Our story begins in Shittim, a place whose name, as we'll see, carries a weight of meaning. "Israel was dwelling in Shittim, and the people began to engage in harlotry with the daughters of Moav" (Numbers 25:1). The text from Bamidbar Rabbah 20, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Numbers, unpacks this verse, revealing a fascinating link between past merit and present failing.
The Rabbis teach that the Israelites were redeemed from Egypt because of four key merits. What were they? First, they didn't change their Hebrew names. Second, they maintained their Hebrew language. Think about that for a moment – in a foreign land, surrounded by a dominant culture, they clung to their identity.
Third, they kept their secrets. Remember when Moses told the women to borrow silver and gold vessels from their neighbors (Exodus 3:22)? According to the Rabbis, this was entrusted to them for a whole year, and not a single one betrayed the confidence. Incredible!
And finally, perhaps most poignantly, they didn't behave with licentiousness. As Song of Songs 4:12 puts it, "A locked garden is my sister, my bride… a locked fountainhead, a sealed spring." The men were chaste, the maidens pure.
But wait… wasn't there someone who strayed? Bamidbar Rabbah acknowledges this. The Torah itself tells us of "the son of an Israelite woman" who was also "the son of an Egyptian man" (Leviticus 24:10). Yet, the Sages emphasize that for forty long years, this was an isolated incident.
So what happened at Shittim? Why the sudden lapse?
Bamidbar Rabbah suggests the very name Shittim holds a clue. It connects the place name to the Hebrew word shtut, meaning "foolishness." The text states: "Israel was dwelling in Shittim, and the people began to engage in licentiousness – Shittim, because they performed foolishness [shtut]." Proverbs 6:32 says, "One who commits adultery with a woman lacks a heart." "Lacks a heart" here, the Rabbis explain, means "is a fool". We even see King Solomon described as having a "wise heart" in contrast in 1 Kings 3:12.
But there's more. Bamidbar Rabbah paints a picture of springs, some producing strength, others weakness; some beauty, others ugliness; some purity, others lewdness. Shittim, it says, was a spring of harlotry, even providing water for Sodom! Remember Sodom's demand in Genesis 19:5? "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, [and we will be intimate with them]!"
Because of this inherent corruption, the text suggests, God will eventually dry up this spring, replacing it with a pure source flowing from the Temple in Jerusalem, as prophesied in Joel 4:18: "A spring will emerge from the House of the Lord and will irrigate the Shittim ravine."
The text concludes by stating that from the time of Abraham, no one in Israel behaved with harlotry, until they arrived at Shittim and drank its water. What a striking picture! The Israelites, sustained by generations of fidelity and adherence to God's ways, find themselves weakened by the very environment they inhabit.
What can we take away from this ancient story? Perhaps it's a reminder that even the most righteous individuals are susceptible to temptation. Or maybe it's a call to be mindful of the influences around us, recognizing that our environment can shape our choices in profound ways. Ultimately, the story of Shittim is a potent reflection on the constant struggle between our higher and lower selves, and the importance of vigilance in maintaining our moral compass.