A leader wants to see his flock become successful on their own. This is certainly true in the material dimension, and it is just as true in the spiritual dimension.
This week’s Torah portion is “Chukat” (Numbers 19:1–22:1), the shortest Torah portion in the Book of Numbers. In it we read about the purification procedure of the Red Cow, the death of Miriam and Aaron, and the conquest of Arad, the Amorites, and Bashan.
The reading contains the “Song of the Well,” which was sung in honor of the miraculous well that accompanied the Jewish people throughout their 40 years of wandering in the desert and provided them with lif- giving water. It is somewhat similar to the “Song of the Sea” that the Jewish people sang after crossing through the Red Sea and seeing the waters of the split sea crash down on the Egyptians.
There is one glaring difference between the two songs, however. The Song of the Sea begins with the words “And then Moses and the Children of Israel sang this song…” while the Song of the Well begins with the words “And then Israel sang this song…”