Forty years have elapsed, and the Jewish people are positioned to enter the land. The previous generation has all but passed, and gradually the leadership will perish as well. Our parsha highlights the passing of two of these leaders—Miriam and Aharon. Subsequent to Miriam’s death a water shortage develops, and the crisis is only resolved through Moshe’s miraculous intervention. Unfortunately, as he didn’t strictly adhere to the Divine instructions, Moshe was punished by being banned from entering the Land of Israel.

Based on the juxtaposition of this water crisis with Miriam’s passing, Chazal assert that the supernatural water supply throughout the previous 40 years was due to Miriam’s merit. During their journey the Jews were accompanied by a “well,” referred to as Be’er Miriam—literally Miriam’s reservoir—which provided sweet water amidst the parched desert terrain. Evidently, the Jews developed a personal fondness with this cistern—an affection they didn’t sense regarding other desert miracles. Years earlier they had erupted in song upon witnessing their rescue at the Red Sea. Currently, the “well” itself participated in this melodic chant. Despite Miriam’s passing, her “well” continued to escort the Jewish journey and this is indeed reason to celebrate!

Jewish tradition claims that Miriam’s “well” continued to accompany the Jews far beyond the termination of the desert journey. The final verse of the desert song describes a “lookout point” atop a mountain (v’nishkafah al pnei hayeshimon) from which the “well” can still be viewed. Several sources in Chazal assert that the “well” was ultimately implanted into the Kinneret sea, which itself can be viewed from the overlooking city of Teveria/Tiberias. Though this silent tradition existed during the first 1,500 years of Jewish exile, it became extremely popular in the 16th century during the golden era of Jewish settlement of the north of Israel. Many Jews migrating from Spain relocated to northern Israeli cities such as Akko, Tzfat and Teveria. During this period, the great Kabbalist, Rav Yosef Karo, tagged the location of this well to an oasis on the southern bank of the Kinneret. Drinking from the lake where they believed Miriam’s “well” had been lodged, he and his students assumed that this water would convey supernatural abilities facilitating the study of kabbalah and mystical works. Other people marked the site of this “well” to an area in the middle of the Kinneret sea, viewable from the Old City of Teveria. To this day, many local fishermen speak of an underwater vortex in the middle of the Kinneret that causes atypical undertows, known as a dangerous area for both swimmers and boats. In fact, about 10 years ago, a project of re-mapping the Kinneret was launched and a member of the team reported the recording of unusual data in a northwest section of the lake as well as the discovery of a large underground water vent. In this week’s parsha, Miriam’s “well” was extended beyond her death; Jewish legend has it relocating to northern Israel where it silently observed repeated Jewish settlement.

The aforementioned midrash assigns the heavenly desert clouds of Divine presence and protection to the merit of Aharon. As we entered the land these heavenly clouds dissipated and were replaced by the Temple; the clouds of Aharon “transform” into Jerusalem—the epicenter of the Divine presence and the capital of the Jewish homeland. By contrast, Miriam’s “well” reinforces the northern region of Israel surrounding the Kinneret lake and Teveria. At different stages of history, as Jerusalem became less habitable Jews sought refuge in Miriam’s northern haven. During the period surrounding the destruction of the Second Temple (70 AD), Roman persecution of Jews rendered Jerusalem less viable and an alternate Jewish center was established in the north—centered upon Teveriya. In the beginning of the third century, Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi, whose yeshiva was located in Teveriya, composed the Mishnah—the first formal written rendition of the Oral Law. Thirteen-hundred years later, in the aftermath of the Spanish Inquisition, the north of Israel once again was revived as an epicenter of Jewish life, culture, scholarship and mysticism. The enchanting “Miriam’s well” has also penetrated modern Jewish folklore and culture. In 1909, Shai Agnon published a story titled “Miriam’s Well or Fragments of the Human Experience” in which he extols the Kinneret as the lake that God Himself has encompassed and that contains the buried “well” of Miriam. The image of Miriam’s “well” has also been employed to name various educational institutions, synagogues and streets in modern-day Israel—particularly in the northern Kinneret area.

As this desert “well” originated outside the Land of Israel, Jews even attempted to access it in the Diaspora. During the Medieval period, Western European Jews customarily drew fresh water immediately after Shabbat, asserting that during this hour Miriam’s “well” flowed from the Kinneret in Israel and streamed to all underground aquifers; drawing long distance from Miriam’s “well” in Israel would ensure a successful and healthy week to Jews across the globe. Jewish communities far removed from Israel felt the presence of Miriam’s “well” and were able to taste the Kinneret lake from afar. Just as Miriam and her “well” had escorted the Jews through their desert journey, she and her water basin remained palpable throughout the Jewish Diaspora.

In light of this role of Miriam’s “well,” it is intriguing to consider Miriam’s original heroism in Egypt—particularly in the struggle for the survival of her younger brother, Moshe. Left with little choice, Miriam had cast him into the Egyptian river and had paused to observe the fate of her infant brother; unable to intervene, she gazed upon her brother and watched from afar. From that moment she began “watching from afar” and she hasn’t ceased gazing upon Jews. In our homeland, her “well” established Teveriya—the northern capital of Israel—as an alternative to what was oftentimes trying conditions in Jerusalem. Even Jews in the Diaspora felt her watching gaze as they drew Kinneret-flavored water every Saturday night.

Finally, it is fascinating to consider the human role in extending Miriam’s “well.” In our parsha, Miriam’s “well” is extended, in part, through human intervention. The “well”—once unconditionally and automatically present—was now “burrowed by princes and dug by noble volunteers.” After Miriam’s passing, the supernatural “well” was rehabilitated in part by human effort. Her death marked an important transition: Desert experience was governed by purely supernatural conditions; water sources emerged miraculously and without human effort. Entering the Land of Israel called for a collaborative effort in which supernatural potential would be unlocked by human effort. The desert “well” would only survive if humans contributed.

Recent severe water shortages in Israel have led to a severe depletion of the Kinneret, threatening the long-term sustainability of the lake. Recently, the pumping of desalinated water into the Kinneret has been planned with the hope of replenishing the water level of the Kinneret and reinforcing the health of the surrounding ecosystem. Once again we have lent Miriam as assistive hand. Once again we have rallied to extend the well of Miriam during a very delicate transition. Once again we have asserted that life in Israel demands human contribution to Divine potential.

By Moshe Taragin

Rabbi Moshe Taragin is a rebbe at Yeshivat Har Etzion located in Gush Etzion, where he resides.