Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh writes, “When are the Jewish people referred to as ‘The Children of Israel (Benei Israel)?’ It is when they are at a level being proper/straight (yesharim) and devoutly righteous (tzaddikim). When they are not at this special spiritual level the Torah refers to them as ‘aam (people).’ In certain instances the Torah refers to them as ‘the People, Children of Israel (Aam Benei Israel) when the majority of them are truly righteous, but a minority are failing in their spirituality. In this instance, the Torah states, ‘The Children of Israel, the whole assembly, arrived at the Tzin Desert...’ it reveals that at this time, the entire Jewish people were truly proper/straight and devoutly righteous.
Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh continues, “Why is it important for the Torah to reveal at this juncture the spiritual status of the Jewish people? It is to inform us that despite their special spiritual status, their merit was not sufficient cause the miracle of water to continue. Thus, after the passing of Miriam the water ceased. This is to give us an appreciation of the special level of Miriam.” The Torah tells us that after the water ceased, the people began to quarrel with Moshe in a disrespectful manner, saying, “If only we had perished as our brethren perished before Hashem! Why have you brought the congregation of Hashem to this wilderness to die there, we and our animals...”
