Ep 86 - The Copper Serpent: Talmudic Lessons on Healing and Teshuva (Sanhedrin 82a)

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores Parshas Chukas (Numbers 21:4–9), focusing on the episode of the poisonous serpents sent to punish the Israelites for complaining against God and Moshe. He connects this to Talmudic teachings (Pesachim 56a, Rosh Hashanah 29a) about King Chizkiyahu’s destruction of the copper serpent and the book of remedies, emphasizing divine messages through affliction. Key points include:

• Parshas Chukas Context: The Israelites, impatient in the wilderness, complain about the lack of bread and water, slandering the manna (which adapts to any desired taste). God sends poisonous serpents as punishment, mirroring the primeval serpent’s slander against God to Eve, whose punishment was tasteless food (dust). The complaint about manna’s “insubstantial” nature reflects ingratitude, triggering a measure-for-measure punishment.
• Copper Serpent’s Role: God instructs Moshe to create a copper serpent (nachash nechoshes) on a pole; those bitten who look at it with proper intention (kavanah) toward God are healed, not by the serpent itself but by divine will. This symbolizes looking upward to Hashem, akin to tzitzis’ blue string reminding one of God’s throne.
• Chizkiyahu’s Actions (Pesachim 56a): King Chizkiyahu destroys the copper serpent, as later generations worshipped it as an idol, missing its purpose as a divine prompt for repentance. He also hides the book of remedies, which offered quick cures, because it prevented introspection and humility. The sages approve, as illnesses are divine messages to correct one’s ways, not to be bypassed with shortcuts.
• Illness as a Divine Gift: Rabbi Wolbe cites Jacob’s illness as the first in history, a divine gift allowing preparation for death through introspection and amends, unlike pre-Jacob sudden deaths (e.g., via sneezing, hence “gesundheit”). Illnesses, like the serpent’s bites, are tailored to specific sins (e.g., lashon hara, reflected in the serpent’s punishment), urging personal prophecy to decipher God’s message.
• Personal Anecdote: Rabbi Wolbe shares a story of burning his hand while kashering his kitchen, experiencing excruciating pain. Through introspection, he identified a personal failing linked to his hand, and the pain miraculously subsided, reinforcing that afflictions are divine calls for correction.
• Broader Message: Every event, from illnesses to world news (e.g., a murder story on TV), is a divine mirror for self-improvement. Rabbi Wolbe warns against focusing on external cures (e.g., doctors, medicine) without addressing spiritual flaws, urging listeners to heed God’s messages to avoid missing life’s purpose.

The episode concludes with a blessing for health and a call to recognize God’s constant communication, encouraging proactive teshuvah to align with divine will.

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The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud.
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This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan Marbin

Recorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on July 11, 2025, in Houston, Texas.
Released as Podcast on October 3, 2025

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Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: [e-mail]
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