Parshat B'haalotkha
by Rabbi Avi Billet
There are two times in our Parsha when Moshe Rabbenu’s authority is, in a way, directly challenged, specifically in the realm of prophesy. In both cases, what emerges more than anything is his humility.
In the first, in the context of selecting the 70 elders, Eldad and Meidad emerge as two individuals with prophetic abilities, seemingly beyond that which the elders are gifted.
Two notable distinctions – The Talmud (Sanhedrin 17a) tells us that unlike the other elders, whose prophetic careers ended soon after, Eldad’s and Meidad’s careers as prophets continued past this episode. The Medrash Tanchuma (22) notes four differences between Eldad and Meidad and the elders, the first being that the elders could only prophesy about the coming day, while Eldad and Meidad prophesied about what would take place in 40 years.
It is a hallmark of Moshe’s humility that, as the Daat Mikra chumash explains it, he is welcoming of any higher stature any Israelite might achieve. He is so happy for Eldad and Meidad that they too are prophets.
In the second case, Miriam engages her brother Aharon in a conversation that has two discussion points about Moshe. The first point addresses that Moshe had taken a Cushite woman as a wife, while the second point is a little more vague in the text in that Miriam asks two simple questions, “Is it to Moshe exclusively that God speaks? Doesn't He also speak to us?”
What Miriam is referring to in both points are subject to debate. Does Moshe have a Cushite wife? Did Moshe once have a Cushite wife? Is the wife to which Miriam refers known better to us as Tziporah, the Midianite daughter of Yisro? If yes, then why is she called Cushite? On the second point – why does Miriam use the discussion of Moshe’s mate as an opening to discussing what makes him different as a prophet?
Some suggest Miriam was looking at Moshe’s marital foibles, noting that Moshe was now living alone and therefore celibate when that behavior was not required of a prophet! (Midrash, Rashi). Others suggest that she wasn’t connecting the two complaints specifically, but asking about how Moshe could live with airs that make him above the law – taking whatever wife, lording his prophesying and therefore his status over others (Rashbam).
To this last claim, the Torah’s immediate response is that while “God heard [this conversation] Moshe, however, was very humble, more so than any man on the face of the earth.”
Surely Moshe’s response in both tales – being happy for Eldad and Meidad and not being even slightly hurt by their prophesying, and taking no initiative to respond to Miriam’s accusations – even while her words may have been hurtful and defamatory – demonstrate that he is way above pettiness.
He is able to leave room for others to achieve greatness and doesn’t view anyone as a threat, and he knows who he is, and who his siblings are, and feels no ill will towards whatever they might say.
What strikes me is the context in which Moshe’s humility is told to us – right after the comments made by Miriam about him. I am also struck by the connection made in the Midrash that Miriam heard Tzipporah speak aloud regarding Eldad and Meidad, "Praised are their sons but woe is to their wives because they will never see their husbands again. They will leave their wives just as my husband left me." The Midrash connects that statement to Miriam’s words, suggesting what she heard led her to speak to Aharon.
But I like to think that the more blatant connection between the two tales is simply Moshe’s reaction to both. No reaction. Or a passive reaction. Or a happy reaction! And that is why his humility is emphasized in this context.
Ramban notes that the phrase “and God heard” introduces the statement regarding Moshe’s humility because “Hashem was jealous for him on account of his humility. He would never respond to any provocation, even if he knew about it.” Ramban quotes the Sifrei who suggests Moshe knew about their conversation because they had it in his presence, but he controlled himself and did not respond – this is why God intervened on his behalf.
What Miriam was specifically referring to doesn’t matter. And while I don’t like to suggest it was a trivial matter (because I prefer to think Miriam is not being petty), the fact is that Miriam may have been discussing with Aharon what the word on the street was. To her credit she spoke only to her brother, keeping the shmutz within the family, and presumable doing so because she felt that the best way to protect Moshe would be to try to address this issue internally.
Rabbi Pinchas HaLevi Horowitz has a different insight, however, which also demonstrates why Moshe’s humility needed to be told to us in the context of his siblings’ conversation.
Yehoshua had said regarding Eldad and Meldad “Adoni Moshe k’la’em” – my Master Moshe, Stop them/Imprison them/Destroy them (depending on how כלאם is translated). Miriam refers to her brother as Moshe. No superlative, no title. Just Moshe.
Rabbi Horowitz notes that it is that lack of awareness of who her brother had become – which is often times very difficult for a sibling to discern! – that prevented her from speaking of her brother a. more respectfully, and b. more cautiously.
Therefore, perhaps it can be suggested, that within the context of those least likely to see someone’s greatness, or in this case his hands-down-humility, that is where it needs to be emphasized. God said to them “How can you not be afraid to speak against My servant Moshe?” Rabbi Horowitz’s suggestion would be to add “You had no qualms about not even noting his greatness, his position, his title when you spoke of him.”
From Moshe we learn to be happy for others’ successes. To not care about what others say about you – especially if your behavior is positively sanctioned by the Almighty.
From Miriam we learn to see people not as we think we know them, but as they are. To not rush to judge, to not reach conclusions without having done homework and due diligence, and to never put someone in a box because we believe we are familiar with the situation. Especially when it comes to family members, who we believe we know best, we must remember that they too are protected from our speaking Lashon Hora about them, and we ought to do what we can to address grievances and settle differences in a manner which is productive without falling prey to the trap that is Lashon Hora – even if we are merely keeping it within the family.
“Remember what God did to Miriam, on the road, as you left Egypt.”
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