And Miriam Died There
Rashi (BaMidbar 20:1) reflects the asks why the death of Miriam is put next to the pesukim dealing with the Parah Adumah. He answers that this is to reveal a thematic connection between the two: ‘just as sacrifices atone (derived from the words “chatas hei” in verse 9), so too does the death of a righteous person (tzadik) atone for those alive.’
The Kli Yakar here points out that there are three other places where we find similar ideas about tzadikim.
- Death of Miriam after the Parsha of Parah Adumah (BeMidbar 19, 23)
- The death of Aharon’s sons is juxtaposed with the Yom Kippur service (Vayikra 16,1 at the start of Achrei Mos) again signaling that the death of the righteous has an atoning facet.
- The death of Aharon is sandwiched with a mention of the special clothes of the Kohen Gadol (BeMidbar 20:28); clothes which also had an atoning feature.
- And lastly, when the death of Aharon is repeated in Chumash Devarim (10,2-6). It is put next to the breaking of the luchos, which Chazal comment to mean ‘the death of tzadikim is as hard to handle as the breaking of the luchos.’ (Moed Kaan 28b)
Why does the Torah repeat the same idea four times?
The Kli Yakar answers that these four mentions correspond to four different benefits a righteous person gives to the world.
Firstly, in their merit we get parnasah – sustenance, food, etc. – as the Gemara says ‘the entire world is fed due to [the merit of] my son Chaninah.’ This benefit corresponds to the death of Miriam; Miriam’s well provided water from which we could all drink. In fact, Rav Yosef Engel reveals that just like the manna would taste of whatever food a person wanted, so too did the water of be’er Miriam tastes of whatever drink the drinker desired (yes, even whisky – though they might not have had Johnnie Walker back then).
Next is the fact that we get a degree of atonement when a tzadik leaves this world, which is hinted at in the juxtaposition of the deaths of Aharon’s sons and the Yom Kippur service; the paradigm example of atonement.
Thirdly, a tzadik serves as a shield in that people can be saved from troubles via his (or her) merit. This corresponds to the death of Aharon being placed next to the clothes of the Kohen Gadol – for one of the things the Kohen Gadol does is daven for the people to be saved from tragedy. Thus, the Gemara says that a Kohen Gadol can be faulted for any (unintentional) murder that takes place, for ‘he should have prayed to HaShem (beforehand) to elicit Divine mercy’ that no murders should occur.
And fourthly, the most visible benefit is that a tzadik sets an example for us in following HaShem’s Path in life. Thus, the Gemara reports ‘when a tzadik dies, he is lost to his generation’ – the generation no longer has the guidance and shining example that they once enjoyed. This benefit corresponds to Aharon’s death being put next to the breaking of the luchos – the luchos encapsulate the Divine revelation at Sinai which showed (and instilled within) us the correct path in life.
