The Book of Numbers, or Bamidbar in Hebrew, gives us a fascinating glimpse into this very question, and the struggles between Moses and the Israelites during their desert wanderings.
Specifically, we're going to look at Numbers 11:21, where Moses despairs at the people's insatiable hunger. "Six hundred thousand foot soldiers, and You say, 'I will give them meat, and they will eat a whole month!'" It's a moment of utter frustration.
The Sifrei Bamidbar, an ancient rabbinic commentary on the Book of Numbers, dives deep into this verse. It presents a fascinating debate between two prominent rabbis, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, regarding its interpretation.
Rabbi Akiva, known for his straightforward approach, interprets Moses's words plainly: "If flocks and herds are slaughtered for them, will it be sufficient for them?" (Numbers 11:22). Even if God provided all the world's livestock, would it truly satisfy them?
But Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai takes it a step further. He offers two interpretations of his own, which he believes are even more insightful. His first interpretation suggests the people weren’t really hungry for meat. They were simply looking for an excuse to abandon God. The Sifrei Bamidbar reminds us that during the Exodus from Egypt, as we find in Exodus 12:38, a "great mixture" of people, including livestock, accompanied the Israelites. And we later read in Numbers 32:1 that the tribes of Reuben and Gad possessed "very great herds." So, was it truly a lack of meat that fueled their complaints? Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai suggests not. According to him, even if God gave them all the flocks and herds in the world, they would still grumble.
He extends this logic to fish. “If all the fish of the sea are gathered for them, will it be sufficient for them?” (Numbers 11:22). The commentary reminds us of the well of Miriam, which, according to tradition, miraculously provided water and fish in abundance. So, again, was it a genuine need, or a manufactured grievance? He emphasizes that they sought a pretext to abandon the Lord.
But Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai doesn't stop there. He offers a second, even more poignant interpretation. He suggests that God showed Moses a glimpse of the calamities that awaited the Israelites. Overwhelmed, Moses questioned the wisdom of fulfilling their desires only to have them suffer the consequences. He uses powerful metaphors: "Is it right that You give them and kill them? Does one tell an ass, 'Take a kor of wheat and we will cut off your head?'" (A kor was a large unit of measure). In other words, why grant a wish that leads to destruction?
God's response is equally striking. He challenges Moses's faith, asking, "Will the hand of the Lord be found wanting?" (Numbers 11:23). He then tells Moses that the people will not heed him.
The narrative continues, with Moses relaying God's message to the people, including that very question: "Will the hand of the Lord be found wanting?" And their response? They essentially accuse God of weakness, quoting Psalms 78:20: "True, He struck a rock and water flowed…but can He also give bread? Can He supply food for His people?" Their skepticism is palpable. They see Moses’s attempt to appease them as a compromise, an admission that God lacks the power to grant their full request.
What does this all mean? It seems to point to the complex relationship between divine provision, human desire, and faith. Were the Israelites truly in need, or were they testing the limits of God's generosity? And perhaps more importantly, were they, in their constant complaining, setting themselves up for failure?
The story reminds us that even in the face of miracles, human nature can be fickle. Gratitude can be fleeting. And sometimes, what we think we want might not be what we truly need. Perhaps the real miracle isn’t the provision itself, but the ability to recognize it, appreciate it, and trust in the source from which it comes.