During the Jews’ 40 year sojourn in the wilderness, they were miraculously supplied with water from a stone which travelled with them wherever they wandered. This “well” came about in the merit of Miram, the older sister of Moshe and Aharon (Moses and Aaron). When she died, the stone ceased to provide water. The Jews complained to Moshe whereupon Hashem (G-d) instructed him, “Take your staff and gather the nation in front of the stone. Speak to the rock and it will give forth its water!”
When Moshe and Aharon gathered the congregation they rebuked the nation by saying, “Listen now rebellious ones! Will we be not be able to produce water from this rock?” Instead of speaking to the rock they struck it twice with the staff and water gushed forth!
Hashem then told them that because they failed to sanctify His Name in front of the nation, they would not be deemed worthy of bringing the Jews into Israel. Instead they would die (at the age of 120 and 123 respectively) and a new leader would be appointed for the Jews.
What was so severe about this incident that they received such a consequence?! Granted, there is a rule that G-d is stricter with the righteous, but what exactly had they done that earned them this great punishment?
One approach to answer this as follows. A leader must never speak or even think disparagingly of his followers. Although the Jews had complained in a very disrespectful manner they should have still been given the benefit of the doubt that they did so out of desperation. By Moshe and Aharon referring to the nation as “rebellious ones” they demeaned the honor of the Jewish nation by focusing on their deficiencies and not on their great positive qualities. This was considering a lack of “sanctifying G-d” (as was mentioned earlier) because when G-d’s nation is demeaned, He considers it as a personal slight!
Although for 40 years they had lead the Jews with much self-sacrifice and had been tremendous advocates for the Jewish people, they should have not allowed themselves to address the nation in a derogatory way. We see the great responsibility of a leader teacher parent or even friend to always focus on his fellow man’s positive attributes rather than the opposite.

By Rabbi Sharaga Thav
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