Êxodo 17:6 Cabalá: Sha'arei Orah

Now, you may ask, “If their question was proper, why then were they punished?” Know that had they not asked in a contentious and belligerent way (Masah u’Merivah-מסה ומריבה),⁹⁹The first part of the verse states, “He called the place Massah u’Merivah-מסה ומריבה, because of the contention-Reev-ריב of the children of Israel, and because of their test-Nasotam-נסתם of HaShem-יהו״ה saying, ‘Is HaShem-יהו״ה amongst us or naught?’” but in a nice and pleasant way, their question would have been proper. However, because they asked with harshness, they were accosted by the guard dog¹⁰⁰This is a euphemism for Amalek, as indicated by the very next verse (Exodus 17:8), “Amalek came and battled Israel in Rephidim.” who is the first of the accusers and prosecutors, as it states,¹⁰¹Numbers 24:20 – Amalak was the first nation to attack the Jewish people upon their exodus from Egypt, without any reason and completely unprovoked. “The first of the nations is Amalek.” For,¹⁰²Proverbs 30:19 “The way of a snake-Nachash-נחש is upon a rock-Tzur-צור,” whereas before this incident it stated,¹⁰³Exodus 17:6 “Behold! I shall stand before you by the rock-Tzur-צור in Chorev.” That is, they took hold of a place of harshness by asking their question in a harsh way, saying, “Is there-HaYesh-היש HaShem-יהו״ה within us or naught-Ayin-אין?”