When Spiritual Complaints Bring Joy
Moshe’s surprising reaction to Israel’s envy of Levi
The Torah says: “Hashem did not give you the heart to comprehend…until today” (Deut. 29:3). Rashi explains with a Midrash: on that day, Moshe gave the tribe of Levi their own Torah scroll. The rest of the nation felt jealous. Why should Levi have something so unique?
Moshe’s reaction was surprising. He was pleased. He told them: “Today you have become the Chosen People, because today I see that you truly want to cling to God and His Torah.”
This Midrash echoes the Rambam’s teaching: anyone can become “a Levi.” Formally, the Levites were supported by the people and dedicated their lives to service. But the Rambam writes that any person, from any tribe or background, who dedicates their life fully to God can join this path. God Himself will sustain them, just as He does the Levites.
So why was Moshe happy about a complaint? Because this was not a grumble about food or comfort, like so many in the desert. It was a yearning for closeness to God. A complaint about material needs drags a person down. A complaint about spiritual growth lifts a person higher.
That day, Moshe saw that the people finally wanted something worth desiring—and that, he said, made them truly chosen.