Selections from Sforno

Striking the Rock

במדבר כ,ח : קַח אֶת-הַמַטֶּה, וְהַקְהֵל אֶת-הָעֵדָה אַתָה וְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ, וְדִבַרְתֶּם אֶל-הַסֶּלַע לְעֵינֵיהֶם, וְנָתַן מֵימָיו

According to Sforno, many problems in understanding. Earlier (Shmos 17,6) Moshe was commanded to strike rock and bring forth water. Here at Merivah, Moshe and Aharon were told to speak to the rock. Also, why in this incident Moshe was also commanded to bring his staff?

Sforno states the purpose now was to bring a miracle that shows that Moshe, the messenger, is good leader, and God (the sender) is all good.

Three possible kinds of miracles:

1. Hidden miracle such as: dewfall, general reprieve from illness etc. Comes as a result of the prayers of righteous.
2. Revealed miracle which nature could never accomplish alone, but with tzaddik’s help such as: ground opening; sun standing still
3. Miracle which nature could never do such as: turning stone into water. water from rock. This type of miracle has no apparent source since declared by HaShem.

This third miracle was what HaShem wanted people to see through דיבור (speech). This would resolve the problems of leader and Sender (HaShem). There is nothing to fear for He is there as represented by Moshe’s staff, which could even become like a faucet for the drawing of water for each tribe.

Moshe and Aharon decided together to make the second kind of miracle because they did not believe HaShem would make the third kind for the undeserving Israelite mob. Further, an additional problem with doing this one is that the 2nd miracle makes the messenger (Moshe) look great, but completely disregards the Sender. And didn’t show the ‘fighters’ the error of their ways.

Serpent of Brass

במדבר כא,ט: וַיַעַש מֹשֶׁה נְחַשׁ נְחֹשֶׁת, וַיְשִׂמֵהוּ עַל-הַנֵּס; וְהָיָה, אִם-נָשַׁךְ הַנָּחָשׁ אֶת-אִישׁ-- וְהִבִּיט אֶל-נְחַשׁ הַנְּחֹשֶׁת, וָחָי

The Jews were guilty of Lashon haRa, slander, a transgression traditionally attributed to the serpent. Slander consumes the victim, it burns just like these fiery serpents burned and consumed the people.

Sforno states that the fashioning of the brass serpent and placing it on a banner, aroused the Jews to examine their sin, bringing them to repentance. This was the purpose of the staff of serpents. It was a means to an end, not some magical cure.

Moshe originally thought to make the staff of gold, because any artifact to be fashioned at the command of HaShem deserves to be made of the most expensive and precious material (like the vessels of the Mishkan). However, in this case the staff was made of brass since the intention was to underscore the link between נחשת (brass) forged through fire and נחש (serpent) whose venom burns and destroys like slander. This play on words is most instructive.