What is the Torah referring to when it writes "Heimah Mei Merivah ... "?
Rashi: It is referring to the astrologers of Par'oh, who ordered all the baby boys thrown into the Nile, because they saw that the savior of Yisrael would be smitten by water ? and they interpreted it to mean that whoever that savior was, he would drown there. 1
Ramban: It is drawing a distinction between the current incident, where all of Yisrael were present, and the incident in Refidim, where Moshe only assembled the elders. 2 And the Pasuk sees is pointing out for which of the two Moshe and Aharon were punished. 3
Because astrologers only see the future in vague terms, not in detail. Refer to Sh'mos 1:22:2:1**.
Ramban: In spite of the fact, that they all grumbled.
Ramban: The distinction is based on the fact that, by the earlier incident, they quarreled with Moshe and tested Hashem (as the Pasuk writes clearly there), whereas here they quarreled with Hashem and not with Moshe. See also R. Chavel's footnotes.
How will we reconcile this Pasuk ("? asher Ravu B'nei Yisrael es Hashem") with "Vayarev ha'Am Im Moshe)" in Pasuk 3?
Sanhedrin, 110a: It teaches that if someone quarrels with his Rebbe it is as if he quarreled with the Shechinah.
Ramban: They quarreled with Hashem exclusively. 1
Refer to 20:3:1:1.
As opposed to the earlier incident in Behalach Sh?mos, 17:2, where they quarreled with Moshe ? See Ramban DH ?ve?Da?. The Ramban does not explain why, in Pasuk 3, the Torah writes ?Vayarev ha?Am im Moshe?.
What are the connotations of the word ?Vayikadesh Bam??
Rashi, Ramban, Rashbam, Seforno and Targum Onkelos: It refers to the water ? Refer to 20:13:2:1-4.
Targum Yonasan: It refers to Moshe and Aharon. Refer to 20:13:2:1.
?Vayikadesh Bam?. How was Hashem sanctified "through the water of Merivah"?
Rashi, Ramban #1 (citing the Ibn Ezra) and Targum Yonasan: Because Moshe and Aharon died as a result of it, and when Hashem performs judgment with those who are close to Him, people fear Him and He becomes sanctified. 1
Ramban #2: By producing water in the presence of all of Yisrael. 2
Rashbam: By producing water even though Moshe and Aharon did not speak to it as commanded.
Seforno: By performing miracles when the well defied the laws of nature by traveling upwards, as described later in the Parshah. 3
Rashi: As the Pasuk states in Tehilim, 68:36. Refer also to Vayikra, 10:3:2:1*. See also Na?ar Yonasan, and Ramban's objections to this explanation.
Refer to 21:16:1:4*.
Why does the Torah say here "Heimah (with a 'Hei') Mei Merivah", and later in 27:14, "Heim", without a Hei?
Moshav Zekenim citing the Rosh: The Hei 1 alludes to five Aveiros ? he gathered the Kahal, and Hashem said only to gather the Eidah (Chachamim). Therefore the K'vod Hashem did not appear to him, like it appeared at Chorev 2 (Sh'mos 17:6) ? "Hineni Omed Lefanecha." He said here "ha'Min ha'Sela" because there was no Giluy Shechinah; he went to the other side of the rock. The other Aveiros were hitting the rock, calling the people Morim, hitting a second time, and saying "ha'Min ha'Sela ha'Zeh Notzi".
He did not explain why there is no 'Hei' there. Perhaps if not for the change, we would not know to expound the 'Hei'. (PF)
That was at Refidim, and it was also called 'Masah u'Merivah'(Sh'mos 17:2,7). It was not at Chorev (Sinai)! Perhaps words are missing, and he means that the Shechinah would appear only if everyone was Tahor, like at Chorev. (PF)
