In this week’s Torah portion, בשלח (Beshalach), the Israelites were wandering through the desert after escaping the Egyptians at the Red Sea. After three days of traveling, the Israelites were unable to find a source of water. They finally came across the waters of the land of מרה (Marah). Despite this discovery, the תורה (Torah) teaches us that the people were unable to drink the water because it was too bitter.
“יָּבֹאוּ מָרָתָה וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לִשְׁתֹּת מַיִם מִמָּרָה כִּי מָרִים הֵם—[The Israelites] arrived at מרה (Marah), [but they] were unable to drink the water from מרה (Marah) because it was bitter. (Exodus 15:23). The Kotzker Rebbe, who lived in Poland during the 16th and 17th centuries, explains that the words “כִּי מָרִים הֵם—Because it was bitter,” are actually referring to the attitudes of the people and not the waters of מרה (Marah). He expands on his interpretation and says that if a person has an overall negative …show more content…
When somebody constantly complains about the events of life, he/she will eventually become quick to identify negative aspects of an event and be unable to realize the positive elements of that event.
“יָּבֹאוּ מָרָתָה וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לִשְׁתֹּת מַיִם מִמָּרָה כִּי מָרִים הֵם—[The Israelites] arrived at מרה (Marah), [but they] were unable to drink the water from מרה (Marah) because it was bitter. (Exodus 15:23). The Kotzker Rebbe, who lived in Poland during the 16th and 17th centuries, explains that the words “כִּי מָרִים הֵם—Because it was bitter,” are actually referring to the attitudes of the people and not the waters of מרה (Marah). He expands on his interpretation and says that if a person has an overall negative …show more content…
When somebody constantly complains about the events of life, he/she will eventually become quick to identify negative aspects of an event and be unable to realize the positive elements of that event.