Things seen from there are clearly seen from here
Rabbi Eliezer Shenvald – The Parasha in our everyday life - Chukat - 5781
Last week, "Jerusalem's Annual Flag Parade'', was postponed due to "security threats" - Hamas' threats to open fire and riots. This week it is supposed to take place under the discourse of whether it is right to hold it and risk firing missiles or whether it is right to cancel it to keep the silence. Since the disengagement and Hamas's takeover of Gaza, Hamas has intensified and transformed from a small and marginal organization into a regional strategic factor that creates a balance of terror vis-à-vis the State of Israel.
Even before the disengagement, it was very clear. But the disengagement creator and its supporters vehemently denied and refused to believe. Today we are paying the price!
The disengagement was led by those who supported, initiated, and led, for years, the settlement of the territories of Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip. The plan was a fraudulent move to his constituents. The one who opposed it and promised in the election "The fate of Netzarim is the fate of Tel Aviv", led it in full, and justified his breach of promise by saying "What you see from there you don’t see from here"! (See Prof. Aryeh Eldad's book "Things you see from here" other examples of right-wing prime ministers who denied their promises after rising to power).
Even then and especially today after Operation Summer Rains (a year after the disengagement in response to the killing of two soldiers and the abduction of Gilad Shalit), Operation Cast Lead, Operation Pillar of Cloud, Operation Protective Edge, Operation Black Belt, and Operation Guardian of the Walls, (Partial list), when the results of the move are evident in the test of the years, it is clear to anyone who is willing to admit the truth, that there is no difference between what we 'saw from there' - before the disengagement, and what we 'see' after. And precisely those who 'saw from there' saw a distorted picture.
When we come to learn from the actions of the nation's great men in our Parasha, we must remind ourselves that:
אִם רִאשׁוֹנִים בְּנֵי מַלְאָכִים — אָנוּ בְּנֵי אֲנָשִׁים. וְאִם רִאשׁוֹנִים בְּנֵי אֲנָשִׁים — אָנוּ כַּחֲמוֹרִים.
"If the early generations are characterized as sons of angels, we are the sons of men. And if the early generations are characterized as the sons of men, we are akin to donkeys." (Shabbat 112:2)
And yet Torah it is, and we must learn!
The quarrel over the 'Waters of Meribah' caused Moshe not to enter the land of Israel:
...יַ֚עַן לֹא־הֶאֱמַנְתֶּ֣ם בִּ֔י לְהַ֨קְדִּישֵׁ֔נִי לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לָכֵ֗ן לֹ֤א תָבִ֙יאוּ֙ אֶת־הַקָּהָ֣ל הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ׃
... “Because you did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity in the sight of the Israelite people, therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the land…” (Bamidbar 20:12)
Why was this so-called 'lack of faith' such a big sin?
"אמר משה בליבו: אוי לי שמא לא יוציא זה הסלע מים ונמצאתי מתבייש בפניהם, מה עשה? תפש המקל בידו וכו' והניחו על הסלע והתחיל מדבר עם ישראל, והכה את הסלע"
"Moshe said to himself: “Woe is me; for if this rock will not bring forth water, I will be ashamed in front of them. What did he do? Grabbed a stick in his hand, etc. and put it on the rock and started to talk with Israel and struck the rock" (Midrash Hagadol).
G-d commands him to speak to the rock. Moshe who is 'in the field', at the time of action, feels the people's distrust and fears 'lest this rock will not bring out water'! Then the situation will only get worse, so he takes the path proven successful in the past, striking the rock.
Sort of 'things seen from here', as far as we are allowed to say about Moshe Rabbeinu- Hashem's Prophet. The Scripture attributes to this 'lack of faith' –
אַתָּה אֵין סוֹפְךָ לְהַאֲמִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״יַעַן לֹא הֶאֱמַנְתֶּם בִּי וְגוֹ׳״.
"Ultimately, you will not believe, as it is stated: “And G-d said to Moshe and to Aaron: Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel..." (Shabbat 97:1)
At this point in time, it was necessary to restore the confidence and faith of the people through a powerful miracle: by speaking to the rock and not by striking it.
A similar case in the "Sin of the Calf". Moshe descends from the mountain and sees the shocking image of the nation at its lowest point. He turns to Aaron, critically puzzled, and asks why he agreed to be a partner in this terrible failure:
מֶֽה־עָשָׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־הֵבֵ֥אתָ עָלָ֖יו חֲטָאָ֥ה גְדֹלָֽה׃
“What did this people do to you that you have brought such great sin upon them?” (Shmot 32:21)
Aaron argued in his defense that he was forced to cooperate with the leaders of the violent demand to make the calf, who killed everyone who stood in their way, and he tried to prevent it:
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַהֲרֹ֔ן אַל־יִ֥חַר אַ֖ף אֲדֹנִ֑י אַתָּה֙ יָדַ֣עְתָּ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם כִּ֥י בְרָ֖ע הֽוּא׃
"Aaron said, let not my lord be enraged. You know that these people are bent on evil". (Shmot 32:22)
From his point of view, while being ‘in the field’ at the time of action, when he closely felt the public mood, he had no choice but to cooperate because any other possibility could have been worse. A kind of 'things seen from here' during an act cannot be seen now, after an act, 'from there', as far as can be said of Aaron HaKohen- Hashem's Prophet.
Moshe does not accept this. Things can also be seen from "there" and despite the distress and danger he had to stand firm and try to thwart the plot with all his might (Dvarim 9:20).
Many times: things seen from there are clearly seen from here.