June 18-19, 2021                                              Parashat Chukat
9 Tammuz 5781

Sometimes we just don’t appreciate a good thing until it is gone. Throughout the years our people traveled in the wilderness, a well followed them, quenching their thirst along the journey. Our sages said that the well was due to the merit of Miriam, the older sister of Moses who watched over her baby brother when he was placed in a basket at the edge of the river. The Eternal rewarded Miriam’s kindness by making her the provider of water for the people. But the people didn’t appreciate the well until after Miriam’s death, when the well ceased to appear:

“The Israelites arrived in a body at the wilderness of Zin on the first new moon, and the people stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there. The community was without water, and they joined against Moses and Aaron” (Numbers 20:1-2).

According to Rashi, since the statement about the well follows the verse of Miriam’s death, we can only conclude that the well existed for the entire 40 years because of Miriam. But only after her death did the people truly appreciate the gift of water that sustained them.

For Reflection:
Have you ever felt more gratitude for something after it was gone?
How can we find gratitude for what we have while we have it?

Please join in this week’s Shabbat celebrations on Channel 1960 or in the Synagogue
(Limited seating in the Synagogue; masks required at all times)

Friday at 4:15 PM: Kabbalat Shabbat & Ma’ariv (Evening Service); Blessings in Dining Room at 5:15
Saturday at 10:00 AM: Shabbat Shacharit (Morning Service); Blessings in Dining Room at 12:15

Torah Talk – Shabbat afternoon at 1:30 PM in the Music Room (limited seating; masks required)

Candle Lighting in the Synagogue – If you would like to have the honor of lighting candles in the Synagogue, please contact Gitta.

Candle lighting time for the city of Mission Viejo: Friday evening at 7:45 PM
Shabbat ends Saturday evening at 8:47 PM

Shabbat Shalom!                     Rabbi Sherman