“Was God Wrong?,” Rabbi Elaine Zecher’s Shabbat Awakenings

June 5 2026 | 20 Sivan 5786

Welcome to Shabbat Awakenings, a weekly reflection as we move toward Shabbat on this holiday of Shavuot, actually happening today! You can also listen to it as a podcast.

Was the Holy One of Blessing who sees and knows all incorrect of the assessment about Miriam and Aaron speaking against their brother in this week’s Torah portion?

Let’s examine the textual facts.

Out of nowhere, the Book of Numbers narrative focuses on a conversation between Aaron and Miriam. Though the grammatical structure of the verb, speak, is in the feminine form and therefore specifically indicts Miriam, both brother and sister seem to engage in speaking about Moses. Miriam will bear the brunt of the punishment with a case of leprosy that necessitates removing her and placing her outside the confines of the community for seven days.

So, what did they say? There are two topics they bring up. The first had to do with whom Moses married:

Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married: ‘He married a Cushite!’ (Numbers 12:1)

This is their first grievance. We will return to the details.

Then, they offer a second criticism:

They said, ‘Has GOD spoken only through Moses — and not through us as well?’ (Num 12:2)

The text then informs us: “GOD heard it.” Based on this piece of information and God’s response, it appears that God heard the second complaint, but not the first.

The Torah points out:

“Now Moses himself was very humble, more so than any other human being on earth.” (Num 12:3)

God concurred:

“Hear these My words: When prophets of GOD arise among you, I make Myself known to them in a vision, I speak with them in a dream.

Not so with My servant Moses; he is trusted throughout My household.

With him I speak mouth to mouth, plainly and not in riddles, and he beholds GOD’s likeness. How then did you not shrink from speaking against My servant Moses!” (Num 12: 5-8)

What about the Cushite woman? There is no mention after that first statement of her at all?

But the midrash recognized why they spoke? Just as an email can be misconstrued with a tone that might seem offensive, the Torah can as well. What if Miriam and Aaron were actually concerned about Moses on a different level? What if the second grievance about Moses’ relationship with God is actually part of the first complaint?

The midrash (Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Metzora 6:1) offered an explanation that Moses’ wife who was regarded as Cushite was the person about whom they expressed not condemnation but actually concern. As a leader overly focused on his job, Moses neglected his family, particularly his wife. Could their words be sibling care rather than rivalry? Could the statement about God only speaking to Moses be misunderstood as their way of wondering whether they could be helpful in sharing leadership?

The midrash offers us a way to turn the narrative toward a family trying to assist one another. Families are complex, even the ones from the Torah. Yet, it doesn’t always have to be about conflict. Maybe God got it wrong and the people, Moses’ own brother and sister, got it right.

We can’t always assume ill intent. Humans make mistakes but we also have the capacity to show grace and compassion toward one another. It is a worthy lesson for us, and maybe for God, too.

Shabbat Shalom! שבת שלום

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Rabbi Elaine Zecher