Parshas Chukas – The Greatness Factor

 In a fascinating book I am currently learning with a friend, there is a commentary noted about Miriam and Miriam’s well. (Alas, the book - The Moon’s Lost Light by Devorah Fastag - is at home in Canada, where I am not, so this will be an imperfect citation.)  All of Bnei Yisrael could see the greatness of Moshe and the greatness of Aaron; they were not, however, quite so aware of the greatness of Miriam. Yes, she led the women in song after kriyas Yam Suf – and certainly the women looked up to her, but the whole of Bnei Yisrael still did not necessarily view her greatness on par with her brothers. Hashem wanted Bnei Yisrael to recognize Miriam’s inherent greatness, and so He removed the well that traveled with Bnei Yisrael in her zechus so that Bnei Yisrael could realize just whom it was that they had lost when she died.

 

The book brings up this commentary in order to discuss the fact that throughout history there has been the tendency to give less credit to women then to men, but Hashem draws no such distinction. There is, however, a broader lesson that can be discussed within the general realm of bein adam l’chavero.

 

What is greatness? The fact is that greatness is a human judgement factor. We see people who lead others or who excel in certain skills or who do extraordinary things and we attribute greatness to them, whereas we overlook the everyday mother of 8 who keeps her children well-fed and well-loved and filled with a feeling of positive self-image and we don’t think “ah, there is greatness.” We don’t look at a man who chooses a trade and learns it well and provides for his family physically and emotionally while still maintaining his davening and learning schedules and define him as great. We acknowledge them. We maybe praise them. But we don’t give them crowns of greatness.

 

The question of “greatness” might, however, really come down to the level of neshama. What was an individual’s tafkid, and what was their potential? The person holding down a steady job and being kind to their family might be “great” because that was the tafkid they need to achieve or because did so above and beyond what circumstances would have made one assume.

 

 

Everyone can’t be a “Great,” or the superlative loses its meaning. There are some people who we need to crown with leadership, spiritually, politically, or culturally. But it is within us to look at each person, to acknowledge each person, and try to see their greatness, to try not to overlook them as simple or average.

 

I wish you all a beautiful Shabbas.