Behaaloscha 5775:     Setting Limits

By Rabbi Joshua (limitedly known as The Hoffer) Hoffman

 

 

The Torah, at the end of Parshas Beha’aloscha, records the incident of Miriam and Aharon speaking in criticism of Moshe.  As Rashi explains it, they were reacting to Moshe’s separation from his wife, (ceasing to have marital relations with her), as learned via overhearing a conversation she had with someone.  Moshe did so, in order to be prepared, at a moment’s notice, to receive prophecy from God. Miriam and Aharon argued that they, too, were prophets, and yet did not separate from their spouses. God then intervened on Moshe’s behalf, saying that Moshe’s level of prophecy was qualitatively different from their levels of prophesy, and necessitated abstention.  In the midst of this episode, the Torah tells us that Moshe was exceedingly humble, more than any man on the face of the earth (Bamidbar 12:3).  What is the function of this statement at this point of the narrative?  Why mention it there?

 

The Ramban explains that God himself came to Moshe’s defense, because Moshe, in his humility, was not disturbed by what he heard and would not speak on his own behalf.  Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch says, among other things, that the reason for the failure of Miriam and Aharon to recognize the unique nature of Moshe’s prophetic level was that Moshe was so humble that he did not carry himself differently from other prophets, thus giving the impression that he was on the same level. Following on Rav Hirsch’s comments, Rav Aharon David Goldberg, in his Shiras Dovid, suggests a further, somewhat different explanation of what Miriam and Aharon said about Moshe. They knew that Moshe decided on his own to separate from his wife, and God approved of his decision, in the sense of what the rabbis say of the G-d's way of leading a man in the path in which he wants to go.  Moshe made the decision because he felt, in his humility, that he was not worthy to speak to God while still attached to his wife. Miriam and Aharon, however, felt that this level of humility was inappropriate, and, rather, it was proper to have a certain amount of pride in one’s service of God. God then came to Moshe’s defense, saying that his approach was, indeed, appropriate.

 

Perhaps we can add to Rabbi Goldberg’s remarks that Miriam, who was the primary person engaged in the criticism of Moshe, as witnessed by that the fact that it was she who was punished, was consistent in such an approach in one’s service of God. Another incidence of her taking this approach can be seen in regard to her husband, Caleb, and the report of the spies, as recorded in Parshas Shelach.  Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky, in his Emes L’Yaakov, points out that while Moshe prayed on behalf of Yehoshua that God save him from the evil intent of the spies, we do not find that he prayed on behalf of Caleb.  What, then, saved Caleb from their influence? Rav Yaakov suggests that it was Caleb’s wife, Miriam, who saved him. Interestingly, the Targum Yonasan ben Uziel says that Moshe prayed for Yehoshua when he saw how humble he was. Apparently, he did not see this as a factor in regard to Caleb.  Following Rav Yaakov, this may have been a result of Miriam’s influence, urging him to take pride in his stalwart service of God, as consistent with her approach in her criticism of Moshe. While, in the case of Moshe, her approach was inappropriate, given the unique nature of Moshe’s status, it was appropriate in regard to her husband, and led to a positive outcome.