When the going got tough, the Jews complained again. They railed against Moshe and Hashem, belittling the mon and even the water.
Hashem sent snakes with hot venom to bite the people, and many died. The people came to Moshe and said, “We have sinned. Please pray that the snakes should be removed (now that we have repented.)”
Moshe davened, but Hashem did not remove the snakes. Instead, he told Moshe to create a snake of metal and place it high up so the Jews could see it, and reflect on the fact that the punishment came from Heaven.
The Torah tells us that anyone who was bitten would look at the snake and be healed.
So, Moshe’s prayers that the snakes be removed, were answered differently.
The people would not be spared the pain, but would be offered an antidote.
This teaches us that the things we go through are not for nothing. Rather, they are part of the overall process.
The people had to be bitten, then look at the snake on the pole, realize they had sinned against Hashem, and then be cured.
The illness was itself part of the ultimate cure, and Moshe’s prayer was answered in an even better way than he was able to suggest.
