Pemikiran Yahudi Mazmur 99:6: Akeidat Yitzchak & Derashot HaRan

Our conduct vis a vis G'd is based on the very same principles. Some people expect G'd to do their bidding, relying on their merit and presenting their claim to G'd. Once these merits have been exhausted, they appear before G'd pleading their case through prayer. Concerning these two groups of people, the Psalmist says "Moses and Aaron of His priests, and Samuel who called on His name,” meaning the former have deeds to their credit, the latter employed the venue of prayer. (Psalms 99,6) However, when the desired response to having employed the first two methods is not forthcoming, many of us resort to the third and unacceptable means of securing our demands. Kings, both of Yehudah and Israel, are prime examples of how the attempt to secure one's end by illegal means failed in the end after approximately five hundred years, during most of which G'd exercised almost inexhaustible patience. Despite our long exile, despite the fact that all the dire prophecies of the Torah and prophets have been fulfilled, Jeremiah holds out hope for the rejuvenation of his people and their eventual redemption. He stresses that the goodness of G'd will become evident especially to those who keep their faith in the coming of the saviour, providing such a person works actively for the coming of this redemption. "The Lord is good to those who trust in Him, when they seek Him out." (Lamentations 3,25) In this vein Jeremiah paints a picture of hope and confidence even amid the ruins in which he laments our lost glory. Similarly, Isaiah, when predicting doom, reinforces our hope of ultimate redemption with rousing visions of a rejuvenated G'd fearing Jewish nation. (chapter 40)

Verses 4-8 do not appear in the order in which one would have expected them. If we were to write this paragraph, we would write verses 5-7-6-8 in that order. The verse giving Moses' age at death immediately prior to the verse reporting Israel as mourning him, indicates that Moses died while in full possession of his youthful vigour. Therefore, the people concluded that Moses' departure from the scene was meant as a punishment for them, since they would henceforth be deprived of his leadership. We find a very similar description in Samuel II chapter thirty five, when the death of Avner is recorded. There too, the people felt that his death was a punishment for them. Our sages have expressed the idea on several occasions that Moses' departure was even a cause for "grief" in the celestial regions, since Moses could no longer be active on behalf of programs of Divine origin. The important factor for all who suffer a bereavement to keep in mind is, that the departed has joined the ranks of those enjoying eternal life. This is the reason we celebrate Simchat Torah on the day when Moses achieved that status. Completion of the Torah was the completion of Moses' lifework. (see chapter 82 re Moses' merit vis a vis other prophets)

G-d’s response to Moses, whose promise to Israel included a plea to G-d, now reveals the nature of the deliverance to take place. (6) The instructions to Moses had been -"you who had already been appointed as "elohim” Pharaoh, should have acted on your own initiative, by instructing Israel to proceed, instead of crying out to Me." You should have used your staff to bring about the means for such a crossing of the sea.