Absent-Mindedness in Emunah
In Parshas Chukas, we learn that Moshe committed a sin that caused Hashem to deny him entry into Eretz Yisrael. This occurred after Miriam’s death, which had left the Jews without the miraculous well that Miriam’s merit had brought them. The nation complained that they did not have water, and Hashem commanded Moshe to take his staff and go to the rock. There, he would speak to the rock, which would give forth water.
When Moshe could not locate the rock, and the people began expressing their impatience, Moshe called out: “Hear, you rebels, will we bring forth water from this rock?”
He then hit the rock twice and waters burst forth from it, quenching the thirst of the nation (Bamidbar 20:10).
The Meforshim struggle to understand what Moshe’s sin was. The Ramban (ibid. verse 8), citing Rabbeinu Chananel, explains that Moshe was faulted for saying: “Will we bring forth water from this rock?” The word “we” made it sound as if Moshe and Aharon had brought water from the rock by themselves, whereas this in fact was from Hashem, and Moshe had only been Hashem’s emissary.
Still, was this is a sin? Did Moshe really cause anyone to think that he had done this miracle on his own? Hadn’t the people seen all along that Hashem had done for them miracles, and that Moshe was just His emissary? What risk was there that they would take Moshe’s word “we” literally?
Rav Yechezkel Levinstein answers that the yetzer hara has a power to put into us a temporary absent-mindedness in emuna. Rav Levinstein cites Shabbos (30b), that the evil people know that they will die, but they nevertheless pursue their sinful desires. Everyone knows that he will die and face his final judgment, but if a person would have this in mind at all times, he would act differently. What makes him forget? This power of the yetzer hara.
This explains Moshe’s sin: When he said “will we bring forth water,” for that split second he let the yetzer hara come in and enable people to forget that Hashem was doing this. Since Moshe weakened the people’s faith in Hashem instead of strengthening it, he was punished.
This is a principle in all spiritual matters — we are prone to absent-mindedness. It is our job to be ever vigilant in combatting this absent-mindedness by making constant efforts to strengthen our emunah.
The power of absent-mindedness is particularly strong in the area of hashgacha pratis. The world we see before us does not express that Hashem is running everything. On the contrary, everywhere we see cause and effect. The worker who puts in overtime earns more than the one who does not. The businessman with the most savvy and connections is more successful. There is a tendency to forget that Hashem is behind everything, and we surely need constant chizuk in emuna to keep ourselves aware of this, says Rav Levinstein.
How can we get constant chizuk in emuna, particularly in hashgacha pratis?
One of the main ways is to daven three tefillos every day with kavana. When a person turns to Hashem in prayer and believes that Hashem is the Source from which to make all of his requests, this reinforces his belief that Hashem – and not his boss, neighbor, doctor, etc. – is in control of everything.
Next is to be careful in saying 100 brachos every day. This helps us to see that Hashem is giving us everything that we have.
Also, think about how Hashem has helped you throughout your life, and speak it over, either to yourself or others. The more we think and speak about it, the more we will see that Hashem has helped us, in more and more parts of life.
Rav Gamliel Rabinowitz puts out a pamphlet that included examples of Hashem’s hashgacha pratis, and he encourages people to write in their own examples, which he sometimes prints as a chizuk for himself and others. “If you think about it, you’ll discover that you have plenty to write about!” Rav Rabinowitz tells people.
We also have to be careful about things that take away from our emuna. Even listening to a 5-minute radio news report can be a test in emuna. Most of the media is based on the false notion that man runs the show in this world. Hashem is left entirely out of the picture. While we are allowed to remain up-to-date on current events, we have to be careful not to let stray attitudes take root in us.
In particular, we learn from this parsha to be careful how we speak. Even Moshe Rabbeinu was able to slip into an expression that suggested, in some slight way, that it was his power that would bring forth water from the rock. Every word we say has an effect on us and those around us.
For example, when things don’t go our way, our initial reaction may be: Why is Hashem doing this to me? Or, How could He do this to me? Such reactions weaken our emuna as well as that of those who hear us. Say instead: “I don’t know why this is happening, but I believe that this is Hashem’s will and that it is for the good.”
The noted mekubal, Rav Moshe Yaakov Ravikov the Sandler, once filed a claim from his insurance company, and was approached afterwards by a company representative, who asked: “Who caused this damage?”
“Hashem,” replied Rav Ravikov.
The representative smiled.
“I can see that you’re a religious man, but let’s get down to business: Who here on earth was the one who caused the damage?”
“Everything was from Hashem,” he replied.
“Look, you’re the one who put in this claim, so we need to know how the damage happened,” said the representative.
“I’ll explain exactly how this happened,” said Rav Ravikov, “but I wanted first to make clear — to myself as well as to you — that Hashem was the cause of this, and He is the cause of everything in the world.”
May we constantly strengthen our emuna!