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Moses: (a) (1393-1273 BCE) Greatest prophet to ever live. Son of Amram and Jochebed, younger brother of Miriam and Aaron. Born in Egypt and raised by Pharaoh’s daughter. Fled to Midian, where he married Zipporah. Deployed by G-d to Egypt to liberate the Israelites. Visited ten plagues upon Egypt, led the Israelites out, and transmitted to them the Torah at Mt. Sinai. Led the Israelites for forty years while they traveled in the desert, all the while performing astonishing miracles and wonders. Died in the Plains of Moab, and succeeded by his disciple Joshua. (b) A common Jewish name.
The Price of Leadership
A common denominator in all the explanations of the “Waters of Strife” incident is the implication that whatever the problem was, that wasn’t really the problem. Basically, G‑d is getting Moses on a technicality.
Instead of pouring his fear out and onto his people, Moses strapped on a face of calm and fortitude, and went around tranquilly planting seeds of serenity in the Israelite camp...
Balak was having a bad day. The Moab State Department has just sent him a memo that two mighty kings in the region had being defeated and killed by the invading Hebrews. Consumed with panic, he called a press conference...
If striking the rock was so awful, why was it okay so many years earlier? Why didn't Moses follow G-d's simple instructions? Why did this seemingly minor offense have such severe consequences?
Moses rebukes and Balaam blesses -- sounds wrong, no?
Do we surrender to the anti-truth of arbitrary happenstance, or do we embrace the divine calling of purposeful engagement? The difference looks a lot smaller than it is
A life sentence for jaywalking? Twenty years for chewing gum in public? Singapore notwithstanding, surely that's over the top! Well, was it so different for Moses, who is punished and denied entrance to the Promised Land for the seemingly minor infraction...
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