We often picture Moses, Moshe Rabbenu, as this towering, almost superhuman figure. The one who parted the Red Sea, who received the Torah on Mount Sinai. But the truth, as Jewish tradition often reminds us, is that even Moses was human. He had flaws, moments of weakness, moments of... well, anger.

And according to Sifrei Bamidbar, a fascinating early rabbinic commentary on the Book of Numbers, those moments of anger had consequences. Big ones.

The text points us to a verse in Numbers (31:21): "And Elazar the Cohein (priest) said to the men of the host who came to the war: This is the statute of the Torah which the L-rd commanded Moses." Seems straightforward. But Sifrei Bamidbar sees something deeper. It suggests that Moses, in a moment of anger, had actually forgotten the specific law concerning the purification of vessels taken as spoils of war. It had "been forgotten by Moses, our teacher. Because he had succumbed to anger, he succumbed to forgetfulness."

Ouch. Talk about a price to pay!

The commentary goes on to pinpoint three instances where Moses' anger led to error. The first? In Leviticus (10:16-17), Moses is wroth with Elazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron, for not eating the sin-offering in the holy place. The second? The infamous moment in Numbers (20:10-11) when Moses, frustrated with the Israelites, cries out, "Listen, now, you fractious ones! Shall we bring forth water for you from this rock!" and then strikes the rock twice. A moment of anger that, according to tradition, cost him the chance to enter the Promised Land.

And the third, the incident in question, Numbers (31:14): "And Moses was wroth with the commanders of the host... who came from the host of battle" – which leads directly to Elazar having to step in and clarify the law.

So, what's going on here? Is this just about Moses having a bad temper? It's more than that. It's a profound lesson about leadership, about the importance of self-control, and about the potential consequences of our actions, especially when we're in positions of power.

But there's another fascinating interpretation offered in Sifrei Bamidbar: that Moses authorized Elazar to speak. Why? "So that when he died they would not say to Elazar: 'In your teacher's lifetime you did not speak. Why are you speaking now?'" This suggests a different angle: Moses, in his wisdom, was preparing Elazar for leadership, empowering him to take on responsibility. Perhaps it wasn't about Moses' failing, but about his foresight.

And finally, the text emphasizes the importance of giving credit where credit is due: "…'which the L-rd commanded Moses': He said the thing in the name of its sayer." Just as Esther spoke to the king in the name of Mordecai (Esther 2:22), Elazar made sure to attribute the law to its source: God, through Moses. This highlights the Jewish value of intellectual honesty and the importance of acknowledging those who came before us.

So, what do we take away from this little snippet of rabbinic interpretation? It's a reminder that even our heroes are human, that anger can cloud our judgment, and that true leadership involves both self-control and the empowerment of others. And maybe, just maybe, it’s a gentle nudge to check our own tempers – before we, too, forget something important.