Moses’ Character and Fortitude
There are many reasons Moses is considered the greatest of Jewish prophets, why he is the towering human figure in the Torah, and why many Jews look to him to emulate.
An example of his character and fortitude has its origin in our Torah portion this week, Chukkat. The Israelites are in the wilderness of Zin starting their final march to the Promised Land. It is there that Miriam, the prophetess and sister of Moses and Aaron, dies. The Torah records there was no water, and the people challenge Moses and his brother Aaron saying, “… why have you brought the assembly of God into this wilderness, to die there, we and our cattle?” (Numbers 20:4).
During this incident Moses and Aaron are told by God they will not lead the congregation into “…the Land that I have given them.” (Numbers 20:12)
Imagine how devastating this must have been. Moses, the leader of our people from slavery to freedom, having just lost his sister, learns he will be denied entrance to the Promised Land. And yet, the last chapter of the Torah remarkably states, “Moses was 120 years old when he died; his eye had not dimmed, and his vigor had not diminished” (Deuteronomy 34:7).
The Torah records that Moses led our people, knowing he was not going to experience the ultimate reward of the Promised Land, with undiminished vigor. He never literally or figuratively lost sight of what he was put on Earth to accomplish and his role as God’s prophet.
We all have setbacks. How we chose to react to them is in our hands. Moses’ response is worthy of our aspiration.
Rabbi David Woznica
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