Chukat חקת

My Musing
It is just over five years since Gilad Shalit was taken into captivity. In this week's parsha we read about the first Jewish captive of war and the resolve of the Israelites to avenge the capture. The midrash connects the demoralization of the nation with Amalek's capacity to take prisoners of war. While we need to be careful not to dictate political policy, one cannot but notice the idea that our enemies are successful when we harbor doubt. When we lack confidence in our mission of being the chosen people destined to be in the chosen land, we will be vanquished. May Gilad's parents see their son again soon.

מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת חקת סימן יח
מה כתיב אחריו?(במדבר כא:א) "וַיִּשְׁמַע הַכְּנַעֲנִי מֶלֶךְ עֲרָד יֹשֵׁב הַנֶּגֶב כִּי בָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֲתָרִים וַיִּלָּחֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּשְׁבְּ מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁבִי"

What is written after this (the deaths of Aaron and Miriam in the chapter preceding)? "And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the South, heard tell that Israel came by the way of Atharim; and he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive."

את מוצא שכיון שמת אהרן נסתלקו ענני כבוד ונראו כאשה פרועה. ומי היה מלך ערד? זה עמלק, שנאמר (במדבר יג:כט) "עֲמָלֵק יוֹשֵׁב בְּאֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב וְהַחִתִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי וְהָאֱמֹרִי יוֹשֵׁב בָּהָר וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי יֹשֵׁב עַל הַיָּם וְעַל יַד הַיַּרְדֵּן" והיה יושב על הפרצים. כיון ששמע שמת אהרן ונסתלקו ענני כבוד מיד נתגרים בהם. "דֶּרֶךְ הָאֲתָרִים" התייר הגדול שתר להם את הדרך שנאמר (במדבר י:לג) "וַיִּסְעוּ מֵהַר יְדֹוָד דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים וַאֲרוֹן בְּרִית יְדֹוָד נֹסֵעַ לִפְנֵיהֶם דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים לָתוּר לָהֶם מְנוּחָה"

You will find that since Aaron died the clouds of glory were removed and they were viewed as an unkempt woman. And who is the king of Arad? This is Amalek, as it says, "Amalek dwelleth in the land of the South; and the Hittite, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanite dwells by the sea, and along by the side of the Jordan.' And they were dwelling on the breaks. Once they heard that Aaron died and the coulds of glory were removed, immediately they challenged them. "the way of Atarim" the great guide who showed them the way, as it says, " And they set forward from the mount of the LORD three days' journey; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them three days' journey, to seek out a resting-place for them."

"וַיִּלָּחֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל" עמלק היה. למה קראו כנעני? לפי שנאסרו ישראל להלחם בבני עשו שנאמר, (דברים ב:ה) "אַל תִּתְגָּרוּ בָם כִּי לֹא אֶתֵּן לָכֶם מֵאַרְצָם עַד מִדְרַךְ כַּף רָגֶל כִּי יְרֻשָּׁה לְעֵשָׂו נָתַתִּי אֶת הַר שֵׂעִיר"
כשבא עמלק ונתגרה בהם פעם אחרת אמר להם הקדוש ברוך הוא, 'אין זה אסור עליכם כבני עשו, אלא הרי הוא לכם ככנענים. שנאמר בהם (דברים כ:יז) "כִּי הַחֲרֵם תַּחֲרִימֵם הַחִתִּי וְהָאֱמֹרִי הַכְּנַעֲנִי וְהַפְּרִזִּי הַחִוִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ יְדֹוָד אֱלֹקֶיךָ" לכך נקרא כנעני, לפי שמעולם רצועה מרדות היה עמלק לישראל.

"And he fought with Israel" It was Amalek. Why were they called "Canaanites"? Because Israel was forbidden to fight with the descendents of Eisav as it says, " contend not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession." When Amalek came and challenged them another time, Said to them the Holy One, blessed be He, 'This is not forbidden to you like the descendents of Eisav, rather they are to you like the Canaanites. As it says regarding them, " but thou shalt utterly destroy them: the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee;" therefore they are called Caananite, because Amalek will always be a rebellious strap to Israel.

את מוצא כיון שאמרו (שמות יז:ז) "וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם מַסָּה וּמְרִיבָה עַל רִיב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל נַסֹּתָם אֶת יְדֹוָד לֵאמֹר הֲיֵשׁ יְדֹוָד בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן" מיד (שמות יז:ח) "וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק וַיִּלָּחֶם עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּרְפִידִם"
וכאן (במדבר כ:כט) "וַיִּרְאוּ כָּל הָעֵדָה כִּי גָוַע אַהֲרֹן וַיִּבְכּוּ אֶת אַהֲרֹן שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם כֹּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל "
"וַיִּשְׁמַע הַכְּנַעֲנִי מֶלֶךְ עֲרָד יֹשֵׁב הַנֶּגֶב כִּי בָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֲתָרִים וַיִּלָּחֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּשְׁבְּ מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁבִי"

You find that since they said, " And the name of the place was called Massah, and Meribah, because of the striving of the children of Israel, and because they tried the LORD, saying: 'Is the LORD among us, or not?'" immediately, " Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim." And here, " And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they wept for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel." "And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the South, heard tell that Israel came by the way of Atharim; and he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive."

(במדבר יד:ד) "וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו נִתְּנָה רֹאשׁ וְנָשׁוּבָה מִצְרָיְמָה" (במדבר יד:מה) "וַיֵּרֶד הָעֲמָלֵקִי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי הַיֹּשֵׁב בָּהָר הַהוּא וַיַּכּוּם וַיַּכְּתוּם עַד הַחָרְמָה" את מוצא כשמת אהרן יצא עליהם עמלק, וחזרו לאחוריהן שבע מסעות. שנאמר, (דברים י:ו) "וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נָסְעוּ מִבְּאֵרֹת בְּנֵי יַעֲקָן מוֹסֵרָה שָׁם מֵת אַהֲרֹן וַיִּקָּבֵר שָׁם וַיְכַהֵן אֶלְעָזָר בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו" וכי שם מת אהרן? והלא בהר ההר מת! דכתיב (במדבר כ:כח) "וַיַּפְשֵׁט מֹשֶׁה אֶת אַהֲרֹן אֶת בְּגָדָיו וַיַּלְבֵּשׁ אֹתָם אֶת אֶלְעָזָר בְּנוֹ וַיָּמָת אַהֲרֹן שָׁם בְּרֹאשׁ הָהָר וַיֵּרֶד מֹשֶׁה וְאֶלְעָזָר מִן הָהָר" והפסוקים מוכיחין שהן שבע מסעות, ללמדך שחזרו לאחוריהן.

"And they said one to another: 'Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.'" Then the Amalekite and the Canaanite, who dwelt in that hill-country, came down, and smote them and beat them down, even unto Hormah." You find that when Aaron died, Amalek went out to them and went behind them seven missions. As it says, "And the children of Israel journeyed from Beeroth-benejaakan to Moserah; there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead." And did Aaron die there? Did not he die at Hor Hahar? As it is written, "And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount; and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount." And the verses prove that there were seven missions, to teach that they went in back of them.