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And they wept for Aharon thirty days, all the House of Yisrael. (20:29)

Aharon’s special relationship with all people earned him the love of everyone.  When he passed away, every Jewish man, woman, and child grieved.  The quintessent Ohaiv Shalom, he extended himself to promote harmony among his fellow man and between husband and wife.  The vacuum caused by his death was acutely felt by everyone.  We see that Moshe Rabbeinu, the Rabbon shel kol Yisrael, the teacher who devoted his life to educating Klal Yisrael,  was not as universally mourned.  As the Yalkut explains, Moshe’s responsibility was to judge and admonish, a function that was not always accepted by everyone.  Thus, the…

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And all the congregation saw that Aharon was dead. (20:29)

Chazal tell us that Aharon’s death was “seen” by the people with the disappearance of the cloud that accompanied them throughout their stay in the wilderness.  The protection that resulted from the cloud was in the merit of Aharon.  With the death of Miriam, another source of sustenance was withdrawn.  The well of Miriam, which provided Bnei Yisrael with water, was no longer functional.  Moshe Rabbeinu’s merit was the source of manna, the third pillar of sustenance.  These three leaders of Klal Yisrael were proof that the maintenance of our people is not determined by physical power, but rather by…

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Listen now, O rebels, shall we bring forth water for you from this rock? (20:10)

The commentators struggle to understand Moshe and Aharon’s sin.  Undoubtedly, Hashem placed demands upon them commensurate with their lofty level of virtue and holiness. Other people cannot be evaluated by the same standards used to assess Moshe and Aharon.   According to the Ramban, Moshe’s anger  caused his sin.  The manner in which Moshe spoke to the people,  “Listen, O rebels,” was not the proper vernacular with which to address Klal Yisrael.  Moshe should have demonstrated more patience in dealing with his people. The overwhelming question with which we are faced  is:  Why did Moshe become angry?  What could have…

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