In parshas Chukas, not
long before they are to enter Canaan, the people experience a lack of water,
similar to the lack of water they experienced not long after they left Egypt.
In both cases they quarrel with Moshe and demand that he do something about it.
Forty years of experience has resulted in some improvement in that they are not
putting Hashem on trial and are looking forward to entering the Holy Land, but
they remain extremely shrill and offensive. Moshe performs a miracle when he
draws water out of a rock. However he commits a sin because he angrily hit the
rock, as in the earlier incident, when he should have talked to the rock this
time. Because of this it is decreed by heaven that he will not enter the land
of Israel. Later on Moshe defeats Sichon and Og and seizes their territory for
the nation of Israel. Sichon and Og had seized the land from Ammon and Moav,
who had in turn seized it from the Emim, who had originally settled the land.
These incidents hint
at the story of Yiftach in the haftorah. The story begins when Israel does evil in the
eyes of Hashem by serving foreign gods. Because of this they are oppressed by
the very foreigners they are emulating. When Israel cries out to HaKadosh
Baruch Hu for help, He tells them that because they have forsaken him, He will
not deliver them. With that the nation confesses that they have sinned and
turns away from the foreign religions. Ammon then mobilizes an army against
them and attacks.
Israel also mobilizes
an army but the only one capable of leading it to victory is Yiftach, a man
that they have driven away in hatred, due to no sin of his own. Only after they
agree to make Yiftach their ruler, does he agree to fight the war. Before going
out to battle Yiftach makes an oath that if he is victorious than he will bring
as a burnt offering the first thing which comes out of the door of his house
towards him upon his return.
Yiftach is victorious
in battle, but things go seriously wrong when he returns home. His daughter
comes out of the house to greet him which means that he must bring her as a
burnt offering to fulfill his vow. The Tanakh says that Yiftach fulfilled his
vow (Judges 11:39), but the Radak remarks that he fulfilled his vow by placing
her in seclusion away from the affairs of man. In any case Rashi comments that
Yiftach should have gone to the high priest to have his oath annulled or
alternatively the high priest should have come to him and told him what to do. Unfortunately
both considered it beneath their stature to make the approach and because of
that both were punished.
The Gemara (Rosh
Hashana 25) gives us some insights on how to deal with highly questionable
decisions made by the nation’s leader. In it Rabban Gamliel declares the start
of the month of Tishre seemingly too early, and it is not the first time he has
made a questionable decision concerning fixing the calendar. Rabbi Yehoshua seriously
considers observing Yom Kippur on what very well may have been the correct day.
Before deciding he consults the other sages of his generation. They advise him
to go along with Rabban Gamliel, saying that as leader of the Sanhedrin he can establish
a day as rosh hodesh, even if it’s wrong. They bring various quotes from
scripture and conclude, “Yiftach in his generation is like Shmuel in his
generation meaning that even if the slightest of the slight is appointed as the
leader of the community he is like the mightiest of the mighty.
Rabbi Yehoshua then
violates the day he thought of as Yom Kippur by appearing before Rabban Gamliel
carrying his staff and money as was demanded of him. Rabban Gamliel
respectfully goes out to meet him calling Rabbi Yehoshua his teacher and
student. He is his teacher because he taught him Torah publicly and he is his
student because he accepted his decision. Rabban Gamliel later has a bumpy
ride. He stumbles with the other sages and again with Rabbi Yehoshua. This
causes Rabban Gamliel to be removed from his post as leader of the Sanhedrin,
but he repents and even apologizes to Rabbi Yehoshua. As a result he is
reinstalled to his rightful place as leader.
What we see is that
even the greatest of men like Moshe Rabenu make mistakes. In addition there are
times a lesser man becomes the leader and makes outrageous decisions. It comes
out that their errors and mistakes should be exposed and opposed, never the less
their honor and authority must be respected.
לע"נ הדוד לייב הערש בן אהרן ז"ל נלב"ע יז תמוז תש"ל.
ניתן באתר
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