Chapter 20, among other things, pertains to the fateful event that dashed Moses’ and Aaron’s yearning
to enter Canaan – “And God said unto Moses and Aaron. Because you believed not in Me, to sanctify Me
in the eyes of the Children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have
given them.”
“And God spoke to Moses saying. Take the rod, and assemble the
congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and speak you unto the rock
before their eyes, that it give forth its water…And Moses took the rod
from before God…And Moses lifted his hand, and smote the rock with
his rod twice…”
Abravanel delves into the question: Were the deeds of Moses and Aaron in Meribah so outrageous that
it necessitated such harsh consequence? In a lengthy essay that spans and critiques many divergent
approaches, Abravanel answers: NO. Below is Abravanel’s opinion, albeit in shorthand.
Moses and Aaron faced punishment for their earlier, respective wrongdoings. Aaron’s misstep occurred
in his collusion over the Golden Calf affair. Moses’ misjudgment transpired in his handling of the spy
debacle.
To be clear, Aaron never did pay homage to the Golden Calf. And Moses should not be unfairly clumped
together with the likes of the expendable generation who perished in the desert. To argue contrary is a
fundamental travesty and misreading of their respective gaffes.
Notwithstanding, Aaron had participated with those interested to propagate pagan practices. We do
grant, though, that he tried to stall the nation until Moses returned to the camp. In any event, his
indirect involvement cannot be ignored. Moreover, Heaven took the calf sinners to task for their sin.
Some died in a plague, some by sword. Common to all, they fell in the desert and had not merited to
step foot in Canaan. Since Aaron played a role, Divine judgment recognized that role and decreed he
share his co-religionists’ fate. His would be a desert grave too. But because he did not prostrate to the
metal bovine and because he cannot be placed together with them, his punishment was not identical to
theirs. God bided His time, per se. Aaron’s fate is hitched to his brother Moses. Punishment would
come to the high priest, but only when Heaven deemed it the right time – the waters of Meribah.
Moses’ mistake came when the Hebrews clamored for spies to snoop around the land. On his own
initiative, Moses suggested they ascertain, “whether they were strong or weak, few or many…”
Undoubtedly, Moses’ intentions in gathering information were well meant. In his mind, when the
Hebrews heard about tough locals and walled cities, they would further appreciate the miracles God
waited to unload on the enemy. But they didn’t. The Jews merely melted at the prospect of war.
If Moses and Aaron had not sinned at the waters of Meribah, why is the venue forever associated with
the harsh decree of not entering Canaan? The rock-sprouting water at Meribah, let us say, served as a
cover-up for their respective sins. Owing to the brothers’ prominence, this cover-up had been ordered
from Above.
Dealing with delicate matters of this sort may be commonplace. On occasion, a doting father will find
ways to sweep aside or whitewash a beloved son’s misdeeds. Thus, for example, if a boy uses bad
judgement against his father, dad looks the other way. But then, at the appropriate moment (read: at
the time of an unrelated minor affront), dad will take the son to task for having crossed him. He might
even take a strap to him, a punishment greater in scope than the minor offense warrants. Should
onlookers ask the father why he walloped his son for the misdemeanor, he will tersely reply, “It was
punishment for another matter.”
Moses’ and Aaron’s cases need to be seen from that prism. Punishment for the waters of Meribah
event had precious little to do with the rock. As stated, consequence had been simmering for quite a
few years. Out of respect and affection for them, God brought events to a head at present. Unknowing
witnesses will be dismayed at the seeming lack of balance of Heaven’s scales of justice. Insiders know
better. Moses and Aaron were receiving their just deserts for prior, minor sins.
