Singing A Song About Water, and Moving Forward

Parshat Chukat 

by Rabbi Avi Billet

Despite the traumatic events of Mei Merivah (the Waters of Strife) from which we see Moshe and Aharon fated not to lead the people into the land of Canaan, along with a lesson of Chapter 20 not to complain about food or water when asking to go through the Land of Edom (e.g. verse 17), we nevertheless once again see a complaint emanating from the people in the early part of Chapter 21 in which they complain about a lack of food and water (21:5). This is even after Aharon had died, and we were once again told that certain actions at Mei Merivah caused Aharon to have to die (20:24). 

The snakes come, and we see the creation of the copper snake which helps thwart the snakebites from being deadly (21:6-9). 

It is in the aftermath of these narratives that we are told the people once again gathered at the well (21:16). At this gathering, the Torah shares a brief song which starts with the following words: אָ֚ז יָשִׁ֣יר יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־הַשִּׁירָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את עֲלִ֥י בְאֵ֖ר עֱנוּ־לָֽהּ: “It was then that Israel sang this song: Rise, O well, respond to [this song].” 

The opening verse here is of course most reminiscent of the Song of the Sea, with two notable differences. (1) Moshe is not participating in the song, and (2) we are not told that the song is directed towards God. 

A number of commentators direct our attention to the Midrash Tanchuma on this section (which is quite similar to Bamidbar Rabba 19:26), which begins by addressing those two questions, and goes on to explain more about this song. (All translations of the Midrash are from sefaria.org)

“For what reason is Moses not mentioned there? For the reason that he was being punished because of the waters; and no person praises his executioner/speculator (“examiner” or “overseer”) (this word is written out in Hebrew as ספקלטור). And why is the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, not mentioned there? The matter is comparable to a governor who made a banquet for the king. The king said, “Will my friend so-and-so be there?” They told him, “No.” He said, “[Then] I also am not going there.” Also here the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Inasmuch as Moses is not mentioned, I also will not be mentioned there.” 

The Midrash goes on to describe how the Nesiim (princes) would channel the water for their encampments, and that these water channels divided between the sections of the camp (North, South, East, West surrounding the Mishkan) such that “a woman who had to go to her companion from one standard to [another] standard went by ship, as stated (in Ps. 105:41), ‘they traveled the river by tsiyyot.’” 

The Midrash continues noting that these rivers “would cause endless varieties of green herbage and trees to grow, as stated (in Ps. 23:2), “[He makes me lie down] in green pastures; [He leads me beside still waters].” All those the days that Israel was in the desert they used it (i.e., the well). Therefore, they rendered praise for it [with the song ending] (in Numb. 21:18), “the well that the princes dug.” (Numb. 21:18, cont.:) “From Midbar (literally, desert) to Mattanah,” [so stated] because in the desert [the well] was given (nittenah) them to use as a gift (mattanah).” 

Before going into a detailed exposition of what the names of the locations mentioned in the following verses (21:18-20) mean for the future, with a Temple centered in Jerusalem, the Midrash equates the waters of the well with the Torah, both of which were specifically given in the wilderness, both of which were aimed at providing a form of sustenance for the people. 

1. Why was [the well] given in the desert? Because if it had been given to them in the land, the tribe in whose border it was given would have argued and said, “I have a prior claim to it.” For that reason it was given in the desert where all would have an equal claim to it. 

2. And for what other reason was it given in the desert? Just as a desert is neither sown nor cultivated, so is the one who receives the words of Torah. They remove from him the yoke of the government and the yoke of earning a living. Just as a desert does not grow arnona so are children of Torah (i.e., Torah scholars) free [from it] in this world. I.e., by accepting the yoke of Torah, such scholars are exempt from government taxes and the need to earn a living. 

3. Another interpretation [of why it was given] in the desert: Who is the one who fulfills the Torah? One who uses himself like the desert, [i.e.,] whoever makes himself like a desert and removes himself from everything [that might distract him]. 

From all of this, perhaps we can draw a few important lessons. 

A. Trauma is trauma. Singing about the well in Moshe’s presence would have been insulting and very hurtful. 

B. God cares about His children, even if they have done wrong, and even if they have negative consequences coming from their errors. However we understand Moshe’s role and outcome from the incident with the rock, a sensitivity was in order both from the people and from God to not expect Moshe to participate in any homage to the life-sustaining nature of the well. 

C. The best leaders do their best to take care of their people, sometimes at their own peril. Moshe gave up everything for the people. The Nesi’im did their part to channel the water to their people. Systems were put in place to help friends visit one another, despite the waterways that divided the camps. 

D. Wilderness existence was dependent on God, but it wasn’t only a food supply of water and Manna. Other food was brought into the mix, which kept the people grounded in the real world, knowing that their miraculous existence was a stop-gap, but never meant to last forever. 

E. There is great merit to carrying the metaphor of the wilderness into one’s existence, whether it’s to have a clean slate (as we pray for on the High Holidays), whether it’s being open to new ideas, whether it’s to see that the wilderness belongs to nobody, and therefore it’s truly available for everybody (no one has exclusive rights to it), or that in the right alignment, it can bring a unique kind of freedom from some responsibilities. 

F. In one form or another, Torah is supposed to bring a fulfillment to one’s life, as is knowing where one’s physical sustenance comes from… 

This song is largely overlooked in the annals of Torah study, but its lessons of sensitivity, and its charge for making life meaningful can speak to us no matter where we are in life, and no matter how much more we want to get closer to the Almighty and to our fellow man.