Speaking softly, while carrying a big stick

by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine

The Jews in the desert benefited from an ongoing water supply in the merit of Miriam. In the beginning of their sojourn in the desert Moshe is told to hit a rock and, in the merit of Miriam, water miraculously flowed from it.

In this week’s Parsha we are told that when Miriam died the rock ceased to give its water. A crisis and panic ensue, and Moshe is told to talk to the rock and it will again give its water. Moshe hit the rock instead of speaking to it. He was punished that he was not allowed to enter the Land of Israel because of this violation.

Why indeed was the Divine Directive to speak to the rock, instead of the way water was obtained 40 years earlier, by hitting it?

The Medrash explains: When a child is young, sometimes a parent might hit the child to make a point. As the child gets older, the communication is conveyed through speech.

This message was to be illustrated by the Divine Directive to talk to the rock. After a forty year relationship there should be no need to hit. Verbal expression should be enough to obtain compliance.

This concept can be applied to our own personal lives as well, in the sense of self-mentorship. After all, we all are our own coaches for personal growth. In the beginning of spiritual growth, striving to do a mitzvah may be difficult. We may find ourselves feeling constrained or even afflicted as we consider an increased commitment to a mitzvah. As we grow older in our spiritual commitments, noble decisions come more naturally. What has happened is that over the years we have trained our bodies to be responsive to our higher calling. At that point we achieve the great level that we need only “speak” to ourselves, and our bodies are ready to respond.

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