Six Out of Ten Tests

Shavua Tov. There is a well known Mishna in Pirkei Avot that says that the Jewish people in the desert, tested Hashem ten times. It says openly in the Torah, וינסו אותי זה עשר פעמים ולא שמעו אלי, “And the tested Me ten times and did not hear My voice.” What is lesser known is that six of these ten tests are mentioned in today’s Parsha. Rav Pinchas Kehati, in his commentary on Pirkei Avot lists these ten tests. The first test was at ים סוף when they asked why they were brought to die by the Red Sea. The second was at Mara, when they complained about the bitter waters. The third was at מדבר סן when they griped, “If only we had died by the hand of Hashem in the land of Egypt.” The fourth and fifth were related to the מן. First they didn’t listen and allowed the מן to remain until the morning. And the second was that they went out to gather Manna on the seventh day. And the sixth test was in Refidim when they complained about a lack of water. All of these six were in today’s Parsha during the seven weeks between leaving Egypt and receiving the Torah. The last four had to do with the Golden Calf and complaining about the מן. But the final test was the worst when the spies spoke Lashon Hara about Israel. This sealed their fate that they had to remain in the desert for forty years. This also means that most of the years in the desert were calm and filled with Torah and spirituality.