Am/Kahal v Edah – The Groups that Led to Moshe and Aharon’s Departure

Parshat Chukat

by Rabbi Avi Billet

For ease, the following words are presented over and over in Hebrew as the emphasis below is how they are used in the Torah’s text: קהל = Kahal; עדה = Eidah; עם = Am; בני ישראל = Bnei Yisrael; קהל ה' = K’hal Hashem. Each word or phrase refers to a group of people, and the ensuing discussion surrounds whether they are the same group or different groups

 The fallout from Mei Merivah seems clear in the story, but what is unclear is WHAT WENT WRONG. Elsewhere in the Torah Moshe and Aharon are told of different general flaws in that tale as to why they won’t be entering the land – לא האמנתם בי להקדשני, מריתם פי, מעלתם בי, לא קדשתם אותי – and a legitimate question to ask is, in using those terms: Is God talking to Moshe and Aharon, or is He talking to the people or about the people themselves? Who didn’t have faith? Who rebelled against God? [See Bamidbar 20:24;27:14; Devarim 32:51]

Aharon's Worthiness

Parshat Korach 

by Rabbi Avi Billet

One of the counter-claims that Moshe makes to those challenging Aharon is ואהרן מה הוא כי תלינו עליו – “and what is Aharon that you are complaining against him?” (16:11) In other words, why do you have a problem with him, when he is not the one who appointed himself? If you have issues with me, keep them aimed at me, and leave Aharon out of this! 

 The Kotzker Rebbe explained Moshe’s response to mean, “Do you know WHAT Aharon is? Do you know WHO Aharon is? Do you have any concept of his greatness and his holiness?”

 It’s a real attempt at shutting down those who are challenging the man hand-picked by God to be the Kohen Gadol. 

Biblical Names Sometimes Reflect Character

Parshat Shlach

by Rabbi Avi Billet

 The Torah presents individuals and groups of people using names that sometimes reflect something about them. The Talmud (Sotah11b) tells us that the father of Kalev ben Yefuneh was named Chetzron, and that “Yefuneh” is a word describing how he “turned himself away from the viewpoint of the spies.” (This is based on Divrei HaYamim I 2:9,18. A number of commentaries quote this Talmudic statement) 

Kalev is credited with marrying two women (see Divrei HaYamim above, and Rashi there on 2:18) – first Azuvah, and after her death, Efrat, and our Sages tells us Efrat was Miriam, and the name Efrat (אפרת) is because the Israelites multiplied (פרו ורבו) in her merit. 

Moshe’s father-in-law is credited with having up to 7 names, each one speaking something about the man, more than helping us know what his real name was. 

Even Moshe Rabbenu’s name, the one he is most famous for, was given to him by the daughter of Pharaoh. The Sages teach us (Vayikra Raba 1) that he had ten names, and the Midrash there explains each name’s significance: Yered, Chever, Yekutiel, Avigdor, Avi Socho, Avi Zanoach, Toviah, Shmaya ben Netanel, Hasofer, Halevi. Presumably his parents named him when he was born, but that name is not revealed to us in the Torah. 

 Similarly when it comes to the nation of Israel, they are sometimes referred to as עם (nation), קהל (community), עדה (assembly), and בני ישראל (Children of Israel). Do each of these words really mean the same thing? Are they referring to different groups of people? Do they refer to different attitudes of the people? Is it dependent on context for us to figure out who we are reading about? 

Was Aharon Punished Along With Miriam?

Parshat B'haalotkha 

by Rabbi Avi Billet

Though I touched upon this subject last year, many issues with the tale of Miriam and Aharon speaking about Moshe remain unresolved. One question that should easily stand out is “was Aharon punished?” 

The rules of Lashon Hora are fairly clear that both speaker and listener (the mekabel) are guilty of the deed (see the Introduction to Lashon Hora in the Sefer Chafetz Chaim). Even if a person merely listens and does not respond, the person is considered to have been an active participant. If indeed that is what Miriam and Aharon engaged in, and are therefore guilty of, it would seem that Aharon should have been similarly punished.