Labels Are For T-Shirts

It is likely that when our children return from their sleep away camps they will be missing a varying amounts of pants, shirts, underwear and socks. If you labeled their clothing, it is more likely that more of those items will return with them. (Quick camping tip; I remember my grandmother sewing each label into our pants and shirts, I believe they have iron ons now.)

 

And that is where the labels belong, not on people.

 

In this weeks Torah portion we read of Moses hitting the rock. An epic event that changed the course of Jewish history. Moses doesn’t enter the land of Israel as result. Joshua does instead. Our Rabbi’s state that had Moses entered into the land the Messianic Utopian era would have begun with the Jewish peoples arrival into Israel.

 

Yes, Moses hit the rock instead of talking to it, but is that adequate to change the entire course of history? Did this man deserve such a serious punishment for this act?

 

Many answers have been given to explain this story, but I want to focus on what Moses did before he hit the rock.

 

When Moses gathers the People to show them the miracle of the rock giving forth water he says; “shimu no hamorim – listen ye rebels”.

 

People behave often in ways that are not to our liking, even sometimes down right unnerving or obnoxious. Do we react by labeling them? “That person is a jerk, that person is an imbecile, that person is a ____ (enter your choice words)”. Or do we recognize that their actions are wrong but that doesn’t make them into anything except a person who has done wrong actions?

 

Reverse the scenario; when you do something wrong, do you immediately label yourself? Or are you tolerant and excuse (or not excuse) the action but preserve your essence as whole and complete?

 

The Jewish People demonstrated a lack of faith and trust in G-d, they kvetched, but did that make them into “rebels”?

 

This is the first time in the Torah we find a label for the Jewish People and Moses was held accountable for this labeling of the People.

 

The moral of the story is that the next time someone is getting to you, try to call out the action not the person.

 

Have a great Shabbos!