Life With Death Left In
It is a difficult sidra because of the message, not because of the words. There is something there which we cannot fathom - a chok ("statute") which our minds cannot work out (Numbers 19:1-2). It is God's test of obedience. It is axiomatic that God knows what He is doing, but we can't read His mind. Not just we, but our forebears. The law of the red heifer (the parah adumah) is a statute which has intrigued and puzzled human minds from time

Death is part of life.

immemorial.


Of course, it is not the only chok. Some people even extend the concept and agonise over their own life experiences, especially over a death. When a loved one dies, whatever their age, we say, "Why did God do this to me?" Intellectually, we know that everyone, including people we love, can die and do. Death is part of life and nobody lives forever. Our minds register that fact, but it remains hard to live with.


We find it difficult to look at life with death left in. We know, at least in theory, that life isn't always happy. There are all kinds of losses, failures and disappointments. But the difficult times are hard to take. Maybe one day it will all make sense. In the meantime, we are full of anguish.


Hitting the Rock
Moses was told to speak to the rock, but he hit it (Numbers 20:11) - twice, not once - and was punished. Some Chassidim come to Moses' defence and say, "What good would it have done to speak to the rock? Rocks don't have ears and can't hear!"


Nonetheless, if God tells a person to speak to a rock, surely we don't have a choice and His command has to be obeyed. The Chassidim have an answer to this, as well. They say it was because Moses loved the people of Israel so much that he did what he did.


Had he spoken to the rock it could have been said that if rocks that cannot hear or speak or think can obey God, it would be strange that Israel, people who did have the ability to hear, speak and think, disobey the Divine Master. It was for the sake of Israel's reputation and self-respect that Moses changed his orders.

It was because Moses loved the people of Israel so much that he did what he did.



Water Shortages
Chapter 20 of Bamidbar begins with the familiar scenario of a water shortage. The classical Jewish method of dealing with a lack of rain was to pray. There are also famous stories such as that of Choni HaM'agel ("the Circle-Drawer") in the time of the Second Temple, who drew a circle around himself on the ground and threatened God, "If You don't send rain, I am not budging from here!" (Ta'anit 23a).


Less theatrical options are part and parcel of Jewish piety, such as the prayer at the end of some siddurim, headed "Prayer in Time of Drought". The siddur was sufficiently open-minded to include a companion prayer, "Prayer in Time of Flood". This prayer basically said, "God, we know we asked for rain - but You have been so generous that it's ridiculous!"


In today's world it is still good to pray, but there are extra things we can do because of all the advances in scientific development. We have a range of remedies in our hands. To the non-scientist they seem like miracles, and they are.


An even bigger miracle is also available, even to the non-scientist: the sharing of water resources, which is part of international cooperation. Peace comes when peoples can work together.