“They traveled from Hor Mountain via the Red Sea, to circumvent the land of Edom, and the soul of the people grew restive on the way” (Numbers 21:4). “They traveled from Hor Mountain…and the soul of the people grew restive on the way” – but is it not written: “You gave Your benevolent spirit to educate them” (Nehemiah 9:20)? It is, rather, that those who departed from Egypt, upon whom death was decreed, saw no satisfaction or benevolent spirit in the wilderness.
Likewise it says: “Your children will be wandering [ro’im]64This is expounded in the sense of the Aramaic raava, satisfaction. The midrash explains that the children of those in the first generation had satisfaction, not the first generation themselves, upon whom death was decreed. in the wilderness” (Numbers 14:33). That is the people, whose soul grew restive on the way.65Namely, the remnants of the first generation grew restive.
“The people spoke against God and against Moses: Why did you bring us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness; for there is no bread and there is no water, and our soul loathes this insubstantial bread” (Numbers 21:5). “The people spoke against God and against Moses” – they drew a parallel between the servant and his Maker. “Our soul loathes this insubstantial bread” – that generation was unable to taste anything of the fruits of the Land [of Israel].
Rabbi Akiva said: When the merchants would reveal to them a basket that came with the fruits of the land, they would die, as it is stated: “If any man among these men, this wicked generation, will see [the good land]” (Deuteronomy 1:35) – all good that comes from the Land [of Israel]. That is why: “And the soul of the people grew restive” (Numbers 21:4) – it is they who murmured: “And our soul loathes.”