The Sedra starts with Moshe recalling that HaShem prohibited his entrance to the Land of Israel Vs 26,

Rashi says that the Jews had caused HaShem to be angry with Moshe at the incident when he hit the rock rather than speak to it as he had been told to.

Of all the episodes in Moshe’s life this one presents the greatest problem. HaShem had testified about him Himself that "Of all My servants he is faithful" why or how could he have changed the command to speak to the rock.

The rebellion is sparked by the death of Miriam. In her merit a miracle occurred for the Jewish people, a Well accompanied them through their forty-year wanderings. Upon her death it ceased and the Jews blamed Moshe for leading them to a place which had no alternative water supply. As the attack is directed against Moshe blaming him for the problem, HaShem wants the people to see that he is in fact the source of the solution. He is to gather the people before the rock, "L’Ainehem" in their sight. They must be able to see what is about to happen so that they will know that Moshe has brought them relief and they will regret their criticism. The camp of the Bnei Yisroel extended for twelve square miles to accommodate the three million or so souls. Inevitably they would not be able to see or hear Moshe and Aaron speaking to the rock as it miraculously produces water. The solution was to be through another miracle. This was one of the few places where a little space contained a huge amount (another was Noah’s Ark). A people contained within an area of twelve miles were now accommodated within twelve feet.

The Soporno explains that there are three types of miracle. The first level is a "Hidden Miracle." If someone is ill and people pry for them and they recover we do not see the intervention of HaShem. The second level is an open miracle where HaShem’s role is revealed. Here however the nature of the miracle is to take natural phenomena and exaggerate them way beyond the constraints of natural laws. Some rocks once cracked in tow do indeed contain water it is a geological phenomenon. For a rock to contain enough water for three million people and their cattle however would take a manipulation and exaggeration of the normal. The third category is a type of phenomenon where no parallel exists in the laws of nature. For Moshe to speak to a rock and the space previously occupied by the rock to become a hole in space from which will gush the water they require is beyond the normal.

The Soporno says that because of their doubts and rebellion Moshe did not believe that they merited the third level of miracle. If he try’s to produce it and it does not work that will clearly make their rebellion much worse. He therefore decided to opt for the lesser miracle calculating that they would deserve that phenomenon despite their poor behaviour.

That is why he hit the rock.

This explanation does not solve our riddle. After all is said and done Moshe still changed G-d’s command!

The Kesav Sopher comments on another incident, which holds the key to our problem. He asks how the greatest of the Jewish people sent to spy out the land could return with a damming report He says that it was not that they doubted that HaShem could bring them to the long promised land rather they doubted if he would take them. Since the times of the land being promised to the patriarchs and they themselves circumstances had changed, they had made the Golden Calf. That was why they thought HaShem would not fulfil his promise they felt they no longer deserved it. Their concerns seem though to bespeak humility and even regret. Why did it have such disastrous consequences?

The Alshich supplies the answer. The Journey from Mount Sinai to the border of Israel took twelve days on foot. The Jewish people achieved the trip in three days! That means that although they were walking as usual, the scenery was flying past at four times the speed. They were literally walking in the midst of a miracle! HaShem was showing them that he had accepted their repentance after the Golden Calf. They however failed to notice the messaged they were being sent.

When Moshe moved to carry out HaShem’s command to speak to the rock Rashi reports a further incident. Cynics and Scoffers claimed that as Moshe had been a shepherd in that desert previously for forty years he knew it inside out. This would not be a miracle, Moshe already knows that a natural spring lies below a certain rock. They then formed groups pointing to other rocks and said "If you can make a spring appear from a rock, make it this one or this one!"

It was now that Moshe thinks that they do not deserve and will no longer merit a miracle at the highest level. To try to produce it and fail will increase the rebellion against both him and HaShem. This could have terrible consequences for the Jewish people so for the sake of the honour of heaven and to protect Israel from making their situation worse Moshe goes for the "safer" option. Even though the highest form of miracle was intended to restore their faith in him, Moshe was more concerned for the Jewish people and the honour of heaven.

Surely that was an act of ultimate self-sacrifice and an incredibly heroic act? Yet HaShem criticises Moshe for his calculation and his punishment is exclusion form the Land of Israel.

The Alshich points to the expression HaShem used in rebuking Moshe, Bamidbar 20.Vs. 12…

"And HaShem spoke to Moshe and Aaron, since you did not believe in me to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel"

Even after this new provocation and challenge to Moshe to hit any old rock, they were still contained within the square of twelve square feet, it was still to be a phenomenon performed "L’Ainehem". HaShem was indicating that despite this new insult nothing had changed. It was this subtle point that Moshe missed.

If the greatest Jew who ever lived is admonished when his intention was the noblest imaginable, how much more will we land ourselves in trouble if why try to edit Judaism not for the noblest motives but rather to serve our own ends? So the Sedra goes on and says, Chpt. 4 Vs.1&2….

"And now Israel listen now to the Statutes and Laws which I am teaching you to do. In order that you will live and come to and inherit the land of Israel which HaShem the G-d of your fathers is giving to you.

Do not add to the word, which I am commanding you and do not subtract from it. Keep the commandments of HaShem exactly as I command you.