Commentaire de citation sur Jérémie 31:3

Let me turn away and see. The matter of this turning away is to distance oneself from that place, because the more one distances oneself from that place, the better one’s eye can perceive it. Learn from the light of the sun: the closer one gets to that light, the less one is able to look at it, but when the sun is in the east or west, everyone looks at it due to the great distance. Similarly, Moses was unable to look at and contemplate the essence of this light that was in the bush because of its great intensity. So too, Jeremiah said: From afar the Lord appeared to me (Jeremiah 31:3), meaning but not from close by. We have also explained above in Parshat Vayera, regarding the verse And he saw the place from afar (Genesis 22:4). Therefore, he said, “Let me turn away from here” to distance himself from that place, because then I will see why the bush is not consumed.

And he saw the place from afar. But not from up close, because he saw the radiance of the Divine Presence of the Holy One, Blessed be He, who is called “the Place of the world,” specifically from afar — a physical sight, like looking at the sun, which a person can gaze at from afar but not from up close, because the sense of sight lacks the power to look at the sun when it is close to a person. This is all the more so regarding the brilliant radiance of His Divine Presence, may He be blessed. Similarly, Moses said, Let me turn aside now and see (Exodus 3:3) — Let me turn aside now means to distance himself from the holy place and not to be close to it, all so that he would be able to see. And so too Jeremiah said, The Lord appeared to me from afar (Jeremiah 31:3), implying but not from nearby.