WRJ Voices: Chukat

In this Torah portion, the Israelites lose two of their leaders: Miriam and Aaron. When Aaron dies, the people are prepared – they observed Moses, Aaron and Eleazar ascend Mount Hor. Later, when only Moses and Eleazar (wearing Aaron’s vestments) descend from the mountain, they realize that Aaron has died. They mourn him for 30 days before continuing on their journey.

Miriam’s death seems to come without warning. It is at the very beginning of the parashah that her death is recounted, naming the place of her death and burial. No official mourning period is mentioned.

Immediately following her death, the people are without water. They cry out to Moses and Aaron in a rebellious mood. God instructs Moses and Aaron to assemble the people, take the rod and order the rock to give water. However, Moses did not speak to the rock – in what appears to be a moment of extreme anger, he strikes the rock. Water does come forth, but, as a consequence, Moses and Aaron will not be allowed to enter the Promised Land.

It has been suggested that Moses lost his temper as a result of the grief he was feeling following Miriam’s death. Perhaps the assemblage was feeling the loss of Miriam keenly as well, and that affected their anxiety over the lack of water. With no Miriam, how could there continue to be a “Miriam’s well”? However, we see that, in the continuing journey of the Israelites, they find wells of water (“Spring up O well-sing unto it.“, Num. 17).

It is at this time of year that many sisterhoods and women’s groups within WRJ are experiencing a change of leadership. Many times when well-qualified women are approached and asked to step into a leadership position, they hesitate. The reasons are many and varied – but often it is a feeling that they cannot follow in the footsteps of current or past leaders they have come to admire and respect – that they may not have the knowledge or experience these women seem to possess.

It is important to remember that we all start out in a learning mode. Those admired leaders were once in the same position of looking up to other women and wondering if they would ever be able to achieve the same level of achievement.

Just as the water continued to nourish the Israelites through their journeys, so, too, the commitment and dedication of the leaders of WRJ will continue to nourish our movement, be it on a local, district or international level. Water is necessary for life to continue. New and vibrant leadership is necessary to see WRJ into its next century.

Miriam continues to live today through us – let us honor her through our own actions and by supporting the women who have taken on the mantle of leadership within WRJ.

Edith Caplan currently serves as Audit chair on the WRJ board. She is a Past District President and Past Sisterhood President of Temple Beth Torah in Fremont, CA.