Shalom!

 
At the end of this week's Torah portion, we read about an incident between Moshe and his siblings that the Almighty quickly took note of:
 
Bemidbar/Numbers 12:1 Then Miriam and Aharon spoke against Moshe because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman. 2 So they said, "Has YHWH indeed spoken only through Moshe? Has He not spoken through us also?" And YHWH heard it.
 
 

It appears that the conversation started with the choice of Moshe's wife, but it seems to be a side issue as it never is mentioned again. What Miriam and Aharon are really after is position and authority! It was a classic case of sibling rivalry with a younger brother who in their eyes, was taking the reins in leading the Israelites. How did they justify their words? It was true that both had worked together with Moshe during miraculous times. Aharon had been a spokesperson since the beginning:

 
Shemot/Exodus 4:14 So the anger of YHWH was kindled against Moshe, and He said: "Is not Aharon the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 "Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. 16 "So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as Elohim. 17 "And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs."
 
Miriam was declared a prophetess and had led the women in dance after the victory at the Red Sea:
 
Shemot/Exodus 15:20 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aharon, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
 

So the criticizing began by making belittling stabs at Moshe concerning his wife, and then quickly turned to the real issue - desire for more leadership. But it was YHWH who got defensive!

 
Psalm 105:15 Saying, "Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm."
 
Although both Aharon and Miriam were anointed in their respective positions, they were outside their realms of authority when they began verbally attacking Moshe and desiring his position. So....how will Moshe respond? Will he feel the need to defend himself and set them straight? Did he get angry? No, it is not written that he said anything. Only this is recorded:
 
Bemidbar/Numbers 12:3 (Now Moshe was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)
 

Rabbi Zelig Pliskin, in his book "Anger, the Inner Teacher" writes concerning anger and humility:

 
Sincere humility decreases anger. Because anger often has its roots in a desire to control, a sincerely humble person will not get angry often. As the Rambam's son writes, "Anger and arrogance are partners. Inner feelings of conceit lead a person to become angry. Conversely, humility leads to forgiveness". Moreover, the issues that arouse a humble person's anger will be different from those that infuriate a person whose anger stems from ego, arrogance, and conceit. Helping others and not causing anyone pain, rather than trying to control others, will be a high priority for the person with humility. Any anger he feels will be coming from a deep concern for the welfare of other people. A person like this will be careful about what he says and does, and anger will not be a problem for him.
 
So in this instance Moshe was silent, but his Defender acted.
 
Devarim/Deuteronomy 32:35 It is mine to avenge; I will repay.
 

Here is what happened next:

 
Bemidbar/Numbers 12:4 Suddenly YHWH said to Moshe, Aharon, and Miriam, "Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!" So the three came out. 5 Then YHWH came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aharon and Miriam. And they both went forward. 6 Then He said, "Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, YHWH, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. 7 Not so with My servant Moshe; He is faithful in all My house. 8 I speak with him mouth to mouth, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of YHWH. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant Moshe?"
 

Moshe had remained silent, but the Almighty was about to reprimand his siblings. Both Aharon and Miriam were prophets:

 
Shemot/Exodus 7:1 So YHWH said to Moshe: "See, I have made you as Elohim to Pharaoh, and Aharon your brother shall be your prophet.
 
Shemot/Exodus 15:20 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aharon, took the timbrel in her hand...
 
Though they were prophets, Moshe was unique among them:
  • Moshe was faithful in YHWH's house
  • YHWH spoke to Moshe "mouth to mouth", like a friend
  • YHWH revealed more of Himself to Moshe
  • YHWH called Moshe "His servant"
Moshe was clearly set-apart in his relationship with YHWH. There would be consequences for the lack of respect Aharon and Miriam had for their younger brother and for his respective office given to him by the Almighty, Himself:
 
Bemidbar/Numbers 12:9 So the anger of YHWH was aroused against them, and He departed. 10 And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aharon turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper. 11 So Aharon said to Moshe, "Oh, Adonai! Please do not lay this sin on us, in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned. 12 "Please do not let her be as one dead, whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother's womb!"
 
 

Why was only Miriam punished? Perhaps it is because it would have disqualified him from his anointed role as High Priest. For sure, however, as Aharon looked at his sister and begged for her life, he understood that the message was for the both of them. And how did Moshe respond?

 
Bemidbar/Numbers 12:13 So Moshe cried out to YHWH, saying, "Please heal her, O El, I pray!"
 

It's amazing, isn't it? Instead of feeling satisfaction that his siblings got a just punishment, Moshe reacts with sincere forgiveness, concern, and love. He never carried a grudge, but instead prayed for his sister who had spoken against him. In fact, the text says that he "cried out". Those are the same strong words used when the "Hebrews "cried" under the weight of their bondage in Egypt". Isn't this exactly how Yeshua commanded us to pray?

 
Matthew 5:43 " You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven
 

Moshe was quick to forgive and in doing so he imitated Yeshua who forgives us. Moshe's prayer for healing was answered, but there was still some time required for Aharon and Miriam to learn their lesson:

 
Bemidbar/Numbers 12:14 Then YHWH said to Moshe, "If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut out of the camp seven days, and afterward she may be received again."
 

It was humiliating for such a prominent woman like Miriam to be put outside of the camp for the obvious sin of evil speech. Aharon also had to own up to his part and probably publicly confessed. Although not a pleasant experience, "all things work together for good" and the result was improved character in both Aharon and Miriam. HalleluYah!!

 
Psalm 141:3 Set a guard, O YHWH, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.
 
Proverbs 13:3 He who guards his mouth preserves his life, But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.
 
Proverbs 21:23 Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles.
 
 

Shabbat Shalom!
Ardelle