Midrash for Numbers 12:8

Our teachers maintained that in reward for three things Moses was granted three things. As a reward for And Moses hid his face (Exod. 3:6), he was granted The skin of his face sent forth beams (ibid. 34:30); as a reward for For He feared (ibid. 3:6), he was granted They were afraid to come nigh unto him (ibid. 34:30); and as a reward for He was afraid to look (ibid. 3:6), he was granted The similitude of the Lord doth he behold (Num. 12:18).

Further, said R. Jochanan in the name of R. Jose: "Three things did Moses request of the Holy One, praised be He! and they were all granted unto him. He asked that the Sheehina shall dwell in Israel and it was granted, as it is said (Ex. 33, 16.) Is it not in that because Thou goest with us? He asked that the Sheehina might not dwell with heathens and it was granted to him, as it is said (Ib.) So shall we be distinguished, I and thy people. He asked that the Holy One, praised be He! make known His ways , and it was granted to him, as it is said (Ib, ib. 18.) And he said, let me see, I beseech Thee, Thy glory, i. e., he said before the Holy One, praised be He! 'Sovereign of the universe, why is there a righteous man who prospers while another righteous person suffers? Some wicked person prospers while another wicked person suffers?' He answered him: 'Moses! the righteous person that prospers is righteous himself, and the son of a righteous one; the righteous one that suffers" is righteous himself but the son of a, wicked one [he suffers for the sins of his parents]; the wicked person who prospers is wicked himself but the son of a righteous person, and the wicked person who suffers is wicked himself and the son of a wicked one.'" The Master said above, "The righteous person that prospers is righteous himself and the son of a righteous one; the righteous one that suffers is righteous himself but the son of a wicked one." Is this so? Behold! It is written (Ex. 20, 5.) Visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children; and it is written (Deu. 24, 16.) Fathers shall not be put to death for the children, and we have asked the question as to the contradiction of these two passages, and answered; there is no difficulty. One passage refers to those who continue the [wicked] deeds of their parents, and the other passage refers to those who do not continue the [wicked] deeds of their parents. [Hence we see that a righteous man, even if the son of a wicked man does not suffer?] But we must say that He said thus to him: "A righteous one who prospers, is one who is perfectly righteous; a righteous one who suffers, is not a perfectly righteous one; a wicked one who prospers, is one not really wicked; a wicked one who suffers, is one grossly wicked." And this [saying of Rabbi Jochanan] differs from that of R. Meier, for R. Meier said: "Two requests were granted to Moses and one was not granted, for it is said (Ex. 33, 19.) And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, although he does not deserve it; And I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, although he does not deserve it." And He said: Thou, canst not see my face. (Ib.) R. Joshua b. Karcha said: "Thus said the Holy One, praised be He! unto Moses: 'When I was willing [to reveal myself] thou wast unwilling (didst hide thy face); now when thou art willing [to see me] I am not willing [to reveal myself ].' " And this differs from the opinion of R. Samuel b. Nachmeini who quoted R. Jonathan; for R. Samuel b. Nachmeini said in the name of Jonathan: "On account of three things Moses earned the merit of the following three things; viz., for And Moses hid his face, (Ib. 3, 6.) he earned the merit of A shining face; for He was afraid (Ib.) he earned the merit of, And they were afraid to come nigh unto him (Ib. 34, 30.); and for To look up to God (Ib. 3, 6.) he earned the merit of. And the similitude of the Lord doth he behold (Num. 12, 8)." [Hence it shows that he was rewarded for hiding his face and differing with R. Joshua B. Karcha]. And then I will remove my hand, and thou shalt see my back; but my face shall not be seen (Ex. 33, 23). R. Chama b. Bizua in the name of R. Simon the Pious said: "This means that the Holy One, praised be He! showed to Moses the knot of the Tephilin (Philacteries)."

He said I am the God of your father. This is as it is written, "A fool will believe anything...". "Peti" is the language of seduction (pituy) as it says, "when a man seduces" (yifteh). R. Yehoshua the Kohen b. Nehemiah said, When the Holy Blessed One revealed Himself to Moshe he was a prophetic novice. The Holy Blessed One said, If I reveal Myself to him in a great voice I will frighten him, with a small voice I will sour him on prophecy. What did He do? He revealed Himself to him with the voice of his father. Moshe said, "Here I am! What does father ask?" The Holy Blessed One said, "I am not your father, rather I am the God of your father. I came to you with seduction so that you would not be afraid."