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As a kid, it always seemed to me that my younger siblings got away with murder, while I was punished for much lesser offenses. I think there is a certain truth to this, because parents are very invested in appropriately disciplining first-born children, but by the time they get to subsequent siblings, they throw up their hands and let things slide. I’m curious if others who are “first born” had the same experience.
In this week’s portion, Vaetchanan, the Torah states that “the people stayed in the valley of Beth-Peor.” (Deuteronomy 3:29). Beth Peor is associated with the scandalous orgy between the Israelites and the Moabites mentioned previously in the Torah (Numbers 25:1-9). The Israelites were punished by being forced to dwell in Beth Peor many days. Yet immediately afterward, the Torah states “And now, O Israel, give heed to the laws and rules that I am instructing you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the L-rd, G-d of our father, is giving you.” (Deuteronomy 4:1). In other words, despite their grievous sin, the Israelites were ultimately forgiven and permitted to enter the land. Although the texts themselves are not explicit on this point, I think it is possible to understand the words “va-neshev ba-gai”, meaning “and we dwelt in the valley”, as “va-nashuv ba-gai”, “and we repented in the valley.”
This must have seemed wonderful to everyone – except Moses. After all, Moses only committed a single sin, striking the rock rather than speaking to it at the waters of Masah and Meribah (Exodus 17:1-7). Yet for this lone transgression – so small that it seems little more than a faux pas – Moses is denied the opportunity to enter the promised land. As the midrash observes:
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"And we stayed in the valley near Beth-Peor": He (Moses) said: See which sin I have sinned, how many supplications I uttered, and (still) it was not forgiven me. And you, how many sins you have sinned, yet the L-rd has said to you: "Repent and I will accept" (your penance). R. Yehudah b. Bava says: In three places Israel bordered upon grave transgression and the L-rd said to them "Repent and I will accept." In one instance, you complained about the lack of water (Exodus 15:24), but I the L-rd forgave you. In a second instance, you complained about the lack of meat (Deuteronomy 9:22), yet I forgave you. And here too, in the valley of Beth Peor, you had committed a grave sin, yet I forgave you. (Deuteronomy 3:29-4:1). (Sifre on Numbers 136:2, 3rd century CE).
There was no overturning G-d’s verdict, though I have always thought Moses had a good point. On the bright side, if you were punished too harshly as a first-born, at least you were in good company.
- Rabbi Scott Hoffman
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