Chukat

Though Parshat Chukat is famous for the red heifer, some other major events take place in the Parshah as well. Miriam dies, immediately followed by the Children of Israel complaining once again, this time about a lack of water. As a result, God instructs Moshe and Aharon to speak to a rock, which would then miraculously produce water. They fail to appropriately carry out God’s command, though it’s not clear what goes wrong (see notes on bottom of page 845 for details), and are told that they would not bring the nation into the Land of Israel. The Parshah continues with Aharon’s death, as well as with the travels (and complaints) of the Children of Israel in the desert. They are not greeted kindly by any of the nations they encounter. Although Moshe continually seeks peace from the other nations, asking kindly to be allowed to pass through their land, the other nations respond with antagonism and war. Some things never change.