Musar untuk Keluaran 17:14

They commenced sinning by considering their personal standing in the community. What concerned them was that Joshua was among those who had been selected to be spies. We know of Joshua that he never moved from the tent of Moses, was his personal valet, etc. (compare Exodus 24,13, and 33,11). The spies reasoned that his inclusion could only be because he would lead Israel in battle to conquer the Holy Land, and that on account of this Moses had also sent him on this mission. G–d had done something similar when He had told Abraham to traverse the land of Canaan (Genesis 13,17), since it would be given to his descendants. Abraham was to be a model for his children, etc. This thought had occurred to the spies only after they had heard Eldad and Meidad prophesy about Moses dying and Joshua leading the Jewish people. This is the reason this portion follows the report of the selection of the seventy elders without an introduction about Israel having requested this mission, as reported in Deuteronomy. Rashi had pointed out already in Exodus 17,14, when G–d instructs Moses to “put it in the ears of Joshua,” that there will be an ongoing war between G–d and Amalaek, but that G–d will wipe out every vestige of Amalek. The reason it was necessary for Joshua to know all this first hand, was a hint to Moses that Joshua would one day become the leader. The eventual mission of the spies was already being prepared at that time.

Just as one is obligated to fulfill the commandment [to be fruitful and multiply] in the physical sense, so is one commanded to do so in the spiritual sense by revealing new Torah insights. Through this, one merits the Torah’s illumination. The Sages said, “Acquire for yourself a companion” (Pirkei Avos 1:6). This statement is to be taken literally, but it is also a hint that his pen should be one’s companion. That is, one should record his insights. There is even a suggestion of this in the Torah: “Write this as a remembrance in a book” (Shemos 17:14). The word “this” alludes to the Torah (Avodah Zarah 2b), as it states, “And this is the Torah” (Devarim 4:44).

It is written, “And Hashem said to Moshe, ‘Write this as a remembrance in a book and put it into Yehoshua’s ears’” (Shemos 17:14). In this verse the Holy One Blessed is He admonishes Moshe, Israel’s teacher, concerning the need to write things down because this greatly facilitates memory. If it was necessary for God to tell this to Moshe, how much more so to the rest of us! For we must reflect on our deeds continually, examining them for traces of sin. And if a person realizes that he has indeed committed a sin he should record it so that he will remember to rectify it. Similarly, if he discovers in some text a means of rectifying his transgressions he should record that as well so that he will be able to make amends without delay. If a person recalls that he has sinned against his fellow by speaking to him harshly, causing him anguish, or if he attributed to him some impropriety or caused him shame, let him weep and feel remorse and resolve immediately to appease him the very next day. Moreover, this should be his first order of business on the following morning. Needless to say, if recalls that he sinned against someone of greater stature than himself he should immediately be filled with anguish and plead with God not to record the matter in his ledger of debits. And again he should resolve to rectify the matter the following morning.