A Midrash on the Rock

When Miriam died, the Israelites could not find water.

They went to Moshe and said, "have you brought us here only to die?"

Moshe goes to God and asks,

"How do i get these ungrateful people some water?"

God explains,

"Take your staff, gather the people,

Speak to this rock, ask it for water."

Moshe takes his staff, gathers the Israelites,

Holds up the rock, and then,

In his frustration with the people,

Moshe stutters, for he was slow of tongue.

Instead of speaking,

He hits the rock,

And water flows.

Later, moshe returns to god,

And god says,

"I told you to talk to the rock.

Moshe, you will not enter the promised land."

Moshe runs away from gods presence.

He does not return for weeks.

During that time,

He leads the Israelites without gods guidance.

At the request of the judges and the Levites,

Moshe's brother Aharon

Comes to him and asks,

"Why do you refuse to speak with god?'

Moshe cries out,

"He forsakes me because i am slow of tongue!"

But aharon says,

"No, he does not forsake you because you are slow of tongue."

Moshe cries out,

"He forsakes me because of one mistake, one bad day!"

But aharon says,

No, he does not forsake you because of one bad day.

Moshe pushes his brother to the ground

And asks, "why then does god forsake me?"

Aharon says,

"Consider the countless egyptians who died in the plague of the firstborn,

Because you failed to convince your brother the pharoah;

Consider the countless israelites who died in the rebellions against your rule;

Consider the anger and the discontent that led to those rebellions;

Consider the taskmaster you murdered.

"When you hit the rock,

You reminded god who you are.

We can all see it with our eyes.

"You cannot lead the people into the promised land.

You have barely led them here."