As a child, did you ever receive a punishment that you believed was grossly unfair? (Perhaps a better question is did you ever receive a punishment that you believed was fair?) I can remember be swept up in a group punishment when the true guilty party was one (or both) of my younger brothers. My parents' response to my pleas for relief: "you are the oldest so you need to set an example." Guilty by an accident of birth.

In this week's parashah, Hukkat, we find the famous incident of Moses striking the rock for water. Just after Miriam dies, the community is without water and complains to Moses. God instructs Moses to "speak" to the rock to yield water. Moses addresses the people as "rebels" and then strikes the rock twice and out comes copious water. God then says "Because you did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity in the sight of the Israelite people, therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them." The same punishment befalls Aaron, presumably because he did not stop Moses from striking the rock. To deny Moses and Aaron the possibility of entering the Promised Land is indeed a harsh punishment. What was such a grave sin? Was it striking the rock instead of speaking to it? Or not giving God the proper credit before the people? Or perhaps the way that Moses addressed the people as rebels, thus demonstrating a loss of control?
 
Any one of these suggestions could be possible transgressions by Moses, but are they significant enough to merit such a harsh punishment? After all, think of all that Moses has sacrificed to lead the people out of captivity and into their covenantal relationship with God. The rest of the Israelites were the ones complaining about their lack of water, and many other things along the journey, and they may be allowed to enter the Promised Land. But Moses and Aaron are different. They are the leaders of the Jewish people and they are held to a higher standard. Even in times of great stress, when the masses are clamoring the loudest, it is imperative that Moses and Aaron act like leaders, that they make tough decisions, act justly, and show restraint. It is a standard that is fair to expect of all leadership.

Shabbat Shalom.