Trust Measures Effort: Speaking to the Rock
From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bamidbar 20:8
קַח אֶת־הַמַּטֶּה וְהַקְהֵל אֶת־הָעֵדָה אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ וְדִבַּרְתֶּם אֶל־הַסֶּלַע לְעֵינֵיהֶם וְנָתַן מֵימָיו וְהוֹצֵאתָ לָהֶם מַיִם מִן־הַסֶּלַע וְהִשְׁקִיתָ אֶת־הָעֵדָה וְאֶת־בְּעִירָם
Take the staff and assemble the congregation, you and Aharon your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will give forth its water. You shall bring forth water for them from the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.
1“Take the staff and assemble the congregation, you and Aharon your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes.”1 Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, command Moshe to take the staff with him, when He did not command him to do anything at all with it? The passage goes on to say, “And Moshe took the staff from before Hashem, as He had commanded him.”2 What does the verse mean by “from before Hashem”? Then it says, “And he struck the rock with his staff twice.”3 The commentators discuss at length how Moshe Rabbeinu could do this. Hashem said of him, “In all My house he is trusted,”4 so how could he depart, Heaven forbid, from what Hashem had told him? We must also ask why he struck the rock twice.
קַח אֶת הַמַּטֶּה וְהַקְהֵל אֶת הָעֵדָה אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ וְדִבַּרְתֶּם אֶל הַסֶּלַע לְעֵינֵיהֶם (כ, ח). צָרִיךְ לְהָבִין מַדּוּעַ צִוָּה הקב״ה לְמֹשֶׁה לָקַחַת הַמַּטֶּה עִמּוֹ, הֲרֵי לֹא צִוָּה עָלָיו לַעֲשׂוֹת עִמּוֹ מְאוּמָה. וּבְהֶמְשֵׁךְ הַכָּתוּב נֶאֱמַר (שם, ט) ״וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַמַּטֶּה מִלִּפְנֵי ה׳ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּהוּ״, וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין מַה כַּוָּונַת הַכָּתוּב בְּאָמְרוֹ מִלִּפְנֵי ה׳. וּבְמַה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם, יא) ״וַיַּךְ אֶת הַסֶּלַע בְּמַטֵּהוּ פַּעֲמָיִם״, הֶאֱרִיכוּ הַמְּפָרְשִׁים בָּזֶה אֵיךְ יִתָּכֵן אֲשֶׁר מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עָלָיו (במדבר יב, ז) ״בְּכָל בֵּיתִי נֶאֱמָן הוּא״, יְשַׁנֶּה ח״ו מִדְּבָרָיו שֶׁל הקב״ה, וְעוֹד לָמָּה הִכָּה הַסֶּלַע פַּעֲמַיִים.
In shortWhy take the staff only to speak, what is “from before Hashem,” and how could trusted Moshe strike the rock, and twice?
2We can explain it as follows. We know that although the Holy One, blessed be He, feeds and sustains all, people must still make an effort, hishtadlus, for their livelihood. And we know from the holy sefarim, the Chovos HaLevavos, the Mesillas Yesharim and the Toldos Yaakov Yosef, that how much effort is needed depends on each person's level in the middah of bitachon, the character trait of trust in Hashem.5 If he is a complete tzaddik whose trust is whole, a token effort is enough for him, and no more. But if, Heaven forbid, his trust is weak, he must make a great deal of effort.
אָכֵן אֶפְשָׁר לְפָרֵשׁ, דְּהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ שֶׁאַף שהקב״ה זָן וּמְפַרְנֵס לַכֹּל, אַךְ בְּנֵי הָאָדָם צְרִיכִים לַעֲשׂוֹת הִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת בִּשְׁבִיל הַפַּרְנָסָה. וְיָדוּעַ מֵהַסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (חובת הלבבות שער הבטחון ד, מסילת ישרים כא, תולדות יעקב יוסף נח) שֶׁהַדָּבָר תָּלוּי כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְפִי מַדְרֵגָתוֹ בְּמִידַּת בִּטָּחוֹן, דִּבְאִם הוּא צַדִּיק גָּמוּר וְיֵשׁ לוֹ מִידַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן בִּשְׁלֵימוּת, דַּי לוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת הִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת שֶׁל מָה בְּכָךְ וְתוּ לָא, אַךְ בְּאִם ח״ו מִידַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן חֲלוּשָׁה אֶצְלוֹ, אֲזַי צָרִיךְ הַרְבֵּה לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל.
- Chovos HaLevavos, Shaar HaBitachon, ch. 4; Mesillas Yesharim, ch. 21; Toldos Yaakov Yosef, Noach. ↩
In shortHow much effort a person must put into his livelihood depends on his trust: whole trust needs only a token, weak trust much more.
3Such a story is told of our master the Baal Shem Tov, zt"l. Once, before he became known, he had nothing for the needs of the holy Shabbos. He went and knocked on his neighbor's window, called out from outside that he needed money for his Shabbos expenses, and at once ran off. The neighbor came out, saw him running away, ran after him and caught up with him, and asked what this meant: if the Baal Shem Tov wanted money from him, why had he not waited for it? The Baal Shem Tov answered that, for his level of trust, the effort of knocking on the window was enough. Now he was looking to Hashem, blessed be He, to send him help from on high.
וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמְּסַפְּרִים עַל רַבֵּינוּ הַבַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב זצלה״ה, שֶׁפַּעַם אַחַת לִפְנֵי הִתְגַּלּוּתוֹ לֹא הָיָה לוֹ לְצָרְכֵי שַׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׁ, וְהָלַךְ וְדָפַק עַל חַלּוֹן שְׁכֵנָיו וְצָעַק מִבַּחוּץ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ עַל הוֹצָאוֹת שַׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׁ וּמִיָּד בָּרַח. וְכַאֲשֶׁר יָצָא הַשָּׁכֵן לִקְרָאתוֹ רָאָה שֶׁהוּא בּוֹרֵחַ, וְרָץ אַחֲרָיו וְהִשִּׂיגוֹ וְשָׁאַל אוֹתוֹ לְפֵשֶׁר הַדָּבָר, כִּי אִם מְבַקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ לָמָּה אֵינוֹ מְחַכֶּה עַד שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ. וְהֵשִׁיב לוֹ כִּי לְפִי מַדְרֵגַת הַבִּטָּחוֹן שֶׁלּוֹ דַּי לוֹ בְּהַהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת הַזֹּאת שֶׁל הַדְּפִיקָה בַּחַלּוֹן, וְעַתָּה מְצַפֶּה הוּא לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ שֶׁיִּשְׁלַח לוֹ עֶזְרָתוֹ מִמָּרוֹם.
In shortThe Baal Shem Tov's trust was so complete that knocking on a window was effort enough for Shabbos; the rest he left to Hashem.
4In the same spirit, my holy ancestor, the Rebbe of Ozharov, zt"l, tells a story in his Bircas Tov about R' Mendel of Rimanov, zt"l.6 R' Mendel was on his way to R' Elimelech of Lizhensk, zt"l, when he found a large coin on the road and picked it up. Afterward he thought it over and said that, by his level of trust, he had no need to pick up the coin. If the money was meant for him, it would reach him even without this effort. So he threw the coin away. Later a very rich man, who was also traveling to R' Elimelech, passed along the same road, found the coin and took it. When he reached the beis midrash, he saw a needy man sitting there whose whole appearance showed that he was poor and engaged in Torah. The rich man took the coin and gave it to R' Mendel as a gift. But this level belongs only to great people whose trust is complete. Simple people, whose trust is lacking, must make an effort for their livelihood according to their level.
וּכְמוֹ כֵּן הֵבִיא כ״ק זְקֵנִי זצלה״ה מאוזרוב בְּבִרְכַּת טוֹב (לזאת חנוכה ד״ה במדרש) מַעֲשֶׂה מֵהָרַבִּי ר׳ מנדל מרימנוב זצלה״ה שֶׁהָלַךְ בְּדַרְכּוֹ לִהְיוֹת אֵצֶל הָרַבִּי ר׳ אֱלִימֶלֶךְ זצלל״ה וּמָצָא מַטְבֵּעַ גְּדוֹלָה עַל הַדֶּרֶךְ וְנָטַל אוֹתָהּ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ חָשַׁב הָרַבִּי ר׳ מנדל וְאָמַר שֶׁלְּפִי מִידַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן שֶׁלּוֹ אֵין נִצְרָךְ לוֹ לְהָרִים הַמַּטְבֵּעַ, כִּי בְּאִם הַכֶּסֶף רָאוּי לוֹ אֲזַי יַגִּיעַ אֵלָיו גַּם בְּלִי הַהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת הַזּוֹ, וְזָרַק מֵעָלָיו הַמַּטְבֵּעַ. לְאַחַר מִכֵּן עָבַר בְּאוֹתוֹ הַדֶּרֶךְ עָשִׁיר גָּדוֹל שֶׁגַּם הוּא נָסַע לְהָרַבִּי ר׳ אֱלִימֶלֶךְ וּמָצָא הַמַּטְבֵּעַ וּנְטָלוֹ, וּכְשֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְרָאָה אֵיךְ שֶׁיּוֹשֵׁב אֶבְיוֹן אֶחָד אֲשֶׁר חָזוּתוֹ מוֹכִיחַ עָלָיו שֶׁהוּא עָנִי וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה, נָטַל אֶת הַמַּטְבֵּעַ וּנְתָנוֹ בְּמַתָּנָה לְהָרַבִּי ר׳ מנדל זי״ע. וְאָמְנָם מַדְרֵגָה זֹאת הוּא רַק לַאֲנָשִׁים גְּדוֹלִים אֲשֶׁר שְׁלֵימִים בְּמִידַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן, אֲבָל אֲנָשִׁים פְּשׁוּטִים שֶׁמִּידַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן חֲסֵרָה אֶצְלָם, צְרִיכִים לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל עַל פַּרְנָסָה כְּפִי עֶרְכָּם.
- Bircas Tov, Zos Chanukah (the eighth day of Chanukah), s.v. Bamidrash. ↩
In shortR' Mendel threw away a coin that reached him anyway; only those of complete trust may rely on this, while others must make an effort.
5In light of this, we can explain our passage. Bnei Yisrael had blemished their faith and trust when they quarreled over the water, and because of this the salvation, water to drink, was held back from them.7 So the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to raise them above their level by reminding them of the miracles He had done for them until then. This would bring them to faith and trust, and then they could be privileged to receive salvation with an effort of speech alone. That is why He said to Moshe, “Take the staff and assemble the congregation.” Moshe was to show them this staff, through which Hashem had done many signs and miracles, and so awaken faith and trust in them. Moshe did so. This is “And Moshe took the staff from before Hashem”: he took this staff, which served to recall the miracles Hashem had done.
וְעַל פִּי זֶה אֶפְשָׁר לְבָאֵר כָּאן, כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל פָּגְמוּ בֶּאֱמוּנָה וּבִטָּחוֹן כְּשֶׁרָבוּ עַל הַמַּיִם, עַל יְדֵי זֶה נִמְנַע מֵהֶם הַיְּשׁוּעָה לָתֵת לָהֶם מַיִם לִשְׁתּוֹת, לָכֵן רָצָה הקב״ה לְהַגְבִּיהַּ אוֹתָם מִמַּדְרֵגָתָם, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁיַּזְכִּיר לָהֶם הַנִּיסִּים אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה עִמָּהֶם עַד הֵנָּה, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יָבוֹאוּ לֶאֱמוּנָה וּבִטָּחוֹן וְאָז יוּכְלוּ לִזְכּוֹת לִישׁוּעָה עַל יְדֵי הִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת שֶׁל דִּיבּוּר לְבַד. לָכֵן אָמַר לְמֹשֶׁה ׳קַח אֶת הַמַּטֶּה וְהַקְהֵל אֶת הָעֵדָה׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁיַּרְאֵם הַמַּטֶּה הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הקב״ה עַל יָדוֹ הַרְבֵּה אוֹתוֹת וְנִיסִּים וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יְעוֹרֵר בָּהֶם אֱמוּנָה וּבִטָּחוֹן, וּמֹשֶׁה עָשָׂה כֵּן, וְזֶהוּ ׳וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַמַּטֶּה מִלִּפְנֵי ה״, הַיְינוּ שֶׁלָּקַח אֶת הַמַּטֶּה הַזֶּה שֶׁבָּא לְהַזְכִּיר הַנִּיסִּים שֶׁעָשָׂה ה׳.
- See Bamidbar 20:2–5. ↩
In shortBnei Yisrael's trust had weakened, so the staff was to recall Hashem's miracles and raise their trust until speech alone would bring water.
6But Moshe saw that all this had not helped and that Bnei Yisrael had not risen above their level. Seeing how low their trust in Hashem now was, he reasoned that for people of such weak trust, the effort of speaking to the rock alone was not enough. The rock would have to be struck, even several times. This was Moshe Rabbeinu's reasoning when he struck the rock.
וְכַאֲשֶׁר רָאָה מֹשֶׁה שֶׁלֹּא הוֹעִיל כָּל זֹאת וְלֹא נִתְרוֹמְמוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמַדְרֵגָתָם, לָכֵן בִּרְאוֹת מֹשֶׁה שֶׁהֵם עַתָּה בְּמַדְרֵגָה נְמוּכָה בְּמִידַּת בִּטְחוֹנָם בְּהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ, סָבַר בְּדַעְתּוֹ שֶׁלְּפִי עֵרֶךְ מִידַּת הַבִּיטָּחוֹן הַחַלָּשׁ שֶׁלָּהֶם אֵין דַּי בְּכָךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת הִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת רַק עַל יְדֵי דִּיבּוּר אֶל הַסֶּלַע, אֶלָּא יֵשׁ צוֹרֶךְ לְהַכּוֹת אוֹתוֹ אֲפִילּוּ כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים, וְזֶה הָיָה סְבָרַת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ בַּמֶּה שֶׁהִכָּה אֶת הַסֶּלַע.
In shortWhen the staff did not lift the people's trust, Moshe reasoned that such weak trust needed more than speech, so he struck the rock.
7But Hashem's intent in His command was to bring them to faith through “and speak to the rock” as well. Even if the staff alone would not bring them to faith at once, they would still hear that Moshe Rabbeinu was doing something as wondrous as speaking to the rock. That would rouse them and raise them to complete trust, and with it they would need no effort at all. So speaking to the rock would have been enough; there was no need to strike it. This is what Hashem meant when He said to Moshe: “Because you did not believe in Me, to sanctify Me before the eyes of Bnei Yisrael …”8
אֲבָל כַּוָּונַת הקב״ה בְּצִיוּוּיוֹ הָיָה לַהֲבִיאָם לֶאֱמוּנָה גַּם עַל יְדֵי ׳וְדִבַּרְתֶּם אֶל הַסֶּלַע׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁאַף אִם הֲבָאַת הַמַּטֶּה לְבַדָּהּ לֹא תִּפְעַל אֶצְלָם לַהֲבִיאָם מִיָּד לֶאֱמוּנָה, מִכָּל מָקוֹם מִשֶּׁיִּשְׁמְעוּ שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה עוֹשֶׂה כַּדָּבָר הַנִּפְלָא הַזֶּה לְדַבֵּר אֶל הַסֶּלַע, מִזֶּה הָיוּ מִתְעוֹרְרִים וּבָאִים לְמַדְרֵגָה שְׁלֵימָה בְּבִטָּחוֹן, וְעַל יָדָהּ לֹא יִהְיוּ צְרִיכִים לְשׁוּם הִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת, וְלָכֵן הָיָה דַּי הַדִּיבּוּר אֶל הַסֶּלַע בְּמָקוֹם לְהַכּוֹתוֹ, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר לְמֹשֶׁה (שם) ״יַעַן לֹא הֶאֱמַנְתֶּם בִּי לְהַקְדִּישֵׁנִי לְעֵינֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״ וְגוֹ׳.
- Bamidbar 20:12. ↩
In shortSpeaking to the rock was meant to bring the people to complete trust, needing no effort; hence “you did not believe in Me.”
8May Hashem grant that we be able to serve the Creator with simple faith and receive all good, selah, until the coming of Yinon.9 Amen, may it be His will.
יִתֵּן ה׳ שֶׁנּוּכַל לַעֲבוֹד אֶת הַבּוֹרֵא מִתּוֹךְ אֱמוּנָה פְּשׁוּטָה, וּלְקַבֵּל כָּל טוּב סֶלָה עַד בִּיאַת יִנּוֹן, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
- Sanhedrin 98b, on Tehillim 72:17: Yinon is one of the names of Moshiach. ↩
In shortMay we serve the Creator with simple faith and receive all good until Moshiach comes.
Takeaway
How much effort we must pour into our livelihood is not fixed; it shrinks as our trust in Hashem grows. The Baal Shem Tov needed only a knock on a window, while most of us must still work according to our level. Our task is to raise that level by remembering the wonders Hashem has already done for us, as the staff was meant to remind Bnei Yisrael, for when trust is whole, a word can do what blows could not.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.