And the Children of Israel traveled from Beeroth Benei-Yaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died. Rashi explains: Didn’t Aaron die at Mount Hor, etc.? There are several questions regarding this matter: First, if the intention is to inform us that they returned backwards from Mount Hor to Moserah, it should have said that they traveled from Mount Hor to Kadesh, etc., until Moserah. Why does it omit all the journeys and mention only that they traveled from Beeroth Benei-Yaakan to Moserah? Second, why is the term “Beeroth” [wells of] Benei-Yaakan mentioned here, while in Parashat Masei this language of “Beeroth” is not mentioned? Third, here [Rashi] concludes that they returned backwards eight journeys, while in Parashat Chukat, Rashi explains they returned seven journeys. Fourth, There Aaron died — Rashi explains that they conducted a eulogy there. Why specifically there in Moserah and not earlier? Fifth, what is the purpose of stating and Eleazar his son served as priest in his place, as this is not related to the rebuke. Sixth, From there they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Yotvata, a land of flowing water. Why is this encampment at Yotvata detailed more than all other encampments, and why are flowing waters mentioned here but not in Parashat Masei? Seventh, regarding the statement At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi — this separation occurred at the beginning of the 40 [years], so what is its relevance here? Eighth, regarding the statement and to bless in His name, to this day. To which day is He pointing to say to this day? And were they not set apart from then onwards? Ninth, Rashi’s explanation that the sons of Levi brought them back — from where did Rashi derive this interpretation? If it is a tradition, we will accept it. Tenth, Rashi’s explanation that “this teaches you that the death of the righteous is as difficult as the breaking of the Tablets” — but this entire section speaks of the second Tablets, and the phrase which you broke, that verse is not adjacent to Aaron’s death. Eleventh, Rashi’s explanation that “this day which they said let us appoint a head and return [to Egypt] was as difficult as the day they made the golden calf.” The calf was not mentioned at all, as it does not appear anywhere in this section.

And now, incline your ear and listen, and I will explain all this with a small suggestion which we have already mentioned in the portion of Chukat (22) that when Miriam died, the water ceased, because every righteous person is comparable to a flowing spring as it says in Pirkei Avot (6:1), and one who does not eulogize them properly does not feel the absence of the source of living waters. Therefore, it is appropriate that their waters should fail. And so it happened to them upon Miriam’s death, as it is said And she died there and was buried there (Numbers 20:1). For there would be her burial immediately, and she was immediately forgotten like a dead person from the heart, and it is not said about her and they wept for her, which is evidence that they did not eulogize her, therefore the waters ceased. Similarly now, with Aaron’s passing, they were afraid of a lack of water, lest what happened after Miriam’s death would happen to them again. Additionally, the fear of the King of Arad came upon them, and out of fear they needed to turn back, and during this retreat there was also fear about water upon them, lest the well be lacking from them. Therefore, they made encampments in every place where they found water, even though during their forward journey they did not make encampments at water places because the journey was short. Nevertheless, during the return they made encampments there because the return was after Aaron’s death.

And behold, between Moseroth and Bene Jaakan, there was a place called Beeroth [Wells] because there were many wells there, and it was not far from Bene Jaakan, such that the people of Bene Jaakan would drink from those wells. Therefore, the place was called “Beeroth Bene Jaakan,” meaning “the wells of Bene Jaakan,” which is evidence that Beeroth was close to Bene Jaakan. The journey was too short to make an encampment there. Therefore, when they traveled forward and not backward, they went in one journey from Moseroth to Bene Jaakan without making an encampment at Beeroth because the journey was too short to make an encampment there, and at that time they did not have a fear of lack of water before their eyes. But when they returned backward after Aaron’s death, out of fear of the king of Arad, they also made an encampment at Beeroth because they were afraid that perhaps the well would suddenly stop, as had happened at Miriam’s death. Therefore, there were eight journeys on the return, but on the forward journey, there were only seven. This is why he only mentioned in their return journey, They journeyed from Beeroth Bene Jaakan to Moseroth, because he intended to inform us only of this new development that they made an encampment at Beeroth, which they had not done on the forward journey. And when they came to Moseroth, a place that did not have enough water for their needs, and they were afraid of the well drying up, they went and eulogized Aaron as if he had died there, because they said that in the merit of the eulogy, they would be saved from the lack of the well. In this they sinned, as they did not take it to heart to eulogize him earlier because they relied on the place of Beeroth and Jotbathah, a land of water brooks, which was before them. The verse says, and Eleazar his son served as priest in his place, implying that they should not have feared the lack of water due to the righteous one’s passing, because whoever establishes a righteous son is as if he has not died (Bava Batra 116a). Even though Aaron died, the merit of his son remained to save them from the lack of water. Among his rebukes was that they still persisted in their rebellion and lacked faith, and they also made an encampment at Jotbathah afterward because it was a land of water brooks, implying that without this, they would not have made an encampment there.

And what it says that the Levites returned them, etc., His proof is from what it says At that time God set apart the tribe of Levi. This certainly refers to the time of the making of the Golden Calf. But what does it mean when it says until this day? Rather, this is its interpretation: Although the Levites were chosen at the time of the Golden Calf incident and their merit is preserved for all generations, nevertheless, there was no need for that merit except until this day, but not including this day. Because on this day they did a good deed such that even if they had not been chosen for the service of God from the beginning, it would have been appropriate for them to be chosen from this day forward. And this is what is meant by they returned them backward from that crooked path that they had been walking on. And from the fact that we see that the reward of the Levites for what they did now is equated to what they did at the time of the Golden Calf, we can learn that this day on which they said Let us appoint a leader and return [to Egypt] was as severe as the day on which they made the Golden Calf.

And similarly, what was explained that the death of the righteous is as difficult as the breaking of the Tablets, is clarified in this manner: Since it says and Eleazar his son served as priest in his place, and this is placed adjacent to the passage discussing the second Tablets, it implies that Eleazar his son stood in his place just as the second Tablets stood in place of the first ones that were broken. From this, we can understand that Aaron’s passing is comparable to the breaking of the Tablets, for knowledge of opposites is one. This comes to rebuke them in his reproofs for retreating due to fear of the king of Arad, when they should have trusted that Aaron’s merit would fight for them even after his death, just as we find that the Ark containing the broken Tablets would go out with them to battle. So too, the merit of the departed righteous person, who is compared to the broken Tablets, will stand for them even after his death, as Moses was not answered until he said, Remember Your servants Abraham, etc. According to this suggestion, this entire narrative serves as a rebuke for sin, and the entire matter is connected from beginning to end.

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear [Him].” The Sages said (Berakhot 33b), “Is fear a small matter? Yes, for Moses it is a small matter.” They question here: And is it for that reason that he said to all of Israel what does the Lord ask of you, [as if it were a small thing for them]? Some explain that “for Moses” means when Israel was with Moses, who was guiding them in the attribute of fear, then it was a small matter. But I say that this is the intention of the verse when it says, And now, Israel. What is [the significance of] “now”? It is because it is said afterward, And you shall know today that it is not your children who have not known and have not seen the discipline of the Lord your God, etc., and the entire narrative until your eyes have seen all the acts of the Lord, etc. This is the explanation: If I had asked for fear from your children who will rise after you, who have not seen all the awesome things that the Lord did so that His fear would be upon their faces, then certainly I would be asking for a great thing, because it is certainly difficult to bring a person under the yoke of fear, for it is great. However, and now, meaning this generation — you have seen (Jeremiah 2:31), for with your eyes you have seen all the awesome things that God did so that they would fear before Him, and you are already accustomed to the attribute of fear. Therefore, and now, in this context, it is a small request that the Lord asks of you. And this is what they meant by “for Moses” — this refers to the generation of the wilderness who were in Moses’ time; for them, fear was certainly a small matter. And from fear, one will come to the level of love, as it says, and to love Him. And it concludes for your good, meaning the receiving of reward, as Rashi explained. And it mentions this at the end to say that the reward will ultimately come by itself, and that the initial intention of your actions should not be for the sake of receiving a reward.

“Behold, to the Lord your God belong the heavens, etc., only in your forefathers did the Lord delight.” The word only comes to exclude the heavens and the heaven of heavens, that in all of them the Lord did not delight, but rather in your forefathers, according to the view of the Sages of Truth who said that the righteous are greater than the works of heaven and earth, and they agreed to say that all were created for the sake of man. This is not like the view of Rambam who wrote that man is the primary creation in the lower realms but has no comparison with the higher realms. And according to Rambam’s reasoning, there is room to interpret this verse that the entire narrative continues from what was written and you shall love the stranger, etc. because God desires that you cling to converts even though they are lowly, nevertheless from Him, blessed be He, you shall see and so shall you do. For behold, to the Lord your God belong the heavens, etc., and despite His great exaltedness, nevertheless, only in your forefathers did the Lord delight even though they were lowly in comparison to the heavenly beings who are close to God. And furthermore, He gave a second proof that the Lord your God is the God of gods, etc. and even so, He executes justice for the orphan and widow and loves the stranger. And from this verse Rabbi Yochanan said: Wherever you find the greatness of the Holy One, blessed be He, there you find His humility, etc. (see Megillah 31a). And from these two premises, he derived the conclusion that says and you shall love the stranger.

However, there is still a need to examine closely, what is meant by only with your forefathers did God desire and choose their offspring after them, why did it make two divisions, and furthermore that desire is not the same as selection as explained above at the end of Parashat Va’etchanan (7:7). This implies that the word only refers to what follows, and comes to say that only with your forefathers alone did God desire with complete desire and love, but not with you; rather, He chose their offspring from all the peoples. That is to say, in comparison to the other nations, you appear good, because the term “choosing” can apply even to something that is not good in itself, except that it is better than others. Therefore it says, And He chose their offspring after them, you. For this deficiency depends on you, therefore circumcise the foreskin of your hearts, etc. so that you may reach the level of your forefathers.