Numbers — Chapter 20

The people come to the desert of Sin in the first month of the fortieth year; Miriam dies and is buried at Kadesh; the well of water which God gave Israel through Miriam's merits departs at her death (according to rabbinic tradition noted by Lapide).

God commands Moses to speak to the rock; Moses instead strikes it twice in anger: \"Hear, ye rebels! Can we fetch water for you out of this rock?\" Moses' impatience is a small sin but sufficient to exclude him from Canaan.

God's rebuke of Moses and Aaron: \"Because you did not believe in me to sanctify me before the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land.\" Even small failures of faith in leaders carry grave consequences.

On Mount Hor, Moses strips Aaron of his high-priestly vestments and puts them on Eleazar his son; Aaron dies on the mountain top. The solemn transfer of the high-priestly office: vestments pass to the heir.