Somewhere in this Parsha we skip ahead to the fortieth year in the Midbar. We read of Miriam's death, the aftermath which included Mei Meriva and the death of Aharon Hakohein. That's quite a lot to absorb in one Parsha.
In the course of Jewish history, we have become accustomed to absorbing multiple large blows in a concentrated period of time. The question is what do we do afterwards? That is what defines us as a nation.
Shabbat Shalom