Falling Water: Moshe's Transgression and Akiva's Transformation

The Israelites are standing at the cusp of the entrance to the Land of Israel, and we are faced with a tragic story in which Moshe and Aharon receive the message that they will not enter the Land. What is Moshe’s indiscretion in the “rock and water” story in Hukkat? In searching for a response, we examine  related narratives involving water, rock, and ideas of transformation found in the Bible and in the story of Rabbi Akiva’s transformation from shepherd to Torah giant.