The census, the camp, and travel scheme were all set.
ויהי בנסוע הארון…
The conquest, led by the Holy Ark, was to be imminent.
Then the kvetching began.
ויהי העם כמתאוננים…
..ויבכו גם בני ישראל ויאמרו מי יאכילנו בשר
וישמע משה את העם בכה למשפחותיו…
This background was the perfect preparation for the fiasco of the Meraglim, waiting to happen next week.
The meat cravers were smitten while the flesh was still between their teeth, and buried in “kivrot hat’ava”.
One would expect this infamous cemetery to be named קברות המתאווים, the burial of the desirers, as opposed to קברות התאווה, burial ground of desire.
The Ktav V’kabala observes that many who witnessed the horrid demise of the “Slav” devourers spontaneously quelled their evil inclination. Not only were the desirers buried, but the very desire was extinguished.
We are all exposed to a myriad of actions and behaviors. How we respond says much about us.
Let us hope that our experiences, positive or negative , pleasent or nasty, better us.
Shabbat Shalom
