The formula: How Moshe Teaches Profound Lessons of Faith

Look at the most recent blog posts here, and you'll find a bit of an obsession over the Mei Merivah story. Putting a lot of thought to understanding it better each year often gets me to reimagine how to read the story.

One newer insight concerns the differences between how the nation is depicted in Bamidbar 20:2,3,4 - once they are defined as עדה (a united group), once as העם (the nation - though less united than Eidah), and once as קהל ה (the congregation of God), which can be heard in my shiur on YUTorah.

It is a combination of the teachings of Kli Yakar and Netziv, however, which inspired what I share with you now. 

One of the main issues God raises against Moshe and Aharon in the aftermath of the Mei Merivah story is "Since you did not have/cause faith in Me, to sanctify Me to the people..." In other words, there needed to have been a Kiddush Hashem - a sanctification of God's name - from which the people would see and understand that God is here, He is the One Who brought forth water from the well, and Moshe and Aharon are his messengers who helped us, the people, learn these important lessons.

Clearly Moshe and Aharon did not do that in Bamidbar Chapter 20. They were given three instructions: 

1. Take the staff (which staff is a subject of debate)

2. Gather the עדה (one word for the people)

3. Speak at/to the rock before the eyes of the people (ideally so water will come out on its own)

3.5. If that procedure doesn't work, then you shall bring forth water for the people (in the manner you know how - breaking instruction 3 into two parts is a reflection of the view point of Netziv)

In terms of following God's command, they only do the first

1. He took the staff, as he had been commanded (20:9)

2. They gathered the קהל (different group than they had been instructed to gather)

3. They spoke to the people, but it was more a critique than instructive or inspirational

3.5. Because nothing happened, Moshe hit the rock to bring forth water

It is noteworthy that there was a time when Moshe's hitting the rock was appropriate, in which he did exactly as God told him. And there was another time when God told Moshe to speak to the people, and through his actions, Moshe demonstrated God's power, causing perhaps the greatest moment and expression of faith that the Jewish people had ever experienced until that time.

Here they are, with the significant-to-our-discussion points in bold. 

For the benefit of those who don't read Hebrew, beyond the chart, any references to the chart breakdown will be in English, with the verses being cited by their book, chapter and number.

שמות פרק יד (יב) הֲלֹא־זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבַּ֨רְנוּ אֵלֶ֤יךָ בְמִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר חֲדַ֥ל מִמֶּ֖נּוּ וְנַֽעַבְדָ֣ה אֶת־מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּ֣י ט֥וֹב לָ֙נוּ֙ עֲבֹ֣ד אֶת־ מִצְרַ֔יִם מִמֻּתֵ֖נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּֽר:  (יג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶל־הָעָם֘ אַל־תִּירָאוּ֒ הִֽתְיַצְּב֗וּ וּרְאוּ֙ אֶת־יְשׁוּעַ֣ת יְקֹוָ֔ק אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם כִּ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר רְאִיתֶ֤ם אֶת־ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ הַיּ֔וֹם לֹ֥א תֹסִ֛פוּ לִרְאֹתָ֥ם ע֖וֹד עַד־עוֹלָֽם:  (יד) יְקֹוָ֖ק יִלָּחֵ֣ם לָכֶ֑ם וְאַתֶּ֖ם תַּחֲרִשֽׁוּן: פ    (טו) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְקֹוָק֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה מַה־תִּצְעַ֖ק אֵלָ֑י דַּבֵּ֥ר אֶל־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְיִסָּֽעוּ:  (טז) וְאַתָּ֞ה הָרֵ֣ם אֶֽת־מַטְּךָ֗ וּנְטֵ֧ה אֶת־יָדְךָ֛ עַל־הַיָּ֖ם וּבְקָעֵ֑הוּ וְיָבֹ֧אוּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בְּת֥וֹךְ הַיָּ֖ם בַּיַּבָּשָֽׁה:...   (כא) וַיֵּ֨ט מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶת־יָדוֹ֘ עַל־הַיָּם֒ וַיּ֣וֹלֶךְ יְקֹוָ֣ק׀ אֶת־הַ֠יָּם בְּר֨וּחַ קָדִ֤ים עַזָּה֙ כָּל־הַלַּ֔יְלָה וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־הַיָּ֖ם לֶחָרָבָ֑ה וַיִּבָּקְע֖וּ הַמָּֽיִם: (כב) וַיָּבֹ֧אוּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בְּת֥וֹךְ הַיָּ֖ם בַּיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה וְהַמַּ֤יִם לָהֶם֙ חוֹמָ֔ה מִֽימִינָ֖ם וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָֽם:... (כו) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְקֹוָק֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה נְטֵ֥ה אֶת־יָדְךָ֖ עַל־הַיָּ֑ם וְיָשֻׁ֤בוּ הַמַּ֙יִם֙ עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם עַל־רִכְבּ֖וֹ וְעַל־פָּרָשָֽׁיו:  (כז) וַיֵּט֙ מֹשֶׁ֨ה אֶת־יָד֜וֹ עַל־הַיָּ֗ם וַיָּ֨שָׁב הַיָּ֜ם לִפְנ֥וֹת בֹּ֙קֶר֙ לְאֵ֣יתָנ֔וֹ וּמִצְרַ֖יִם נָסִ֣ים לִקְרָאת֑וֹ וַיְנַעֵ֧ר יְקֹוָ֛ק אֶת־מִצְרַ֖יִם בְּת֥וֹךְ הַיָּֽם:    (ל) וַיּ֨וֹשַׁע יְקֹוָ֜ק בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֛וּא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִיַּ֣ד מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיַּ֤רְא יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם מֵ֖ת עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיָּֽם:   (לא) וַיַּ֨רְא יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־הַיָּ֣ד הַגְּדֹלָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה יְקֹוָק֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּֽירְא֥וּ הָעָ֖ם אֶת־יְקֹוָ֑ק וַֽיַּאֲמִ֙ינוּ֙ בַּֽיקֹוָ֔ק וּבְמֹשֶׁ֖ה עַבְדּֽוֹ:

שמות פרק יז (א) וַ֠יִּסְעוּ כָּל־עֲדַ֨ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל מִמִּדְבַּר־סִ֛ין לְמַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֣י יְקֹוָ֑ק וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ בִּרְפִידִ֔ים וְאֵ֥ין מַ֖יִם לִשְׁתֹּ֥ת הָעָֽם:  (ב) וַיָּ֤רֶב הָעָם֙ עִם־מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ תְּנוּ־לָ֥נוּ מַ֖יִם וְנִשְׁתֶּ֑ה וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה מַה־תְּרִיבוּן֙ עִמָּדִ֔י מַה־תְּנַסּ֖וּן אֶת־יְקֹוָֽק:  (ג) וַיִּצְמָ֨א שָׁ֤ם הָעָם֙ לַמַּ֔יִם וַיָּ֥לֶן הָעָ֖ם עַל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ הֶעֱלִיתָ֣נוּ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לְהָמִ֥ית אֹתִ֛י וְאֶת־בָּנַ֥י וְאֶת־מִקְנַ֖י בַּצָּמָֽא:  (ד) וַיִּצְעַ֤ק מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־יְקֹוָ֣ק לֵאמֹ֔ר מָ֥ה אֶעֱשֶׂ֖ה לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה ע֥וֹד מְעַ֖ט וּסְקָלֻֽנִי:  (ה) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְקֹוָ֜ק אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה עֲבֹר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם וְקַ֥ח אִתְּךָ֖ מִזִּקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּמַטְּךָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִכִּ֤יתָ בּוֹ֙ אֶת־הַיְאֹ֔ר קַ֥ח בְּיָדְךָ֖ וְהָלָֽכְתָּ:  (ו) הִנְנִ֣י עֹמֵד֩ לְפָנֶ֨יךָ שָּׁ֥ם׀ עַֽל־הַצּוּר֘ בְּחֹרֵב֒ וְהִכִּ֣יתָ בַצּ֗וּר וְיָצְא֥וּ מִמֶּ֛נּוּ מַ֖יִם וְשָׁתָ֣ה הָעָ֑ם וַיַּ֤עַשׂ כֵּן֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְעֵינֵ֖י זִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:  (ז) וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הַמָּק֔וֹם מַסָּ֖ה וּמְרִיבָ֑ה עַל־רִ֣יב׀ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְעַ֨ל נַסֹּתָ֤ם אֶת־יְקֹוָק֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הֲיֵ֧שׁ יְקֹוָ֛ק בְּקִרְבֵּ֖נוּ אִם־אָֽיִן:

במדבר פרק כ (ב) וְלֹא־הָ֥יָה מַ֖יִם לָעֵדָ֑ה וַיִּקָּ֣הֲל֔וּ עַל־מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹֽן:  (ג) וַיָּ֥רֶב הָעָ֖ם עִם־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לֵאמֹ֔ר וְל֥וּ גָוַ֛עְנוּ בִּגְוַ֥ע אַחֵ֖ינוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְקֹוָֽק:  (ד) וְלָמָ֤ה הֲבֵאתֶם֙ אֶת־קְהַ֣ל יְקֹוָ֔ק אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה לָמ֣וּת שָׁ֔ם אֲנַ֖חְנוּ וּבְעִירֵֽנוּ:  (ה) וְלָמָ֤ה הֶֽעֱלִיתֻ֙נוּ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לְהָבִ֣יא אֹתָ֔נוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֥וֹם הָרָ֖ע הַזֶּ֑ה לֹ֣א׀ מְק֣וֹם זֶ֗רַע וּתְאֵנָ֤ה וְגֶ֙פֶן֙ וְרִמּ֔וֹן וּמַ֥יִם אַ֖יִן לִשְׁתּֽוֹת:  (ו) וַיָּבֹא֩ מֹשֶׁ֨ה וְאַהֲרֹ֜ן מִפְּנֵ֣י הַקָּהָ֗ל אֶל־פֶּ֙תַח֙ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֵּרָ֥א כְבוֹד־יְקֹוָ֖ק אֲלֵיהֶֽם: פ  (ז) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְקֹוָ֖ק אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: (ז) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְקֹוָ֖ק אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:  (ח) קַ֣ח אֶת־הַמַּטֶּ֗ה וְהַקְהֵ֤ל אֶת־הָעֵדָה֙ אַתָּה֙ וְאַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתֶּ֧ם אֶל־הַסֶּ֛לַע לְעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם וְנָתַ֣ן מֵימָ֑יו וְהוֹצֵאתָ֙ לָהֶ֥ם מַ֙יִם֙ מִן־ הַסֶּ֔לַע וְהִשְׁקִיתָ֥ אֶת־הָעֵדָ֖ה וְאֶת־בְּעִירָֽם:  (ט) וַיִּקַּ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־הַמַּטֶּ֖ה מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְקֹוָ֑ק כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּֽהוּ:  (י) וַיַּקְהִ֜לוּ מֹשֶׁ֧ה וְאַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַקָּהָ֖ל אֶל־פְּנֵ֣י הַסָּ֑לַע וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ם שִׁמְעוּ־נָא֙ הַמֹּרִ֔ים הֲמִן־הַסֶּ֣לַע הַזֶּ֔ה נוֹצִ֥יא לָכֶ֖ם מָֽיִם:  (יא) וַיָּ֨רֶם מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־יָד֗וֹ וַיַּ֧ךְ אֶת־הַסֶּ֛לַע בְּמַטֵּ֖הוּ פַּעֲמָ֑יִם וַיֵּצְאוּ֙ מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֔ים וַתֵּ֥שְׁתְּ הָעֵדָ֖ה וּבְעִירָֽם: ס   (יב) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְקֹוָק֘ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן֒ יַ֚עַן לֹא־הֶאֱמַנְתֶּ֣ם בִּ֔י לְהַ֨קְדִּישֵׁ֔נִי לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לָכֵ֗ן לֹ֤א תָבִ֙יאוּ֙ אֶת־הַקָּהָ֣ל הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי לָהֶֽם:  (יג) הֵ֚מָּה מֵ֣י מְרִיבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־רָב֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶת־יְקֹוָ֑ק וַיִּקָּדֵ֖שׁ בָּֽם:

In Shmot 17, the people fight with Moshe (verse 2) just as they do in Bamidbar 20:3 (in both cases the עם) . They similarly complain as well (Shmot 17:3, Bamidbar 20:4-5) about being taken out of Egypt to die of thirst in the wilderness, along with their children and animals.

In Shmot 17, Moshe is told to contend with the עם. (See 17:4-6). In Bamidbar Moshe is instructed to deal with עדה, in other words to ignore the עם, and instead he contends with the קהל.  (See 20:10) Though eventually it is the עדה who all drink. (20:11) However, his punishment is over how he dealt with the קהל. (See 20:12)

One major distinction between Shmot 17 and Bamidbar 20 is that in Shmot, Moshe is instructed to "Take your staff," not an ambiguous staff, "and strike the rock, and water will come out, and the people will drink" And MOSHE DID EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS TOLD TO DO (17:6). In Bamidbar 20, the only confirmation we have of Moshe doing what he was told to do is in 20:9, after he took the staff, but before anything else happened.

This leads us to Shmot 14, the lead-in to the splitting of the sea.

As the Egyptian army is pursuing the people also ask of Moshe why he took them out of Egypt (14:12). Moshe tells the עם not to be afraid (presumably other factions of the people were just waiting for instruction), and then God tells him, "What are you screaming at Me for? Speak to the Israelites and they should move! (14:15) As for you - הרם את מטך - lift your staff (Kli Yakar says this means 'remove your staff') and ונטה את ידך - spread your hand over the sea.and split it... (14:16)"

In the remaining verses whenever the "miracle-working device" is referenced, it is always Moshe's hand, in verses 21, 26, 27, and 31. And what is the end result? The people see the hand of Moshe, and THEY BELIEVED IN GOD AND IN MOSHE (AS) HIS SERVANT.

The formula is - follow what God tells you to the letter. Don't make your stick into a miracle-worker/magic wand, and make sure the people see your hand as an extension of the power of the Almighty.

And this is in fact the problem in Bamidbar 20. Look at verse 11, where Moshe is מרים (removes, according to Kli Yakar) his hand, and then uses his staff to bring about a miracle - one which nobody notices should be attributed to God. What should follow is a declaration of the faith of the people, exactly like we see in Shmot 14:31.

What we find instead is no such declaration. We find that Moshe and Aharon declared to the people "Will we bring forth water for you from this rock?" instead of "will God bring forth water for you from this rock?" The critique they gave, when they were told to speak (in Shmot 14:15 they were told to tell the people to travel, and that became the clear goal, in addition to the sanctification of God's name), comes to haunt them in that they not only spoke inappropriately but completely left God out of the picture.

Combine it all together, and you see the mess they put themselves in.