שמלתך לא בלתה מעליך ורגליך לא בצקה… (עקב ח:ד)

A great dispute erupted in the city of Kutno (Poland) over who should serve as the city’s Chazzan (cantor). The town was in an uproar, with the tailors and shoemakers leading the dispute.

Reb Yehoshua of Kotno zt”l, who served as the city’s Rav, observed the situation and said: “When the Yidden were in the Midbar (desert), they complained about the meat, about the water, about the Kehunah (priesthood), etc…  However, the Torah does not write that they fought about a chazzan.  The Torah explains to us why they did not fight over a chazzan: שמלתך לא בלתה מעליך ורגליך לא בצקה – the clothes didn’t and no one needed new shoes.  Therefore, there were no tailors or shoemakers to fight over who should serve as chazzan…”