11.06.2011                      09.Siwan, 5771                      Beha'alotcha

Judentum:

Parasha Beha'alotcha: A rebbe and not a rav

Jewish people seemed poised for entry into Promised Land when suddenly the nation became a group of kvetchers, complaining to the Lord.

The Jewish people seemed poised for entry into the Promised Land when suddenly the nation became a group of kvetchers, complaining to the Lord… “who will feed us meat? Remember the fish which we ate in Egypt for free, the cucumbers, the watermelons, the onions and the garlic?” (Numbers 11:4, 5) The degeneration continues, Moses tells God that he has no meat to give the nation, and that he can no longer bear the burden of leading them. The divine response is to tell Moses to gather 70 men from the elders of Israel who will help bear the burden, and upon whom the spirit of the Lord will rest (Numbers 11:16,17).
Why are the Jews so vexed, and how does God’s response alleviate their feelings? They want meat and God tells Moses to supply 70 rabbis! After all the miracles of the Exodus, it’s difficult to understand the disillusionment of the Israelites, and even more difficult to understand God’s solution….