In Parshat Chukat, the Torah moves on from the generation that was punished for the Sin of the spies (BaMidbar 14:29) to the next generation, forty years later. Those who where under twenty at the time of the punishment, and their children, are about to enter the Land.



After learning with Moshe for forty years, Israel undergoes a final examination. The examination does not test knowledge of Torah and it does not address observance of mitzvot. It tests only one thing: faith.



After Miriam dies, there is no water (BaMidbar 20:2). Many fail the test and the Torah reports massive quarreling with Moshe ("Vayarev ha'am...", BaMidbar 20:3) and with HaShem ("Ravu B'nay Yisrael...", BaMidbar 20:13). Subsequently, Edom refuses easy access to the Land, and Israel has to travel all the way around the land of Edom (BaMidbar 21:4). Again, many do not pass the test and speak against G-d and Moshe (BaMidbar 21:5).



The results were awesome: "Vayamat am-rav miYisrael..." - "And a vast people of Israel died...." (BaMidbar 21:6) Who died? "Am-rav" (a vast people) could also mean "a people that quarrels." Those who died where the ones that quarreled with G-d and Moshe. Displaying their lack of faith, they repeated the failure of their fathers and could not enter the Land, like their fathers.



How many of Israel died? The verse could be read differently, "Vayamat am, rov miYisrael..." - "And a people died, a majority of Israel." Though it sounds radical, this interpretation is not at all far-fetched.



One of the enigmas of the Torah is that the generation that entered the Land counted about the same number of souls as the generation that left Egypt (BaMidbar 26:51, BaMidbar 1:46, Shemot 12:37). According to all accounts, the Jews left Egypt with very big families. Hence, those who were under the age of twenty when the nation was punished for the Sin of the Spies greatly outnumbered the generation of their parents. Consequently, they and their children should have been much more numerous than the previous generation. In the light of our verse, it could well be that this was indeed the case until the majority dramatically failed the "final examination".



May the above contribute to a better awareness that our era is not a time for light-headedness. Tests of faith are an intrinsic part of the redemption process, and they have to be passed.