Why the People Quarreled With Moses and Not Aaron

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 261:14

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

(Exodus 17:2) "And the people quarreled with Moses." They overstepped the line of justice. It is the way of the world that a person grows angry within his household and sets his eyes only on the youngest; but these set their eyes only on the greatest. Therefore it is said, "And the people quarreled with Moses," and not with Aaron, for Aaron was beloved to them, since he loved peace and pursued peace. This is what Scripture says (Proverbs 18:6), "The lips of a fool enter into strife." They were demanding, "Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD" (Numbers 20:3), "and would that we had perished." What is the meaning of "before the LORD"? A parable of a prince who had no manners, who would climb the walls and the trees against his father, and go to the place of the wild beasts so that his father would be pained. So these were saying, "Let us die so that He will be pained over us." And not only that, but He swore to our fathers to give us the land.

Themes

MosesAngerPeace

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