Stare Down the Snake - Chukat

Stare Down the Snake
Parshat Chukat

In this week's Parshah we read of a most interesting episode, the Copper Snake. The Torah tells us how the Jewish people once again complained, this time about why they were taken out of Egypt, the heavenly manna and more. G-d's response is severe "Hashem sent the fiery serpents against the people and the bit the people. A large multitude of Israel died" (Bamidbar 21:6).

Now the Jewish people wake up and come crying to Moshe saying "Pray to Hashem that He remove the serpent". So Hashem commands Moshe "Make yourself a fiery serpent and place it on a pole, and it will be that anyone who was bitten will look at it and live". So Moshe made made a serpent of copper. 

At first glance this story seems like a tit for tat episode. The Jewish people sinned, they are punished. They repent and then Moshe comes to the rescue.

But then there is the snake. What's the deal? Why a snake and what does it teach us?

Rashi explains that this punishment was Midah Kneged Midah-measure for measure; their tongues spewed venom so they were punished with the snake's venom. The Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 29a) explains "Does a serpent cause death or life? Rather when they looked upward and subjected their hearts to their Father in Heaven they were healed, if not, they died". 

Additionally, our sages tell us that it was Moshe that chose to make the snake out of copper as the Hebrew word for Snake-Nachash is the same letters as the Nechoshet, the Hebrew word for copper. The source of their destruction was the source of their healing (Rambam).

Very often in life we encounter challenging times. In raising our children, there are many nights when we shed tears, worry and wonder if we have done it all wrong and are a failure. How do we overcome these fears of being inadequate and power through the challenge?

The answer is the Nachash. We must realize that every challenge and trial comes from Hashem. Every precious child, with all their idiosyncrasies and personal tests come from Hashem. The answer lies in the very challenge we are facing. When we realize that the challenge is meant to strengthen us and help us grow the challenge itself becomes the stepping stone for growth. 

We must be able to "look at the snake" pear closely at our challenges and trials, and realize that it does not have a life of its own, rather it is something from Hashem sent to help us grow.

When we are brave enough to stare down the snake, we can transform the elixir of death into an elixir of life and growth.

Shabbat Shalom.