We all know the story: the Israelites, wandering in the desert, grumbling (as they were wont to do!). And as a result, God sends serpents amongst them (Numbers 21:4-9). But here's where it gets interesting. It wasn't just those bitten by snakes who found healing by looking upon the brazen serpent. According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, even those bitten by dogs or other animals were healed!
But here's a fascinating detail: The healing wasn't uniform. Those bitten by animals were cured with a mere glance, a quick acknowledgment. But those bitten by serpents needed a long, insistent gaze. What does that tell us? Perhaps it hints at the deeper, more sustained work required to heal from the original transgression. Maybe it symbolizes the deeper venom of the original sin that had led to the serpents in the first place.
The story continues, and the landscape itself becomes a character. The murmurs of the people, which brought about the serpent plague, occurred in Zalmonah, a place, as the text tells us, "where grew only thorns and thistles." A fitting backdrop for discontent, wouldn’t you say? From there, they wandered to Punon, where God's punishment found them. Even in the next two stations, Oboth and Iye-abarim, their hostility continued, fueling God's wrath.
Things didn’t turn around until they reached Arnon. It was there, in the valley of Arnon, that God's favor returned. And how! The miracles there were, according to the text, as great as the splitting of the Red Sea!
Now, picture this: The valley of Arnon formed by two towering mountains, so close that people on their summits could chat with each other. But to traverse the valley, one had to descend seven miles and then ascend again. The Amorites, knowing the Israelites would have to pass through, hatched a plan. Some hid in caves on the mountain slopes, others waited in the valley below. A classic ambush!
But God, as always, had other plans. Here's where the story reaches a crescendo. You see, one mountain was full of caves, perfect for hiding. The other? A jagged, rocky mountain. And then, God moved the rocky mountain, pressing it so close to the other that its jutting rocks crushed the Amorites hiding in the caves!
Isn't that an incredible image? The landscape itself becoming an instrument of divine justice. The very geography reshaped to protect the Israelites. It’s a powerful reminder that even the most cunning plans can be overturned by a force greater than ourselves. The Zohar tells us that every detail in Torah has a purpose, so this amazing event at Arnon surely is no different.
What does this story, with its brazen serpent and collapsing mountains, leave us with? Perhaps it's a reminder of the power of perspective. A glance can heal a small wound, but a sustained gaze, a deeper introspection, is needed for true transformation. And perhaps, too, it's a reminder that even in the most treacherous valleys, divine intervention is possible, sometimes in the most unexpected, earth-shattering ways.