Death of Miriam

There is an interesting Midrash, that is very deductive. This was based on the simple verse that says that Miriam died, and she was buried.

The Midrash deduces that Miriam’s death must have occurred after the entire generation of the desert had already died. Until that time, every year on Tisha B’Av, the people needed to dig their own grave, and sleep in it.

If they were included in the punishment of the spies, they would not wake up. This happened until the final year in the desert. When the fifteenth of Av came, and there was no more death, that date became a minor holiday known as Tu B’Av.

If the narrative of the Torah, told us that Miriam was buried, it must have been after the punishment was over.

During that fortieth year, Miriam first passed away, and the “באר מרים,” Miriam’s well, ended the water supply in the desert. Aharon also died a few months later, and the “Clouds of Glory,” died with him. And in the last month of the year in Adar, Moshe Rabbeinu passed away, that ended the falling of the Manna.

It is interesting how the wisdom of the rabbis allows them to piece together, historical events.