Daily Chumash Thursday Chukas – Aaron passes away

Chamishi

1. Aaron passes away:

• The instructions: Bnei Yisrael traveled from Kadeish and arrived to Har Hahar. Hashem told Moshe and Aaron on Har Hahar of Aaron’s forthcoming death. “Aaron will pass away as he will not enter the promised land due to having defied Me by Mei Meriva.” Hashem told Moshe to take Aaron and Elazar up to the mountain and remove the clothing of Aaron and dress Elazar his son, and Aaron will die there.
• The passing: Moshe did as Hashem instructed and brought them up the mountain in front of the entire nation. Moshe removed Aaron’s priestly clothing and he dressed Elazar in them. Aaron passed away on the summit of the mountain and Moshe and Elazar descended from the mountain. The entire congregation saw that Aaron passed away and they cried [and mourned] his passing for thirty days.

2. Amaleik attacks Klal Yisrael:

• The Canaanite king of Arad who dwells in the south [and is otherwise known as Amelik] heard that the Jewish people are in the vicinity, and they fought against the Jewish people and captured a captive.
• The vow: Bnei Yisrael made a vow to Hashem that if He gives this nation into their hands, and they win the battle, they will consecrate all of the city spoils to the Temple. Hashem heard their pleas and handed the Canaanites to their hands.
• The victory: Bnei Yisrael captured the nation and their cities and consecrated it for Hashem. That area was called Charmah.

3. Complaint against water and food and the subsequent plague of snakes:

• The complaint: The Jewish people traveled past Har Hahar and circumvented the land of Edom. The nation became tired of the travel and complained against Hashem and Moshe asking why he took them out of Egypt to die in the desert. “There is no food or water and we have reached our limit with the insubstantial bread.”
• The plague of snakes: Hashem smote the nation with burning snakes, and they bit the Jewish people, and many people died. The Jewish people remorsefully came to Moshe confessing to their sin of speaking against him and Hashem. They asked Moshe to Daven for them to Hashem and remove the snakes. Moshe Davened on their behalf.
• The cure: Hashem instructed Moshe to make a snake and place it around a pole and whoever was bitten is to look at it and live. Moshe did as he was instructed and made a copper snake, placing it by the pole. Whoever was bitten by the snake would look at the copper snake and live.