Skin-Deep Vision
Miriam is punished for speaking negatively against Moshe, yet what she actually means is unclear.
וַתְּדַבֵּר מִרְיָם וְאַהֲרֹן בְּמֹשֶׁה עַל־אֹדוֹת הָאִשָּׁה הַכֻּשִׁית אֲשֶׁר לָקָח כִּי־אִשָּׁה כֻשִׁית לָקָח׃ וַיֹּאמְרוּ הֲרַק אַךְ־בְּמֹשֶׁה דִּבֶּר ה׳ הֲלֹא גַּם־בָּנוּ דִבֵּר וַיִּשְׁמַע ה׳׃ (במדבר י״ב, א-ב)
According to Rashi (based on Chazal), Miriam disapproved of Moshe’s decision to separate from his wife Tzipporah — ostensibly due to his proximity to God which he believed demanded abstinence. This is related to the statement in the second verse where Miriam apparently downplays Moshe’s prophetic uniqueness by equating it to their own prophetic experience.
There are several problems with this approach. First and foremost, we do not see anywhere that Moshe divorced or separated from Tzipporah following their reunion in Ex. 18. The verse in question implies the exact opposite — the issue was that he “took” the Ishah HaKushit, not that he divorced her (see Ibn Kaspi’s very sharp criticism of this approach due to it directly contradicting the plain meaning). Second, there is clear significance to the fact that his wife was a Kushite which is twice mentioned in the verse, yet this fact plays no material role within this explanation.
Ibn Ezra tries to address the second issue by suggesting that Miriam accused Moshe of separating from Tzipporah as Moshe perceived her to be lacking in beauty. He then explains the second verse as presenting Miriam’s reasoning of why Moshe could not have been acting with sincere spiritual motive as Moshe’s prophecy was not really unique.
Rashbam takes a wildly different approach. He says that the Ishah HaKushit was not in fact Tzipporah as Tzipporah was from Midian (modern day Saudi Arabia) and not Kush (modern day Sudan or Ethiopia). He quotes an unfamiliar Midrash that says Moshe ruled over Kush for 40 years during which he married one of the local princesses. Miriam disapproved of Moshe marrying a woman descended from Ham, unaware that he had never been intimate with her. The main problem here is that there is no other mention of this mysterious woman (and none at all about the abstention). Second, why would this criticism only surface now if they married so long ago. Finally, it would seem cruel and purposeless to marry her but then never consummate the marriage.
A third explanation is offered by Shmuel David Luzatto (Italy, 1800-1865) and this is the approach I’d like to build on. He identifies the Ishah HaKushit as Tzipporah like Rashi, but he relates Miriam’s issue to the fact that Tzipporah was of non-Israelite origin — similar to Rashbam. Not only was she a non-Israelite, but she was a Kushite — a term that Miriam seems to use pejoratively. The second verse adds that Miriam thought Moshe was acting as a law unto himself due to his prophetic superiority.
As for the geographical issue, Ibn Ezra already points out that some references in Tanakh seem to equate Kush and Midian suggesting ethnical overlap:
תַּחַת אָוֶן רָאִיתִי אׇהֳלֵי כוּשָׁן יִרְגְּזוּן יְרִיעוֹת אֶרֶץ מִדְיָן׃ (חבקוק ג׳, ז)
It may also be the case that the Kushite reference is figurative and describes Tzipporah’s appearance — notably her dark skin, even though she was an ethnic Midianite. From other biblical references it is indeed clear that skin colour was perceived as a defining feature of a Kushite:
In any event, it seems reasonable to assume the Kushite woman in this passage does indeed refer to Tzipporah.
Black vs white
The significance of Tzipporah being referred to as the Ishah HaKushit and not by her real name, lies in the fact that her ethnicity (and perhaps her skin colour) was precisely the target of Miriam’s slur. When Miriam speaks “concerning the Ishah HaKushit which he took” we anticipate some sort of explanation of what the problem was. Instead the verse simply repeats word for word the earlier part of the verse: “for he had taken an Ishah Kushit”. The repetition highlights that Miriam took issue with the very fact that she was a Kushite and there was nothing deeper to it. This point is especially forceful if the term Kushite is meant figuratively to describe skin colour rather than ethnicity.
To add salt to the wound, Tzipporah together with Yitro had demonstrated tremendous self-sacrifice in leaving their homeland to join the Jewish people. The name Tzipporah evokes the homing instinct and fidelity of a bird and probably reflects her loyalty and dedication in returning to Moshe even after he had “sent her away”:[1]
וַיִּקַּח יִתְרוֹ חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה אֶת־צִפֹּרָה אֵשֶׁת מֹשֶׁה אַחַר שִׁלּוּחֶיהָ׃ (שמות י״ח, ב)
Despite her loyalty, she was now being dismissed as an outsider. Since Miriam’s transgression was to speak negatively about Tzipporah by casting her as an outsider, the onset of Tzara’at — an unsightly skin affliction — was a fitting punishment:
וְהֶעָנָן סָר מֵעַל הָאֹהֶל וְהִנֵּה מִרְיָם מְצֹרַעַת כַּשָּׁלֶג (י״ב, י)
Miriam marginalised Tzipporah on account of her (black?) skin colour, so Miriam was excluded from the camp for a 7 day period on account of her diseased (snow white) skin.
There is also a sharp irony in the way Miriam touts her prophetic capacity to support her criticism of Moshe. A prophet is supposed to have a deep powers of perception which enables them to envisage the future.[2] In sharp contrast to these qualities, however, Miriam's perspective on Tzipporah was merely skin-deep. On the other hand, it was specifically Tzipporah's father that has demonstrated prophetic qualities which enabled him to predict the tragic events described in the prior passage...[3]
Yitro - the deep-sighted outsider
The Miriam passage is embedded in a sequence of passages which commences with Yitro (=Chovav) leaving the camp and ends with the tragic episode of the spies. By understanding the Miriam passage in this way it fits neatly into the broader theme of these passages.
In that earlier passage, Moshe attempts to convince Yitro to stay on as their guide on account of his ability to act as “the eyes” of the camp:
וַיֹּאמֶר אַל־נָא תַּעֲזֹב אֹתָנוּ כִּי עַל־כֵּן יָדַעְתָּ חֲנֹתֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר וְהָיִיתָ לָּנוּ לְעֵינָיִם׃ (במדבר י׳:ל״א)
The direct meaning relates to the experienced vision of a guide. However, it might also allude to Yitro's far-sighted vision demonstrated when he established the judiciary (Ex. 18). In that earlier episode, Yitro sensed that Moshe's autocratic leadership was unsustainable. Through his plan to decentralise the leadership and invite, he was able to relieve the pressure on Moshe and empower the people. However, as soon as Yitro departs and his influence wanes, his earlier predictions come true. This is the story of the next passage:
נָבֹל תִּבֹּל גַּם־אַתָּה גַּם־הָעָם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר עִמָּךְ כִּי־כָבֵד מִמְּךָ הַדָּבָר לֹא־תוּכַל עֲשֹׂהוּ לְבַדֶּךָ׃ (שמות י״ח, י״ח)
The Divine response to the situation follows Yitro's blueprint. New spiritual leaders are appointed who will share the burden of leadership with Moshe and add a new spiritual dimension to counter their base desires. The theme of eyes and perception is prominent in this passage as well:
The next passage deals with Miriam's negative speech which, as discussed, was driven by the superficial perspective about Moshe's wife. The same theme then continues its way into the spies passage and lies behind the downfall of the spies the land. Every indication of the fertility and beauty of the land is perceived by the spies as a threat. This shallow perspective caused them to see everything as outsized and intimidating.
וְשָׁם רָאִינוּ אֶת־הַנְּפִילִים בְּנֵי עֲנָק מִן־הַנְּפִלִים וַנְּהִי בְעֵינֵינוּ כַּחֲגָבִים וְכֵן הָיִינוּ בְּעֵינֵיהֶם׃ (י״ד, ל"ג)
Like Miriam, they were led astray by superficial vision which couldn’t penetrate the surface of what met their eyes.
Finally, a call for a deeper perception stands at the heart of the Tzitzit passage that appears at the end of next week's parashah:[3]
These verses contain a number of allusions to the spies episode where it was the inability to see beyond the harsh reality that caused the fear and failure. Only through a conscious awareness of a deeper reality beneath the surface, can the nation develop the spiritual fortitude to enter the land and overcome their outsized enemies.
---------------------------
[1] Interestingly, Moshe convinced Yitro to join them when he spoke about (אודות) the nation — the same phrase as used in the Miriam passage. But in this context it is not slander, but quite the opposite — Moshe conveys how God responded to their distress and saved them:
[2] The Ko'ach HaMedameh in the terminology of the Rambam (see Moreh Nevuchim II:36)
[3] The irony actually runs even deeper. I've suggested previously that a careful reading of the earlier Yitro passage shows that Yitro’s reforms placed emphasis on diffusion of power, democratization of knowledge, and individual responsibility which was a critical prelude to Matan Torah. Accordingly, the mass revelation and prophetic experience at Mt Sinai was directly related to Yitro’s intervention. If this is correct then the very prophecy which Miriam enlists to back her criticism of Moshe, was enabled as a result of Yitro — inspired by his sensitivity to the need for broader inclusivity.
[4] The roots ראה, תור, זנה from the Tzitzit passage feature prominently in the spies episode, for example:
