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Dear friends, 

Chukat, this weeks Parsha, recounts one of the most well-known episodes of the Jewish people’s sojourn in the desert: Moshe striking the rock. The Torah recounts that the Jewish people cried to Moshe about the lack of water. Hashem told Moshe to speak to the rock and water would come forth. Instead, Moshe struck the rock. Water came forth, but Moshe and Aaron were punished for not following Hashem’s instructions.

In his Dvar on the Parsha, Rabbi Mirvis asks why Aaron punished too? He was just an innocent bystander!  Rabbi Mirvis’ answer is that there is nothing “innocent”  about “bystander." One who allows wrong things to happen is guilty.

Rabbi Mirvis even references Edmund Burke’s quote that “all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.”  If we see wrongdoing, we have an obligation to speak up. Rabbi Mirvis does admit that there are times when we should stay silent, but that is for the good of the community, not the person. Even in Aaron's case, where speaking out would have meant speaking against the leader of the people, that was obviously the course that should have been followed. Aaron’s punishment proves that. The full Dvar is here: https://chiefrabbi.org/all-media/dvar-torah-parashat-chukat/ ​​​​

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Speaking up can lead to great things. I encourage anyone with constructive ideas (or criticisms) to contact me, or any member of the Board, so we can see what improvement can be made. As I’ve mentioned here, there will be a Board meeting later this month where any suggestions can be discussed. 

We are in the middle of planning the events for the second half of the year, but I wanted to bring a specific one to your attention. As many of you know, we have a small Daf yomi group that has diligently been learning the entire Talmud since this cycle began two years ago. Last year, we were privileged to make a Siyum during the nine days before Tisha B’Av. There was no Siyum scheduled for this year, but because I’ve been traveling and falling behind, I’ve missed the Siyum for Yevamot. Since the timing works out, it's an opportunity to have another BBQ Siyum during the Nine Days, on Sunday July 31, to officially finish the masekhet. All are invited; details to follow.

I’ll be back next week and should have more to convey, but for now, I wish you all a peaceful and meaningful Shabbat Shalom from Israel.

Steven Inker