Every time I read this week’s Parashah, Behaalot’ha, a particular memory comes to mind.

As many of you know, one of the things I love most is hosting tours here in Israel. It’s a joy and a privilege to welcome people to the Land — to see them connect with the people, experience the beauty and meaning of this place, and most importantly, to witness them reconnect with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I love sharing His heart for Israel and the world, and yes — introducing everyone to the incredible Israeli cuisine.

At the end of almost every tour, we celebrate with a special farewell dinner at one of the best restaurants in the country. The menu is always overflowing — rich, flavorful, and more food than any normal person can handle. On one particular trip, there was a young man with a big appetite. All week long, he kept asking for more, and when we got to that final dinner, after a full spread and a very generous steak, he looked up and said, “Can I have another one?”

I smiled and asked, “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” he said.
“Well,” I replied, “ask and you shall receive.”

So we brought him another large steak. But halfway through, he stopped. He couldn’t finish it. I leaned over and said, “This reminds me of a story from this week’s Parashah…”

In Numbers 11, the Israelites are deep in the wilderness, and they start complaining. After everything God had done — rescuing them from slavery, providing food from heaven, leading them daily — it still wasn’t enough. They began craving what they didn’t have:

“Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for free, the cucumbers, the melons…”
Numbers 11:4–5

They forgot how painful Egypt had been. They forgot how faithful God had been. They were consumed by cravings, and they rejected what God was already giving them.

So He gave them what they asked for — not just a taste, but in overwhelming abundance:

“You shall eat… not one day, nor two, nor five, nor ten, nor twenty, but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you…” Numbers 11:19–20

Sometimes, what we demand in our impatience can become the very thing that humbles us. The Israelites didn’t just want meat — they wanted comfort. They wanted comfort on their terms. But God wasn’t leading them backward into comfort; He was leading them forward into promise.

Even Moses struggled. He questioned whether God could truly provide for all the people. And God answered:

“Is the Lᴏʀᴅ’s power limited? Now you shall see whether My word will come true for you or not.”
Numbers 11:23

We serve a God who is more than able. The question is not whether He can provide — it’s whether we trust Him to provide in His way and in His time.

This week’s Haftarah from Zechariah 2:10–4:7 offers a beautiful balance to the story in the wilderness. The people are back from exile, overwhelmed by the task ahead. But instead of rebuke, God speaks words of reassurance:

“Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst…”
Zechariah 2:10

The people in the wilderness forgot that God was with them. But here, the returning exiles are reminded that His presence is not only real — it is near. Whether we feel it or not, He is with us. Always.

And then we hear those powerful words:

“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lᴏʀᴅ of Hosts.
Zechariah 4:6

This is what we need — not more of what we think we lack, but more of Him. His Spirit is enough. His presence is sufficient. It is He who sustains, who leads, and who provides — even when we forget, even when we want something else.

So the next time you find yourself asking for “more,” take a moment to ask what’s really missing. Sometimes the answer isn’t a second helping, but deeper trust.

Shabbat Shalom,
Moran