THE WEEKLY SIDRA- CHUKAS

Rabbi Moshe Greebel

One of the more popular issues of the day, is the relationship between Torah and science.  Concerning the latter, it seems to be made up of two categories- the theoretic and the practical.  Such abstract topics as the exact age of the earth and when California will break off of the Continental United States for scientists, are for the better part, theoretic questions, the answers to which can as yet, not be proved.  Yet, from the more pragmatic perspective, we do know that penicillin is an antibiotic, which weakens and kills bacteria, and mobile cell phones work most of the time. 

Now, there is nothing new about science.  From the times of antiquity, Greeks such as Aristotle and Theophrastus, and the Roman Pliny the Elder, made empirical investigations of the natural world.  From the Greek development of the sciences, to the Scientific Revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries, to this highly technical digital age, we have witnessed more and more practical science playing a major role in the fields of medicine, communication, and everything else.  The early Greek undertaking of the sciences has historically been a fountain gaining more and more strength, as time elapses.

What has all this to do with this week’s Sidra?  Consider the following.  After the death of Miriam, we read:

      “And there was no water for the congregation; and they gathered themselves together against Moshe and against Aharon.”  (Bamidbar 20:2)

Rashi on this Passuk (verse), explained the relationship between the death of Miriam, and the lack of water:

     “From here (it is understood), that for the entire forty years (this generation spent in the wilderness), they had the well of water (a rock) in the merit of Miriam.”

 That is, when that merit of Miriam was no more, neither was the water.  Hence, the B’nai Yisroel thirsted.

 In the Gemarah of Ta’anis 9a, we find:

     “Rabbi Yossi the son of Rav Y’huda says, ‘Three good leaders had arisen for Yisroel, namely Moshe, Aharon, and Miriam.  And for their sake three good things were conferred (upon Yisroel), namely, the Well, the Pillar of Cloud, and the Manna.  The Well, for the merit of Miriam; the Pillar of Cloud for the merit of Aharon, and the Manna for the merit of Moshe.  When Miriam died the well disappeared, as it is said, “And Miriam died there,” and immediately follows (the verse), “And there was no water for the congregation…..”’”

After Moshe was ordered by HaShem to speak to the rock, so that it would emit water, we find:

     “And Moshe and Aharon gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said to them, ‘Hear now, you rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?’”  (Bamidbar 20:10)

Rashi explains this Passuk in the following manner:

     “For, they (Moshe and Aharon) could not recognize it (the rock), in that (after the death of Miriam), the rock sat among other rocks, when the Well vanished.  Now, Yisroel was (angrily) saying to them (Moshe and Aharon), ‘What is the difference from which rock you emit water for us?’  That is why he (Moshe) said to them, ‘Rebels, contentious ones!’ which is the Greek.  ‘Fools, who assume to teach their teachers!  Shall we bring out water for you, from a rock upon which we were not commanded (to do so)?’”

In essence, by referring to the B’nai Yisroel with such hard terms, we see that Moshe allowed his anger to overcome him.  Yet, there is something very interesting about the above Rashi.  Why was it necessary for Moshe to use Greek references to denigrate the B’nai Yisroel?  Are there not sufficient similar terms in LaShon HaKodesh?  Why utilize the Greek?

For the answer to this query, we turn to the words of Rav Yisroel Y’hoshua Trunk of Kutno (1820-1893), of blessed memory, who made a very unique comparison between the classical Greek sciences and the study of Torah, in the following manner.

When it comes to the wisdom of HaShem, through the accumulated knowledge and comprehension of Torah, each consecutive generation gets weaker.  This is as it states in the Gemarah Shabbos 112b:

     “…..If the earlier (Torah scholars) were sons of men, we are like asses…..”

Those who would argue that in these times we have so many Yeshivos, so many S’farim (texts), so many Talmidei Chachamim (Torah scholars), would do better to reflect on the Gemarah in T’murah 16a:

     “But did not Rav Y’huda report in the name of Sh’muel, ‘Three thousand Halachos (laws), were forgotten during the period of mourning for Moshe?’”

Since the wisdom of Torah, continued Rav Yisroel Y’hoshua, cannot be reached by human intelligence alone, but only by the revelation at Har Sinai, the farther away historically from that great event, the more Torah is lost.  It is in the natural order of things, so willed by HaKadosh Baruch Hu.

However, when it comes to the classic Greek practical sciences, we see just the opposite.  As time goes by, more and more very useful scientific discoveries, which benefit man, are made.  Every generation of scientists outdoes the previous generation, and newer scientists do in fact, teach their teachers.  Practical science steams along, adding more and more knowledge, even as these words are written.

And this, explained Rav Yisroel Y’hoshua, is why Rashi expounded to us the use of Greek references made by Moshe.  For, in his anger, Moshe said to the complaining B’nai Yisroel, “Presuming to teach your teachers, is the manner of Greek practical science, and not the manner of Torah!”

Now, while it is true that Aristotle and Theophrastus would not be born for quite a few centuries after these events with the rock, the infinity of Torah is nevertheless, not bound in any way or manner by time.  Did Moshe at that precise moment at the rock, see the very distant future application of classic Greek practical sciences?  Or, was there in that Biblical time a group of those who were forerunners to the Greek practical sciences, known to Moshe?  Admittedly, these are very good questions.

May we soon see the G’ulah Sh’laimah in its complete resplendency- and in our times.  Good Shabbos.