Shalom everyone and thank you for joining me in the study of Parashat Khukat. Barashat Khukat basically in a way reveals a times of transition. Moshe Rabbeinu, Moshe Miriam, Aharon, the old leadership, is being challenged. And that's what we will try to do today, to see the time of the transition, to try to understand a transition, and to try to understand what lies in the future for the Jewish people. And the paragraph that I would like to focus on is what we call Shirat Abir, the song of the whale, not the song of the sea that we had in Parashat in Parashat Beshalach, in Sephar Shmot, in the book of Exodus, in Parashat Beshalach, but rather a different song in our parasha. So the Torah says the following Az Yashir, and I can be sure that all of us can probably think that we can now basically continue the sentence, Az Yashir Mushe, Uvne Israel, but the Torah describes a different song. At that time, Israel, Am Israel, the nation of Israel will sing that song, Ali Beer Enula, which I will translate literally, please, the well, the Be'er, please come up. This well was dug by ministers and was dug by the people who are the leaders of the nation, and Mimidbar from the desert to Matana, which is a different location, and then from one location to another location until it reaches a specific place. I will not focus or analyze the rest of the verses. I would like to focus on the first Pasuk. When you look at the first Pasuk, obviously a few questions come to mind. First, where is Moshe? Where is Moshe in that song? Did he participate? Did he initiate it or he was totally excluded from that song? And the second question is, what's the purpose of that song? What can we learn from that song, assuming that Moshe was not around? So all those questions will lead us to obviously the midrash. The midrash, our sages in Bamid Baraba, already sense that there is something different here. Especially when the Torah tried to create this illusion, especially in the beginning, the opening statement, Az Yashir, Az Yashir, it's in order to draw an association. Ah, Az Yashir, ah, it's probably like what we did in Sefer Shmot in the book of Exodus. And then there is the turning point. And here is only Israel, Az Yashir Israel. So specifically to create this, what seemingly looks the same, Az Yashir, Az Yashir, and then to create a contradiction. So the Midrash definitely sends this issue and it says the following. What is the reason that Moshe is not mentioned in this song in our parsha? Why does it say only Az Yeshir Israel without Moshe? So the Midrash gives us a reason. So now the Midrash says Moshe was punished because of what he did or his involvement with the sin of hitting the rock rather than talking to the rock. So he was punished because of his involvement with water and with the whale, with with some kind of bringing water to Amisrael, to the nation of Israel, and therefore he cannot sing a song for the whale which represents the water because he was punished because of that. Now, I can understand the reason, but it's definitely problematic. It's problematic because, okay, he was punished not because of the water, he was punished because of what he did. The water was just the outcome, but it was not the reason for his punishment. So let's leave that question alone for a second. But it seems to be that Moshe, Zmoshe's name was not mentioned, but it does not mean that he did not participate in the song. He, I guess, did not initiate it, he was not the leader of the song, but it might be that he participated in it. Then the midrash continues. Now, let's pause here for a second. Where is God's name mentioned in the Song of the Sea? So that's pretty obvious. And in our song, the name of God is not mentioned. It's only Israel, and they are the one to sing. So the Midrash picks on another question and he says, Where is God's name? There are really only three sentences there when you compare it to the Song of the Sea, it's much shorter. But still, where is God's name? So the Midrash gives us a parable. So it's a parable to a minister who prepared some kind of a feast for the king and invited the king to come. So the king, before he went to the meal, before he went to the festivity, he asked, Is my best friend there? Is my beloved friend there? So they told him, no, no, we didn't invite him. Ah, if that's the case, I'm not going either. Afkahbaruchu. And that's exactly what God says according to the Midrash. Incredible. God says if Moshe's name is not mentioned, my name will not be mentioned either. So, in a way, there is what I will call an advantage and a disadvantage here. What do I mean by advantage and disadvantage? The disadvantage is that Moshe's name is not here, God's name is not here, as a result of not involving Moshe for whatever reason, God decided he also stays away. So now we are basically in a in a reality that we lost two, Moshe and God, so to speak. However, the advantage is that Am Israel is standing on his own. Definitely without Moshe. God does not say he doesn't want to be with the people. He just says, look, it's not nice that if my beloved friend Moshe is not there, I don't want my name to be there. But I'm obviously with you. But Am Israel was willing to sing a song by themselves. Pause here for a second and try to think about all the parashaw that we did since really the beginning of the book of Exodus. Can you remember too many things that the Jewish people did by themselves, on their own, without Moshe pushing them, encourage them, protect them, daven for them, tell them what to do? This is a moment of transition. This is a moment that the people recognize something, the miracle of the well, the traveling well according to our sages. They recognize the miracle and they want to sing a song of praise to God, even if Moshe cannot participate for whatever reason. It does not prevent them from praising God for the miracle they experience. This is a time of transition. This is a time where the people, the nation recognized, realized, internalized the idea that they can do things by themselves. To some extent, that was Moshe's dream. Moshe's dream, if you remember in Parashat Ba'al Utha that we read a few weeks ago, he begged God, he said, I can't carry them by myself. I would wish that all of them will be prophets. I want to empower them. That's what a good leader does. He tried to empower the people to take responsibility. So, in a way, Moshe said, My name will not be associated with that song. But if I would guess, Moshe had tremendous nahat satisfaction from seeing his people, sof sof eventually can stand on their own and sing a song to praise God by themselves. So on one hand, it's a bit sad in a way, Moshe's name is not there, God's name is not there, but Amishael stands on his own. I might suggest also that perhaps the midrash also gives us another clue in terms of leadership. Sometimes, in order to empower the people to lead, to take responsibility, the leader must step back. Must say, look, I'm not going to put my name there. I'm not going to lead it. I'm not going to initiate it. I would love for you to do it, but I am not going to participate. To take a step back, Moshe is a very charismatic leader. He is God's emissary. And perhaps it's sometimes intimidating. So what Moshe does is taking a step back and allows the people to take charge and to sing a song. So this Midrash, in just a few sentences, I think describes this moment of transition where the people recognize, the people realize that they need to seize the opportunity. Leaders come and go, and leaders can definitely leave a tremendous impact. But at the end of the day, it's for them to sing the song. Moshe was definitely a leader that will be known as one of the most selfless leaders. When he describes the story of Chitaegel, the Meraglim, and all of that. One of the most famous statements that Moshe said to God was, when Hashem offered Moshe after Chetaegel, you know what? Let's just start again. Let's God forbid annihilate all the people, and then we will start again from you. And Moshe says to them, What? Moshe says to Hashem, that will never happen. You can erase my name, but not theirs. The idea is what? The idea is that Moshe, in a way, erased his name for the sake of Am Israel. And therefore, when there is a song without his name, perhaps that was the idea of what? That now his name is not associated with them, so they can go and do what they need to do. Meaning Moshe was great until the moment that they were not mature enough to do things by themselves. Obviously, we would love to have Moshe going with them to Eret Israel. But in a way, there was a time that they need to part ways. And in a way, Moshe's name will be not erased, God forbid, because Moshe gave us the Torah and the Torah is named Torah Moshe. Moshe's Torah that gave it to us. But the idea of him as a leader, not as the recipient of the Torah and the transmitter of the Torah, but as a leader, needs to break away a bit from this leadership and to be able to continue with other leaders. Not as good, not as great as Moshe, but the leaders of that generation. So now Rabbi Yosef Pho Shoggested an additional idea in that song. He says, they did it because of happiness and joy. Why? Because there was a moment of transmission or transition from death to life. Why? So in a way, Rabbi Yosef Khorchor describes here a moment that some people were very happy and some people were very sad. And what do I mean by that? He claims that they sang a song because of that well or that source of water that was revealed to them probably after Moshe hit the rock instead of talking to the rock. And therefore, they sang a song because they were sure that they're going to die out of thirst. And now they have water. But that moment that they got water, that was the moment that Moshe was punished. So you have a miracle that one person, really two, Moshe and Aaron, suffer as a result, they were punished, and the other people received water, and they were saved from death to life. So take a look at what Rabbi Yosef Hoshel says. It's amazing. The same moment, they were saved from death to life, and at that moment, Moshe went from life to death. Because Hashem told him, You and Aaron, you're not going to enter the land of Israel, you're going to die here. So one moment, one miracle, one action, one celebrates, and the other one mourns. And Amisrael, according to that specific opinion, might show some kind of uh, I would call it maybe a little bit uh not that great sensitivity to Moshe. There is one thing to say thank you, there is another thing to sing a song. So Moshe is not participating in it because he probably is very sad about what was told to him. But Am Israel is celebrating because they were saved. That's another moment of transition. In a way, Am Israel is willing to sing a song for their own miracle, even though it excludes their own leader. The barbanel Rabitzhak Donna Barbanel says the following. He says, it's not true. This is cannot be the rock that Moshe hit instead of talking to him, and he was like traveling with him. Because that was back then, that was before this time. So it cannot be that they are singing a song for that rock. And oditain. This is exactly what we explained in Rabbi Yosef Khroshaw. Few minutes ago, when we analyzed Rabbi Yosef Khroshow, we said that it was a very interesting, delicate situation. Your leaders just got the word that they are going to be punished, and you celebrate. It just like it shows total lack of sensitivity. And Barbanel is making that even more extreme. He says, How can you say that? Moshe and Aaron are like mourners. They are terrified. They would just got the news that they are not making it. Their dreams, their aspirations, their hopes to go to the promised land to see what was promised to the forefathers basically was taken away from them. And Israel celebrates. The Abarbanel cannot accept it. And it says an additional question. He says, Also, how can they talk about the well that was dug by the ministers and was uh prepared by the leaders? He says, the rock was God's made. Moshe just hit the rock. So you can't tell me that this is the rock that Moshe hit instead of talking to. And this is what they are singing for. Velachenirali, and therefore the barbanel suggests the following. The Barbadel says, you know, during the time of the desert, Hashem sent water to the Jewish people in different ways, which is interesting by the way, because we really know only about two cases where they complained that there is no water and God told Moshe to bring them water. But we don't know exactly how they received water in the 40 years of wandering in the desert. So the Abarbanel says that Hashem will give them somehow, by miracle, will give them water, but it was only if they will complain. If they will not complain, no water. But at this time, at this moment, Hashem gave them water without them complaining. Without them asking for it. He just told Moshe, gather the people and I will give them water. Without them asking. So I not en lay Maimberaton Pashut Lomi koachta omet. So when Am Israel saw that at this time they just received water without them complaining, asking, demanding, screaming, yelling, God just gave it to them as part of his love for them. They couldn't stop and the song just came out. It basically was a song of thanksgiving to God's miracles. And that's what it says. This is the well that God said. This well, this source of water was given to the people without them asking. So let's pause here for a second. So the Barbanel is trying to say that this time was a moment of transition, not so much from the leader, Moshe, not so much from the people. They are, I will call them secondary. The main transition was because of God. God decided for whatever reason at that moment to give them water without them asking for it. Now why? It doesn't say. It might be that God decided that you know what? I want to show them that I take care of them without them asking, yelling, complaining, demanding, requesting. It's something that I want to show them that I will take care of them also when they enter the land of Israel. It might be that that's the reason. But the secondary transition is that people recognized it. How many times did God did miracles for the Jewish people during their time of the desert and they didn't say anything? Not only that they didn't recognize it, they complained over it. Let's say the manna at the end of Parashat Bay Alutha. Here the Jewish people recognize it, and that's maturity. It's maturity to know that something was done for you, and it's somewhat of maturity to sing a song of thanksgiving and praise to God. So, what the Abarbanel did, the Abarbanel, if you remember, was very much bothered to say that that's the rock that Moshe hid, because he couldn't fathom that Am Israel will celebrate while their leaders mourn and said because there was a decree that they will not enter the land of Israel. And Moshe and Aaron were punished. He says that's impossible. Rabbiosef Pro Show, two centuries before him in France, says not only that it's possible, that's exactly what happened. So you see how we started with the Midrash, who says that Moshe did not want to be associated with that song because he was punished by that, and God says, okay, if he's not mentioned, I'm not mentioned. We spoke about maybe empowering the people. Then Rabi Yosef Pro-Shool said it in a very blunt way, in a very aggressive way to some extent. Am Israel, in a way, is not sensitive to his leader. And they are parting ways. A Barbanel could not accept it. And he says, no, no, no. We are just talking about God made the decision, we don't know exactly the reason. He gave them water, they sing a song, nothing to do with Moshe. It was nothing to do with Moshe, and we don't have sure if Moshe really participated in that song. He didn't, but it's nothing to do with his punishment, it's nothing to do with anything. That's the abarbonelle. The Kliakar suggested a different idea. And he says the following. Now the Kliakar suggests exactly the opposite. This moment was a moment of I will call it a tribute dinner for Moshe Rabbeinu. Am Israel is celebrating, praising, singing for Moshe. He identifies this be'er, this well as B'erash al Miriam. According to our sages, there were three gifts that Hashem gave via Moshe, Aharon, and Miriam. The clouds were given because of Aharon. The well, the traveling well that the Jewish people had all those 40 years in the desert was because of Miriam. And because of Moshe, we had the manna. After Miriam died, you would think that the whale will disappear. But it came back because of Moshe. And he says that exactly what they are singing. Who is the mechokek? Who is the lawgiver? It's Moshe. So basically, Am Israel is singing a song of praise to Moshe. And this is why Moshe's name is not obviously not mentioned. Moshe is not going to praise himself. So what the people do now, that they are basically celebrating, praising, glorifying Moshe. And he says, the man was given because of Moshe. So the Khliakar obviously has a bit of an agenda here. He wants to claim the following. Ananea Kavod, the clouds that protected the Jewish people, were given because of Aharon. The clouds always symbolizes holiness. There is something like that you cannot really identify. That's holiness. You see it's there, you feel it, but you don't see it. The be'air, the water, was given because of Miriam, because she did tremendous chesed, kindness, acts of kindness, and obviously the most famous one was the one that really because of her, Moshe was born. And Moshe had the merit of Torah. So the Kliakar's agenda is, in a way, that even if there is no Kohanim, and even if there is no Khesed, the Torah is the basis of all. That's what the Kliakar obviously wants to push. But let's leave alone the agenda for a second, which obviously the Torah has tremendous schut. But let's talk about the idea that the Kliyakar is saying in terms of the transition. For 40 years, Moshe is leading the Jewish people. If we will look at all those 40 years, you can't see even once that the people say, Moshe, thank you. Thank you for what you did for us. Thank you for advocating on our behalf. Thank you for taking care of us. Nothing. The only thing that he hears from those people is our complaints over and over and over. According to the Kaliakar, there is another moment of transition. Saying thank you to Moshe as their leader, who again, yet again, was able to provide them with the most essential product in the desert, which is water. So he wants to say it's because of the Torah, and we can definitely accept the idea that the Torah, if you teach Torah, if you learn Torah, you'll also have Chesed there and you will have Kehuna. But that's not the point. The point is that the Am Israel at that moment sang a song of praise to Moshe and to what he represents. And this is a moment of transition in the life of the Jewish people. Now, what are the reasons for that? Maybe Am Israel realized that Moshe is not going to be with them for too long and they wanted to say thank you. Or it might be that they just that was like a moment of realization that you know what? Without us asking too much, without us complaining too much, he was able to restore that gift of this traveling well, and he did it because of his love to us. Maybe they recognize that, you know what? Maybe we should just be thankful, we should appreciate what he did for us for so long. So the Kliyaka is really changing this entire approach. If until now we spoke about these parting ways, criticism, lack of sensitivity, maybe Hashem, the Kliyaka focused on the words of the song and says, that's his identification, we can disagree that the mechokek, the lawgiver, is Moshe Rabbeinu. And basically it's a song for Moshe, and that's why Az Yashir Israel Tashira Azot. Now obviously there are some weak points in his theory, because why not to mention Az Yashir Israel Tashot Le Moshe? We can definitely try to challenge his interpretation, but I think it's very unique, very original that the Kliakar suggests that Am Israel took a moment to recognize their leader. And the Malbib says the following. So why is it that, and because of that, Am Israel sang a song. So why Moshe didn't sing a song with them? He says, Moshe did not want to lead the song, not to participate in the song. Why? Because he didn't want to take credit on something he didn't do. When he sang the song of the sea, he was the one to split the sea. Here, he had nothing to do with this miracle. And therefore, unlike the Kliakad that says that he was the one to restore it, it says it was Bamash, just a simple divine gift, like very much, I guess like the abhaneel. And Moshe did not want to take away from God. So he said, This is not my miracle. I had nothing to do with it. I choose to stand aside. I think the Malbim just magnifies Moshe's leadership. Many leaders like to take credit for things that they do, and many times for things that they had nothing to do with. Moshe is not like that. Moshe is a true leader. He had nothing to do with this miracle, he stands aside, he's happy to see Am Israel recognize that miracle that was done for them, not for him. His dream for these 40 years was always to tell the Jewish people it's not about me. It's not about Aharon, it's about God. And this is the ultimate moment of transition for Moshe Rabinu. Am Israel, for once recognized something by himself without Moshe telling them. Something is done for them, not because they asked, they yelled, they requested, they complained, and they realize that it doesn't come for Moshe. So Moshe is not going to miss that opportunity, this educational opportunity, this leadership opportunity to empower the people to sing the song. So we spoke about the moment of transition. Different interpretations for what was exactly the transition. But definitely that was the moment. This is the moment when you would expect now that Am Israel taking more and more responsibilities, Moshe is taking more of a step back in order to allow that transition. Because the ultimate goal is not Moshe's leadership, the ultimate goal is the fulfillment of the covenant of the fathers. The ultimate mission is to go into the land of Israel, to establish a country, a nation, and therefore Moshe is not only just standing aside, he is empowering the people to become leaders. Thank you.