someone to say you didn't show show you you didn't sanctify God by hitting a run. That's a pretty good thing to do. He got the water came out. Uh I think it was the Ramban who says one of the he said the lack of sanctifying Israel is that because he hit him twice. If he did it the first time, oh but he hit it twice. It's as if God couldn't pick it up the first time. Kenzine it could be either way. There are problems still in the entire approach and that's what we did. So that's where we get to both theuni and the rashba. These are not in sources either. Um both of them said that the our big misunderstanding is based upon ham the staff. And as I pointed out to you, almost always whenever God wanted uh Moshe to use a staff, he would say or take the mate the staff that you you you hit the river with. He was very specific. I don't know. And I I was in the middle of looking it up, but I didn't finish. I don't know if he ever refers to Mosha's staff as h and not ma. I think maybe at le says don't ma which would make sense. It says the staff and I pointed out to you I think I did but if I didn't now I'm going to do it and if I did so I'm going to do it again because this is an essential essential opening to a whole different approach to what most people have in this sin and I think a much more satisfying Moshe sin was not hitting once or twice. but rather the fact that he ignored a direction given by God sometime before about how to handle people who rebel against him and God. Moshe saw the people as being rebels, which by the way, one could argue they were not. If you have no water for your children, you know, just a matter that you the dishwasher won't work. I mean, we're talking about life and death. It's understandable that you go to your leader and says, "Well, what's happening here?" So, Moshe clearly a little uh upset, maybe uh needlessly so. He not only got angry with them, he got angry with them by calling them shimuna. Listen to me, ham, you rebels. That's a strong strong thing to say. Huh? Moa. Yeah. Oh yeah. Mo, right? I told you don't don't confuse that with teachers. But anyway, um they and the say because he wasn't supposed to take his staff, which he did. I thought he took the staff of our own. No, that's what I said that he should have done back in Koraka Korak when even after the the whole punishment of Korak and his cohorts and Datan and Avi and his followers that Korak and his uh cohorts who tried to be kohanim and they tried to offer up the ctor which the holiest of all things one that a kohhane could And they cla said only one person could do that. They said, "Well, we're all the 250 of them thought they're going to be the Coeno." And uh as soon as they do that, they were all burned. Fire gone. And the Datan Avi, you know, went to check exactly where the Iranians were hiding the their uranium. they they were swallowed in in in the uh in the land in the earth. Um after that one would have imagined that Benet Israel would have been pretty impressed. Okay, just kidding. We didn't join them. We're okay. But there was a group of people who said these are wonderful people. Hashem, you have murdered God's people. That's what they were telling Mosha. Didn't Did you see what happened? Did you know what Mosha said? No. No. You're the lead leader and has happened throughout history. It's your fault. You shouldn't have killed them. Shouldn't have killed them. And you killed them. And they're a holy people after all. They wanted to be kohanim. Weren't so terrible. You know they were. And I mean God had it up to here. I mean, he didn't have it here, but he obviously takes Arabs up and he starts a um there's a plague. In the end, he says, "This is how you're going to stop it." He said, "I have to prove to the people that what I say and what you say are the same thing that you do and follow what I say." So what we're going to do since there were people who claimed they should be a cohane they should do all these things they should be the leaders or let's tag every head that the head of each tribe would take it's her their staff the staff was really um one that that was the like a flag of each tribe fact speaks about each flag or look If you ever see some of the artwork that people have offered with me, each of the play the tribes have a color or have some sort of a thing. It's based upon what Digmar says and I think it's Zor also of what it looks like. So each of them had a flag that was held up so that when people are you know after they went to the restaurant and they have to go home at night they say where's my tribe and they see a flag going up. Ah there we are and they recognize where they're camping and that's what it is. Anyway, they had to take these staffs and he said, "Bring them to the holiest place we have here in the desert, which is the Aon." Therefore, you know what's in the Aron? By the way, you are aware that the is what? The tablet, right? Exactly. Tabas, ten commandments are there. Can't get much better than that. um and place the staffs overnight by the by you know the uh holy ark and in the morning go and see if any or actually which one of the staffs began to blossom. It just wasn't just a you know a a clearly cut and some piece of stick. It was a branch. see which branch of this begins to put forth blossoms and so on and so forth. They do that. Next morning, of course, which one? Well, okay. Aharons was the only staff that blossomed and they all saw that. They also nobody went and started planting it overnight and they came and they saw that and they took it out of the um um next to the own the old way. So they went and saw what it was and said this will prove to them that uh that you are the chosen that our God has chose you. That's why he made a miracle on that staff. And then he goes and keep this staff here Mary. So it will be a sign to anyone who dares to rebel that I've touched to do these things. And so they said you see that and they'll remember and remember that age. Along comes years later or maybe months later because this happens in co-op. We don't know exactly what time and that happened between year two to year 40. Um there's a difference in so along comes this complaints that they have no water and um Moshe gets angry and Moshe calls them you rebels. What does God tell him to do? What had I told him take the staff that I told you would be the signs for any rebels that I have done this and this will stop and it says it was their complaints will stop that's all what does he do doesn't listen to that whether he forgot or whatever in his anger which is also a problem he takes the wrong staff this is what the rash bomb says he took He took his own staff instead of our owns. And that's why it doesn't work. That's why the board didn't come out at first. He had to hit a towel twice. Mos God said, "I don't want Mosha to get too embarrassed here. I have to have so he let it come out." One would argue perhaps that because they took the wrong staff. That's why the miracle isn't going to work the way God wanted it to work. Uh and that therefore was the sin. And that I think is a very very and the um the statement therefore of God says you failed sheni to sanctify me may not have anything to do with hitting or talking or anything but rather because you didn't do what I told them would do. take the right staff, put the staff there and that would be exactly what I told them would happen and that would sanctify me. And by not doing that, that was a sin. That was a sin. As I said, you won't find many people saying it. It is the approach of both the kuni and the rash bomb. I think it's a powerful one and it's really something that um is far more satisfying in my simple belief that in in giving the reasons why and there may have been more than one reason but that's just a wonderful um starting or at least to really complete the picture. There's something else that happens here. When God first tells them loving them, it would seem to imply that there is a lack in the leadership. Your sin was not a sin of a human of of a regular one of the guys, you know, it was a it was a a lack of prop of of leadership. That lack of leadership wasn't simply that you took the wrong stick. The lack of leadership, I would imagine, is your anger and your immediate response to the problem. As I pointed out in the very beginning, the lack of water for a nation in a desert. Now, they stopped off in different places. By the way, these different places weren't all rock and sand. They were basically oa o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o oases but there was always water for them whether it's a bear Miriam was always there with them. Um but the fact that they no longer have water and as Mali will tell us all that's because who just died? Miriam and Miriam not only had the name had in her her name just take the race off and it me you me put the race in there it's Miriam. Anyway, that was the gift of course her her the saintly um Miriam um Nivea that was because of her God had granted Israel the water that would be with him at all times and she died and therefore you know impacting to the people what how important that death was what it meant anyway uh it's understandable they're going to get upset and as a good leader you could handle that differently. We pointed it out the the times before uh in in this in a few part before in the earlier years admittedly you have the stories of the hata where Moshe Moshe said I I can't do it anymore and it doesn't yell and scream because they're all rebels. He said it's it's too heavy of of a burden for one person to do and that he goes to God and says that and he even says you know I'd rather die than have to see this with my wonderful people that was a leadership who speaks someone who actually was willing to give up himself for the people and God says okay and he gave them 70 uh leaders to help Moshe Then in wrote when his brother and sister complained about Rosha, right? Um and in in the of the you know where the where Yoshua and Khal come and speak when our own and Moshe fall to their face. Something is beginning to happen. We get 70 leaders now. brother and sister are complaining and now um they can't handle the Moragim and they have two others who take the who who lead it right Mosh Yoshua and K and then so comes comes Korak and and again Moshe can't handle it Mosha now they can't handle it they fall their faces again something is happening The memory va was perhaps the last straw as God sees that the the leadership of Moshe from year one is not the same as the leadership of Moshe in year 40. And um that's why it means when it say that when says that Moses said and God punished me for your sake for your sake. I was not the right leader. I did I was not I was no longer behaving like a leader should. Who said that? Moshe himself said Moshe says God got angry at me which rashi says oh because of you but as I pointed out it means for your sake for your benefit. And if we understand that that because Moshe is Moshe and he saw I goofed. I I I recognize myself, my sin. More than that, I've recognized that perhaps I'm not the same Moshe who I was with the same patience that I had 40 years ago. I mean, who would blame him? I would. I understand that. But he was able to recognize that and not blame somebody else. Oh, it was your f fault. That's not what he was saying. For your benefit, it was better that I stepped down for the leadership role. That's what he's saying. Yes. I think when we study the Torah, it should teach us how we're supposed to behave as individuals as well. We as parents, our parents up to a certain stage, the children married and we have to step back and say now it's your turn. Mosha was Mosha for 40 years. They're going to a new place. It's a new life. Very nicely put. Very nicely put. Very nicely put about as parenting. Every parent knows that it's a tough thing. I wouldn't have done that. Why are the kids doing that? You know that I didn't bring them up that way. What's wrong with their kids? You know, it happens. But then you put your tongue in between your teeth and say, "Sh, you know what? It works. I didn't raise my kids probably the way my parents did. There were different things. Everybody has to build themselves and be independent and go on. The biggest, you know, the most common reason for a divorce is the in-laws getting involved in the family. It's true. It's a it's what it is. It's not money. It's in-laws. There's another issue. Hashem didn't want to embarrass motion say you're not going to be good as a leader. So, he said, "You know what? I'll show you where they're going." And just because later on, right? That's what he does there when he says you can't. Yeah. Right. Yes. So, um I see it as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Mosha says, "But I won't be able to do this. They're not going to listen to me. They're this. They're that." He had all these excuses why he didn't want to do it and that he wasn't because I wanted to say but I see it as a self. So Moshe accepted it and he said can I just see that God said you wanted to see so he let him see it. Correct. Yes. Yeah. He said he let me he said go up in the high area and look here and he said he look and see it kilo because you're not going to cross the Jordan. It won't go in but I'll let you see it. Correct. Um yeah I'm wondering whether it really was a punishment whatever that word is in Hebrew. Yeah. It's a consequence. It's not oh that very well put. It's a consequence. Uh and so and maybe that's exactly what Moshe saw of it. We all we just think oh consequence is I did something wrong here. It's a consequence of a nation that is growing. It's not the nation that was in year one. It's not the same generation. And the consequence of that is that you don't fit that anymore. Now I want to show that to you and I have a few minutes left to finish this up. When you look at the Torah after this these events, we find out um the um events that take place. the event for example um we find out that um the Canaanites attack and they say and they say oh yeah they saw that the anote after died and so on and so forth and they attacked Israel by and took and took people took hostages basically people and Um and then it says so Israel took an oath please God if you help us and we know we will everything will be we're not taking anything for us for any benefit bottom line was they don't go running to Moshe Moshe they're attacking us what should we do they don't do that it says by it says v um that and Israel pointed to uh turned to God and said God do this and this and that doesn't then take to Moshe that's very after that suddenly Mos Moshe isn't there and then when the miracles happened it says Aashir who aashir we're used to saying Moshe Israel not here the second aashir in the Torah says Israel there's no Moshe and suddenly Moshe becomes are a little less important because it's a time when God says we're you're going you know your leadership is getting down down not because you're not that important but for Israel you will not be because you're not going to be they are taking responsibility and and and so exactly that you were saying about children now the children meaning now the people themselves are doing exactly what God wants them to do that's exactly it was and and the war it says for example they took it was Israel who sent who sent agents to for to see if it'll be um he can get a a an agreement to walk through their land doesn't say Moshe there and it says when the war is and Israel defeated them and then Israel and Israel took over the uh cities of Israel and Israel settled now in all of these cities here. It's Israel and Israel and Israel and Israel and that's only after this sin after the sin of the water where he says no more that you can't do it anymore. What and that's why it's so important this 20th chapter is that these now leaders are no longer going to be the future leaders and this is exactly why because it was time for them to realize Israel had dependent completely on Moshe and Aaron and the future is not going to be that the future will not be the miracle the the miracle performers, the ones who stretch out a a staff and this happens and all these miracles happen. You're going to go into the lands and you know what? You're going to have to um take responsibility. You're going to have to plow. You're going to have to seed. You're going to have to do everything that are normal things. You're probably also going to have to have an army and fight in the army. Even if you're sitting in this coil, there'll be times you have to do this. Mishna says it clearly. Mishna says that that in times of when people are threatened, everybody goes into so you have to go and do things yourself to be able to lead uh not by yelling and screaming to somebody help me. Help me you do it. God says I'm going to help you but I'm going to help you. I'm not going to do it for you. So what we read in Moshe told in the beginning of the year, God will fight for you. You just stay quiet. That's no longer going to be. That was the ch turning point right there. Pair a cuff. This whole difference changes history. That's who we are.