736.636 ותכל תלונותם מעלי And out an end to their complaining from Me
It is told about Rebbe Shimon of Yeruslav, a student of the Chasam Sofer, who lived long and reached a ripe old age, and they asked him, “How did you live so long?” Rebbe Shimon replied, “In general, a person has many questions regarding how the Creator runs the world, ‘Why doesn’t it go well for me, while it does for others? Why don’t I have parnasah when so and so does? Why don’t I have nachas from the children like my neighbor?’ and other questions and complaints until Hashem Yisbarach answers him, ‘Here, in this world, it is not possible to answer your questions, come, go up and get the answers to all your questions.’ But as for me, I never ask questions and I have no problem with Above, so they leave me here.”
This is hinted at in our parsha. After so many people died because of the dispute of Korach against Moshe Rabeinu, and HaKadosh Baruch Hu demonstrated that He chose Aharon through Aharon’s staff which miraculously sprouted blossoms, HaKadosh Baruch Hu tells Moshe (17:25) 'השב את מטה אהרן לפני העדות למשמרת לאות לבני מרי, ותכל תלונותם מעלי ולא ימותו' – ‘Return the staff of Aharon to before the Testimony as a safekeeping, as a sign for rebellious ones, and put an end to their complaining from Me so that they not die’. HaKadosh Baruch Hu wanted that this staff with which miracles occurred should remain for safekeeping so that it should be a sign and a remembrance that they not complain again, so that they not die. From here we are given to understand that if we complain about how the Creator runs things, we can receive the punishment of death.
Anyone who gives something to someone, and particularly when every father gives his children, he wants them to appreciate him. Kal v’chomer, how much more so when HaKadosh Baruch Hu gives us things we should appreciate what He gave us, especially when He gives us above and beyond what we deserve. Therefore, one who complains and does not appreciate what he received, he arouses a prosecutor against him who could bring against him all sorts of difficulties of which Chazal said one smitten with them is considered as if he were dead... but an excellent character trait [midah] is one who appreciates and thanks, then Hashem Yisbarach wants to give him more and more. This is how they explain the posuk in the name of the Chozeh of Lublin (Bereishis 32:13), 'ואתה אמרת היטב איטיב עמך' – ‘And You had said, “I will surely do good with you”’, that if the person says that it is good with him, then Hashem Yisbarach tells him, “I will do good with you”, doubly with open kindnesses.
-Tiv HaTorah - Korach
