The Desert Generation

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1. Lack of Confidence, Lack of Faith

   Rabbi Yair Kahn

   The previous parasha tracked the spiritual deterioration of the nation when they embark on the desert journey. The Sin of the Spies presents a new low, damaging the very foundations of the Camp of Israel. A close reading reveals that the Sin of the Spies contains two very different aspects: a lack of belief in God, and a lack of maturity required to enter and inherit the Promised Land.

2. Parashat Chukat - A Watershed in Sefer Bamidbar

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   The events described in Parashat Chukat occurred on the fortieth year of Bnei Yisael's journey through the desert. The nation at this point in history comprised of the children of those who sinned in the Sin of the Spies. This fact sheds new light on their complaints.

3. Bnei Yisrael - the New Generation

   Rabbi Amnon Bazak

   Why is Moshe and Aaron’s response to the complaint at Mei Meriva different than their response to other complaints? Apparently Moshe and Aharon had expected the Second Generation to act differently than the generation they had led out of Egypt. God responds to the complaint by sending snakes to attack the nation, and as a solution commands the creation of the Bronze Serpent. Bnei Yisrael eventually learn to believe in God, and finally act independently of their leaders, when they sing the Song of the Well, and conquer the land of Sihon.

4. Of Sticks and Stones

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman | 30 minutes

   How did Moshe and Aharon fail to sanctify God at Mei Meriva, and why are they not permitted to enter the Land of Israel? We will gain insight into these matters by viewing our Parsha in its larger context of BeMidbar, and comparing the "stick" in our Parsha with Aharon's flowering stick in Parshat Korach and with the stick in the Parshat Beshalach.

5. The Sin of the Spies, the Sin of the Nation and Moshe's Punishment

   Rabbi Amnon Bazak | 12 minutes

   Devarim, a speech to the nation from Moshe's perspective, is different in style than the rest of the Torah. Discrepancies between the story of the Sin of the Spies as presented in Bemidbar and Moshe's re-telling of the events in Parshat Devarim reveal a message specific to the generation entering the Land: They learn about themselves, as well as about the consequences to their leader and the generation that wandered the desert.

6. The Second Generation of the Desert

   HaTanakh.com Staff

7. Deja Vu All Over Again

   Avidan Freedman

8. The Emergence of the Second Generation

   Rabbi Yair Kahn

   Parshat Hukkat introduces the new generation, who are meant to triumph in the areas their predecessors failed. However, a cursory glance at our parsha leads to the concerning conclusion that seemingly nothing has changed. The members of the second generation repeat the same mistakes of the previous generation: complaining about food and water, desiring to return to Egypt, among others. However, a closer examination of the text reveals crucial differences between the two generations. 

9. Infographic for Parshat Hukkat

10. Benei Yisrael: The New Generation [audio]

    Rabbi Amnon Bazak

    תאריך פרסום: תשע"ו | | 14 minutes

    What is the meaning of Moshe and Aharon's silent reaction to the nation's complaint at Mei Meriva, and what does this tell us about the nation's evolving relationship with God at the time?

11. It’s Not the Journey, it’s the Purpose

    Rabbi Ben-Tzion Spitz

12. Tehillim 107 and the Meaning of the Inverted "Nun" of Tanach

    Rabbi Yitzchak Twersky |

    We ask how it is possible to witness spectacular miracles and still end up as Dor HaMidbar. We examine the story of Noah and conclude that what is critical is human choice and action - what we do with what God shows us. Looking at the phenomenon Nun Hafukha (the “upside down Nun”) primarily through Mizmor 107 in Tehillim, we will build a large picture view of what the upside down nuns are, what they are about, what the message is, and why they appear in Tanakh where they do.

13. The Tone of the New Generation in the Desert

    Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell

    תאריך פרסום: תש"ע | | 17 minutes

    This parsha takes a quantum leap into the future - we suddenly find Bnei Yisrael in the 40th year of the desert journey.  This new generation once again complains about the lack of water and bemoans having left Egypt. What has changed from the previous generation? Moshe is punished- why aren’t they?

    This new complaint is different than that of the previous generation. Though the new generation also invokes Egypt, they do not really want to go back to Egypt- they do not even remember Egypt. They are not encumbered with a slave mentality. This parasha contains a message for leaders: leaders and educators have to keep their fingers on the pulse of their community and understand what the issues of their current constituents are.

14. The Difference between the People of Mei Meriva and the People of Masa u-Meriva

    Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 18 minutes

    We continue to explore our question: what is the difference between the generation that left Egypt and the generation entering the Land?  There seems to be a transfer of responsibility from Moshe to Bnei Yisrael as a whole. Bnei Yisrael become active, taking responsibility in situations that had previously been led by Moshe.

    In the parallel "complaint stories," though, is there any difference that makes this new generation better than the previous one? One striking example occurs in Mei Meriva, parallel to Masa u-Meriva (from the Book of Shemot. Though the previous generation had questioned God's presence in their midst, this new generation has internalized that as fact: instead of calling themselves""this congregation" (like the previous generation did) - they refer to themselves as the "Congregation of God."

15. The Generation who Left Egypt - People of War?

    Rabbi Shlomo Dov Rosen

16. Dor HaMidbar: Failings and Triumphs

    Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 28 minutes

    We often view the Book of Bemidbar as characterized by the failings of Dor HaMidbar - the Desert Generation. But to understand the great disappointment of Dor Hamidbar, we have to understand the greatness, grandeur and achievement that appears in the beginning of the Book of  Bemidbar, climaxing in Parashat Behaalotekha - before we reach the tragic turnaround.