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Parshas Be'haaloscha - The Jewish People Complain About Provisions in the Midbar

By Avraham Cohen

Posted on 06/23/16

Parshas HaShavua Divrei Torah sponsored by
Dr. Shapsy Tajerstein, DPM - Podiatry Care.
(410) 788-6633

I. Man Does Not Live on Quail Alone!  P’shat 


“V’ruach nasa mai’ais Hashem va’ya’gaz sal’veem min ha’yam va’yeetosh al ha’machaneh k’derech yom koh u’k’derech yom koh – s’vee’vos ha’machaneh u’ch’amasayeem al p’nai ha’aretz  v A wind went forth the from Hashem and blew quail from the sea and spread them over the camp, a day’s journey this way and a day’s journey that way – all around the camp and two cubits above the face of the earth."  Numbers 11:31 


The following dvar Torah is by R’ Shlomo Porter of the Etz Chaim Center for Jewish Studies, Baltimore, MD:


Why is it that some of the most fabulously wealthy and successful people out there, though they may say they're doing great, deep down aren't feeling so happy and fulfilled with life?  We live in a time of extraordinary opportunity and unprecedented comforts and conveniences, yet so many of us just aren't satisfied. Why not?  Perhaps we can glean an insight into this age-old question from this week's Torah portion.


The Jews, redeemed from Egypt and en route to the land of Israel, were traveling through the desert, subsisting on the miraculous manna which fell from Heaven every morning. The Torah states:


"The rabble that was among them cultivated a craving, and the Children of Israel also wept once more and said, "Who will feed us meat?  We remember the fish that we ate in Egypt free of charge; the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. But now, our life is parched, there is nothing; we have nothing to anticipate but the manna!" [Numbers 11:4-6].


This narrative is baffling; why go back to Egypt, the land of their oppressors, for some fish and veggies!? Eventually, G-d provides a feast of quail to satisfy the people’s cravings (see below). But, what's going on here?


In order to make sense of these verses, we need to study our human makeup.  People are composed of two opposite elements: a spiritual soul, and a physical body.  Each element has different cravings and desires.  The spiritual soul craves spiritual fulfillment, actualization, meaning, relationships, etc. while the physical body craves immediate gratification, materialistic pleasures, comfort, etc.  Often however, we forget the soul inside ourselves, and relate to ourselves as bodies only.  We seek wealth, beauty, prestige, and power, and yet these things feed only one part of us.  The soul is not satisfied with material possessions, it seeks its own fulfillment through feeling a sense of purpose and meaning in our lives.  The simple, yet oft forgotten truth about happiness is that if the soul's needs go unfulfilled, no amount of material bounty can make up for it.  


This was the mistaken thinking of some of the Jews in the desert.  Because they weren't feeding themselves spiritually, a void was created within them, and in a futile attempt to fill that emptiness, they imagined that the better food in Egypt could cure their angst.  In an extreme portrayal of how people can be deluded into exchanging lasting happiness, for fleeting physical comfort, the Torah teaches how it is possible to fool oneself into thinking that materialistic pleasures will bring contentment over spiritual commitments - even when those pleasures are at the price of being enslaved in Egypt (or in the office!).


So what about all those fantastically successful people, who are so unhappy?  Too often, our society measures success in terms of the material only.  The more illustrious my career, home, and bank account, the more of a success I am.  But that's only half the picture.  What about climbing the "ladder of success" with my family and other relationships, including my relationship with G-d?  What about "promotions" in character refinement, becoming less selfish and more giving? 


If I neglect this part of myself, I won't understand when my spiritual soul is craving nourishment; I won't realize when my spiritual malnutrition is causing the feeling of lack and want within me. 


With all the focus today on health and wellness, it is imperative for us to make sure that we are nourishing all aspects of ourselves, the physical body and the spiritual soul.  Even older than yoga and pilates for the body, the Torah contains ancient wisdom for healing, balancing, and renewing the soul.  It is the Jews' guide to spiritual wellness; the "recipe book" for all the food that our spiritual souls need to thrive and grow in this world.  Each of us can access moments in our lives when the pleasure we felt from doing meaningful acts of kindness and good deeds outshone any physical pleasure we might've had instead.  The more we can access our spiritual food of mitzvos – experiencing the process of refining ourselves into more G-dly people – the more our soul feels nourished, the more happy, fulfilled and content we become.  There is so much ‘spiritual food’ out there, waiting to be savored, ready to satiate us – Bon Appetite!


II. The Little Committee That Could!  D’rash


The following dvar Torah is by R’ Yitzchok Adlerstein (with emendations), based on the writings of Rav SR Hirsch, zt”l:


How could it be understood, other than a complete repudiation of his message? To Moshe, the people’s fond reminiscence of freely obtained garlic and onions (see above) signaled a failure of his mission. Hashem had entrusted him not only to give Bnai Yisrael the Torah, but also to shape them into a nation that cherished the highest ideals. Instead, they wailed in front of their tents for a menu change!


Moreover, there did not appear to be any way out. Moshe had complete faith and confidence in Hashem’s ability to perform miracles – but these demands through inappropriate complaining could not be answered in a miraculous fashion. If the people were to be placated, the meat they sought would have to come from natural sources. Where was he to find such a huge quantity of meat for the Jews in the wilderness?


To make matters worse, Moshe was nagged by his recollection of the beginning of his public service career. When G-d had first called upon Moshe and had asked him to argue the people’s cause in front of Pharaoh, Moshe had baulked at this G-dly recruitment. For an entire week (according to Chazal) he attempted to persuade G-d to look elsewhere for His human spokesman. Moshe would gladly have suffered any shame and any harm, if it would better the condition of the Jewish people. But he believed that he was unqualified for the job, and implored G-d to choose an alternative. Nothing could disqualify a candidate for leadership more than self-doubt in his own abilities. It was a recipe for failure – and he had now been proven correct!


“Why have You so afflicted Your servant; why have I not found favor in Your eyes? Did I conceive this entire people, or did I bear them” [Numbers 11:11-12]? When parents fall short of their goals, their failures are offset by the bonds of love and respect that children have for them. – these feelings can compensate for less than perfect parental performance. But Moshe was not their parent; love and respect were not available as a kind of instinct. Obviously, he thought, he hadn’t earned it either, or they would not be asking trivial and impossible things of him. It seems that their crying for meat and other ‘delicacies’ mocked him as a failure.


Hashem’s response to Moshe was not instantly reassuring. “Gather unto Me seventy men of the elders of Israel” [Numbers 11:16]. What purpose could be served by surrounding Moshe with a committee of seventy elders? What benefit was there in seventy people (in addition to Moshe) contemplating an impossible situation, rather than Moshe alone?


G-d amplified upon His earlier statement that there would be more than ample meat: “Will the Hand of Hashem be insufficient? Now you will see whether My Word will happen to you or not.” [Numbers 11:23]. Here, in effect, is what G-d was saying, “There are far more opportunities than you realize for My Will to be accomplished even within the limitations of the natural world; the fulfillment of My Word can occur in ways that humans will never anticipate – even without overt miracles!” The Holy One, Blessed be He, showed that He was in full control of the laws of nature – not only by overturning them (as He did at the time of the Exodus) but also in squeezing unexpected results from the natural world when that was the desired effect.


What, then, was the role of the seventy elders? The election these elders did not seem to play a role in the timely arrival of unbelievably huge flocks of quail!


We should pause and consider that the Seventy Elders became the prototype for the Sanhedrin that would guide and direct the nation in all exigencies of history, both in good times and in bad. Long after the death of Moshe, such batei denim (Courts) would bring the Word of G-d to the people in situations that would often seem hopeless and impossible. These latter day Elders would need firm resolve to stand by Hashem’s expectations, even where conditions would seem unfavorable for those expectations to be realized.


This first crisis faced by the Sanhedrin as the ultimate source of human guidance set the stage for the future activities of the elders of all generations. They do not always need to see in advance how a problem would be solved, but they do need to determine the right course of action, and have confidence that Hashem will provide practical solutions that human beings could not conjure up on their own.