This week's Miller's Musings is sponsored in honour of the anniversary of Soroh and Gershon Kopfstein by Yossi
and should be for a רפואה שלמה for
יהודה זאב בן ברכה אלכסנדרה גילה
דבס''
MILLER’S MUSINGS
תחקפרשת
Good Times
It is easy to view the Jewish people’s sojourn in the desert as one replete with complaints and grievances of an ungrateful nation. Upon reflection however, these criticisms were in reality few and far between. In an unforgiving terrain, over many years, the amount of grumbling was actually rather minimal. Yet in our Parsha we find two examples of their objections, each one resulting in very different reactions. The first, a complaint about a lack of water, provoked Hashem to command Moshe to supply their needs. The second, a very similar objection about an absence of food and drink, instigated a plague against the people. Why was there such a disparity in the two outcomes of protests that were so very alike?
The death of the matriarchal figure of Miriam was doubly hard to take. Not only had they lost a role model and saintly guide, a person of tremendous spiritual stature in their midst, but her passing meant they no longer had the well of water that had accompanied them in her merit. This was surely an incredibly bitter pill to swallow and a true test of their resolve regarding their trust in Hashem. To be bereft of Miriam and at the same time have to cope with the resultant lack of water, perhaps made their complaints justifiable and Hashem’s reaction sympathetic. But later in the Parsha, when they did have water and they did have food, but it was for some reason not to their liking, this is something Hashem was not willing to tolerate. The ingratitude of the incredible gifts they were given by Hashem, albeit ones which were now routine and perhaps mundane, was what angered their Benefactor so. When the situation was less challenging and the circumstances ones in which they had much to be appreciative of, the lack of recognition of this was what led to their downfall.
We all know that many of life’s trials and tribulations are sent to test us. To see how we will react to situations where Hashem’s kindness appears to be absent. They are constructed to determine our true mettle in the face of adversity and to examine whether we will retain our faith and maintain our elevated character in these exigent moments. But what we perhaps do not consider is that when times are good, this is equally a test of our personality and one which we must focus on passing. Will we recognise where all this good actually comes from and actively express our appreciation to Hashem? We will utilise the peace of mind we have been gifted for beneficial goals and the betterment of others? How will our good fortune affect the way we treat others and will it wrongly inflate our ego? We must be aware of all the questions that are posed when life is easy and enjoyable and make sure we have the correct answers to them. The challenges of life are not just found when times are hard, but in the good times too.
*May we enjoy and fully appreciate this beautiful Shabbos*
לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם
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