Parshas Beha'aloscha 5786 - Trying Patience

The Torah relates that after Miriam was afflicted with tzara'as for speaking against her brother Moshe:

"So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not travel until Miriam had re-entered the camp." (Bamidbar 12:15)

Why did the entire nation delay its journey for a full week in honor of Miriam?

Rashi, following the Mishnah (Sotah 1:9), explains that this was a measure-for-measure reward. When Moshe was placed in a basket on the Nile River as an infant, Miriam stood at a distance and waited to see what would happen to him (Shemos 2:4). Because Miriam patiently waited for her brother, the Jewish people later waited for her.

At first glance, this explanation is surprising. Miriam was one of the greatest leaders of her generation. She led the women in song after the splitting of the Red Sea (Shemos 15:21), and Chazal teach that the miraculous well that supplied water to the Jewish people in the desert existed in her merit (Taanis 9a). Why does Rashi attribute this honor not to these extraordinary accomplishments, but to an incident that occurred more than eighty years earlier when Miriam was merely a young girl?

The answer appears to be that the people honored Miriam not only for what she accomplished, but for the character traits that made those accomplishments possible. Great deeds are often the visible expression of great middos.

When Miriam stood watch over baby Moshe, she demonstrated remarkable patience and concern. She did not abandon her post, but instead waited to see how Hashem’s plan would unfold. This seemingly small act revealed a defining aspect of her character. Therefore, when Miriam later required the nation's support, the people responded in kind: just as she had patiently waited for another, they patiently waited for her.

The Orach Chaim similarly notes that the honor shown to Miriam reflected recognition of her inner greatness. Her leadership and merit were rooted in her refined character, and those character traits were already evident in her youth.

Rav Yosef B. Soloveitchik highlights an even deeper lesson. Had Miriam not patiently remained by the riverbank, she would not have witnessed Pharaoh's daughter rescuing Moshe. Consequently, she would not have been able to suggest that Yocheved, Moshe's own mother, serve as his nurse. Without that intervention, Moshe might have been raised entirely within Egyptian culture and never developed the connection to his people that ultimately enabled him to become their redeemer. Miriam's patience helped set in motion a chain of events that shaped Jewish history.

Patience is a quality that often seems absent in modern life. We have instant communication, immediate access to information, rapid delivery services, and constant expectations of quick results. When things do not happen immediately, frustration often follows.

Yet the Torah teaches that patience is one of the foundations of great character. Miriam's willingness to wait transformed a simple act into one of enduring significance. Her patience affected not only her own life, but the destiny of the Jewish people.

We should strive to cultivate that same quality within ourselves. Whether dealing with family members, colleagues, personal challenges, or periods of uncertainty, patience enables us to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively. Like Miriam, we should learn to wait with faith and perseverance, trusting that Hashem's plan may unfold in ways that are not immediately apparent. In that merit, may we see the fruits of our patience bring blessing to our lives and to all of Klal Yisrael.