פּירוש אויף במדבר 20:10

ויקהלו וגו׳ [AND MOSES AND AARON] ASSEMBLED [THE WHOLE CONGREGATION BEFORE THE ROCK] — This was one of the places where the smaller contained the greater, (the entire congregation being assembled in front of one rock) (Leviticus Rabbah 10:9).

AND MOSES AND AARON GATHERED THE "KAHAL" BEFORE THE ROCK: Now we will tell how Moses strayed from the word of Hashem...Because Hashem Said to Moses, "gather the Eidah, you and Aaron, your brother," but they gathered the "Kahal." And I have already explained previously that there is a difference between Eidah and Kahal. And Eidah is called when the Elders of the people are standing at the front. This is when they are called and Eidah, when the Sanhedrin, who are the essence, are at the forefront. A Kahal is called when the multitudes of people are gathered in no particular or correct order and the elders are not at the front. And so at the moment when the water came out of the rock at Chorev, which was also a great miracle...it was important that it was done in front of those who were deserving of seeing a great miracle- the Elders. And so too, it applies here, Hashem wanted this miracle to be performed in front of the Elders who were deserving of seeing this miracle, because the people were rebelling against the Elders. The Tanchuma Explains that when Moses saw them approaching, he said, "What is this gathering?" and Aaron answered, "They came to do Chesed because of Miriam's death (to be menachem avelim)." Moses said, "no, this is not a respectful gathering: this is one of chaos and rebellion. A respectful gathering would have its Elders at the head." At the beginning, it calls them an "Eidah" as the elders were leading, and then they devolved into a "Kahal" who was undeserving of a miracle, Moses and Aaron gathered the wrong group when attempting to perform the miracle. When Moses and Aaron were rebuking them, they said, "Shimu na Homirim! This rock will NOT take out water for you!" IF they had gathered the "Eidah," then water would have been produced immediately.

ARE WE TO BRING YOU FORTH WATER OUT OF THIS ROCK? Far be it and [G-d] forbid that [we should explain this] as a question indicating impossibility! For Moses our teacher, who was trusted in all G-d’s house,¹⁶⁰See above, 12:7. [knew] that nothing is too hard for Him;¹⁶¹See Genesis 18:14. and he together with all Israel had seen greater and more wondrous miracles than this, and especially since this [miracle of providing water from a rock] had already been done once before through him at the rock in Horeb!¹²⁴Exodus 17:6. Now the commentators¹⁶²R’dak on I Samuel 2:27. have said that there are certain questions which [by apparently doubting that which cannot be denied], have the force of an [impassioned or indignant] affirmation. Thus we find: Did I reveal Myself to the house of thy father?;¹⁶³Ibid. The sense is: “Did I not reveal Myself, although your sons, by their actions appear to belie it!” The king said also unto Zadok the priest: ‘Seest thou?’;¹⁶⁴II Samuel 15:27. The sense here is: “Do you not see [that it is best that you return to the city in peace]!” Wilt thou judge?;¹⁶⁵Ezekiel 22:2. The meaning is: “Wilt thou not judge? Of course you will judge!” Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?¹⁶⁶Genesis 3:11. The meaning is: “Have you not eaten? Of course you have eaten!” But Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote [that the meaning of the verse is]: “Do we indeed have power to bring you forth water out of the rock?” He means thereby to explain that Moses said to them: “Hear now, ye rebels against G-d, who say, ‘and why have ye brought the assembly of the Eternal¹⁶⁷Above, Verse 4. unto this evil place?’¹⁶⁸Ibid., Verse 5. Do we have the power by natural means to bring you forth water out of this flint? You should therefore recognize that this is all from G-d, for it is He Who took you out of Egypt, and brought you to this place, and it is He Who will feed you here.” This is similar to what he [Moses] told the people in the case of the manna, and ye shall know that the Eternal hath brought you out from the land of Egypt.¹⁶⁹Exodus 16:6.
In my opinion this letter hei [in the word hamin — “out of”] indicates a [real] query, [and the meaning thereof is as follows]: “Are we to bring you forth water out of this rock or not?” For sometimes Scripture explains a question in its positive and negative aspects, such as: whether there are trees therein or not?¹⁷⁰Above, 13:20. whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or not?¹⁷¹Deuteronomy 8:2. — and at other times it mentions only the positive aspect, [such as in the following verses]: Is this your youngest brother?;¹⁷²Genssis 43:29. Know ye Laban the son of Nachor?;¹⁷³Ibid., 29:5. Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself?¹⁷⁴Zechariah 7:3. The reference is to the month of Ab, during which the First Temple was destroyed. When the Second Temple was built, the people asked the prophet whether they should still continue to observe the fast of the ninth of Ab. But this question here that Moses asked of them was a probing question [to test their true intention]. He said to them: “Hear now, ye rebels. — What do ye devise against the Eternal?¹⁷⁵Nahum 1:9. — Are we to bring you forth water out of this strong rock? Will this event happen or not?” [i.e., “Do you believe that it is within His power to do it, or not?”] He thus stressed that their [behaviour was a serious] rebellion, telling them they were wanting in faith, and that the reason for their quarrelling with him was because they thought that G-d would not act wondrously for them, in a similar manner to that which it says, And they tried G-d in their heart … ‘Can G-d prepare a table in the wilderness … Can He give bread also?’¹⁷⁶Psalms 78:18-20. Similarly the Rabbis have said:¹⁷⁷Aboth 5:4. “Ten times our ancestors in the wilderness tried the Holy One, blessed be He.” [Moses’ question was thus] like a query as to the belief of the person addressed, [of which we find examples] in many places in Scripture: Must I then bring thy son back?¹⁷⁸Genesis 24:5. which means: “Is that your wish?” Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?¹⁷⁹II Chronicles 18:5. which means, “If that is your advice.” Here too, [the meaning of Moses’ question is]: “Do you think that we shall bring you forth water out of this rock?” The same is also my opinion with regard to [the following verses]: Did I reveal Myself?;¹⁶³Ibid. The sense is: “Did I not reveal Myself, although your sons, by their actions appear to belie it!” Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before Me?¹⁸⁰I Kings 21:29. Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?;¹⁶⁶Genesis 3:11. The meaning is: “Have you not eaten? Of course you have eaten!” Wilt thou judge?¹⁶⁵Ezekiel 22:2. The meaning is: “Wilt thou not judge? Of course you will judge!” For all these are questions, but their purpose is to ask about [the truth of] something well-known, so that the person who is asked is compelled to admit [the truth of the fact] against his will. Thus [Did I reveal Myself?¹⁶³Ibid. The sense is: “Did I not reveal Myself, although your sons, by their actions appear to belie it!” means]: “Have I revealed Myself to your father’s house and chosen you? Since you know this, then Wherefore kick ye at My sacrifice and at Mine offering?”¹⁸¹I Samuel 2:29. Do ye thus requite the Eternal¹⁸²Deuteronomy 32:6. with such a requital! Similarly, “Hast thou eaten of the tree, about which I commanded you¹⁶⁶Genesis 3:11. The meaning is: “Have you not eaten? Of course you have eaten!” [not to eat], and you are ashamed [and therefore you hid yourself],¹⁸³See Genesis 3:8. or [if you did not eat of the tree], why then did you hide?” And in the same way the other [verses are to be explained]. However, the expression Seest thou?¹⁶⁴II Samuel 15:27. The sense here is: “Do you not see [that it is best that you return to the city in peace]!” is a genuine inquiry about a matter [as to which the questioner is] in doubt, [David saying to Zadok the priest]: “If you ‘advise’ it, then return to the city,” [and the usage of the term ‘seest’ thou? means “do you see fit?”] as in the expression: “I see the words of Admon”¹⁸⁴Kethuboth 109a. [which means: “I find the opinion of Admon correct”]. I have already explained this in Seder Bereshith.¹⁸⁵Genesis 1:4 (Vol. I, p. 30).

המן הסלע הזה נוציא MUST WE BRING [WATER] OUT OF THIS ROCK? — They said this because they could not distinguish it (the rock intended by God), for the rock from which the water had hitherto flowed during these forty years had vanished and taken a place amongst the other rocks when the “well” disappeared after Miriam’s death, and Israel said to them, “What difference is it to you from which rock you bring forth water for us?” — It was on this account that he (Moses) said unto them (called them) המרים — which may mean “refractory”, or, as a Greek expression, “foolish people” (µώροι), or, “such as would teach (מורים) their teachers” — from this rock about which we have received no Divine Command can we bring forth water for you?! (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Chukat 9).