Chasidut su Deuteronomio 3:78
Kedushat Levi
Deuteronomy 3,23. “I pleaded with Hashem at that time, to say:” the word לאמור after we have been told that Moses pleaded with Hashem appears totally superfluous. Who else was this to be relayed to? In light of this, it appears that the correct interpretation of this verse is that prior to Moses’ praying to G’d on his own behalf he pleaded with Hashem to ensure that He was in a receptive mood for the prayer which would follow. This is also why the Torah added the words: בעת ההיא, “at that time,” to teach us that before that time Moses felt too ashamed to offer entreaty or prayer on his own behalf.
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Kedushat Levi
Deuteronomy 24:3, You have begun to show Your servant, etc,” According to Rashi’s commentary on Exodus 32,10 where G’d tried to forestall Moses’ prayer on behalf of his people, this had been an indication that basically G’d is very interested in our prayers. In light of Rashi’s comment there, why did Moses refer to “Your greatness, etc.; at this point?” The answer is that that by having said on that occasion “Leave Me be,” G’d had indicated that He normally longed for the prayers of the righteous, prayers which are capable of reversing potentially harmful decrees into beneficial ones. When Moses referred here to G’d having displayed that very greatness, the occasion had been his own readiness to pray and to reverse His decree. It was therefore appropriate now that he now do the same on his own behalf.
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Kedushat Levi
“You Who are unparalleled in heaven or on earth for the great and powerful deeds that You have performed.”
In order to understand what Moses refers to here it must be assumed that the tzaddikim, the righteous, are referred to in this line as G’d’s handiwork, מעשיך. The definition of a tzaddik is someone who is constantly in control of his awe of the Creator. Moses continues to describe even people who can act like the tzaddikim as being something so outstanding that such people do not have their equals anywhere, i.e. אשר יעשה כמעשיך.
In order to understand what Moses refers to here it must be assumed that the tzaddikim, the righteous, are referred to in this line as G’d’s handiwork, מעשיך. The definition of a tzaddik is someone who is constantly in control of his awe of the Creator. Moses continues to describe even people who can act like the tzaddikim as being something so outstanding that such people do not have their equals anywhere, i.e. אשר יעשה כמעשיך.
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Kedushat Levi
This is what G’d meant when He told Yaakov in his dream: כי לא אעזבך עד אשר עשיתי את אשר דברתי לך, “for I will not abandon you until I have done what I have said (I would do) for you.” What G’d meant was that as soon as Yaakov would return to the land of Israel, he would have to fend for himself, using the intelligence etc., that G’d had endowed him with. He implied that at that time he would have to accompany his activities with the appropriate prayers asking G’d to let his efforts be crowned with success. If he were to neglect to do so, he would not become the founding father of the twelve tribes making up the Jewish people. Seeing that you had not reached spiritual maturity until that time, I intervened overtly on your behalf during the preceding years.
When we look at Yaakov’s situation from this angle, it is neither fear nor lack of faith when Yaakov says אם יהיה אלוקים עמדי וגו', “if G’d will be with me etc.” It is a declaration by Yaakov that as soon as he will safely return to his homeland he is prepared to do everything humanly possible, including prayer, of course, to ensure his success in the task that G’d has set him. He indicates by promising to tithe his income he will continue to view his success as an act of charity by G’d. Although he will do what is in his power, he will view success as G’d manifesting His love for him. Tzaddikim, even when earning their livelihood by their own efforts, will continue to view their success as not due to their own intelligence or hard work, but as a gift from G’d. The matriarchs, whose success is not measured in terms of their earning power, but in terms of the fruit of their wombs, therefore were meant to turn to G’d in prayer in order for what other women considered as their natural right, i.e. to produce children, to be granted to them also.
Perhaps this is how we must understand Bereshit Rabbah 76,2 on Genesis 45,28 according to which any assurance given by G’d to tzaddikim does not refer to events that would occur in this life. On Deuteronomy 3,23 Rashi comments that although the righteous, if they wanted to, could ascribe any success that they enjoyed in this life as due to merits they had accumulated, they prefer not to do so. When they ask G’d for something, they make a point as describing G’d’s granting their request as a מתנת חנם, a “free gift.” These explanations were needed, as seeing that we have a tradition that G’d does not even go back on a conditional promise, how could the Midrash say that no promises of G’d apply in this world. The meaning of the words: כי לא אעזבך עד וגו', therefore must mean that there comes a time in Yaakov’s life when he is expected to no longer have to rely on G’d’s promises.
When we look at Yaakov’s situation from this angle, it is neither fear nor lack of faith when Yaakov says אם יהיה אלוקים עמדי וגו', “if G’d will be with me etc.” It is a declaration by Yaakov that as soon as he will safely return to his homeland he is prepared to do everything humanly possible, including prayer, of course, to ensure his success in the task that G’d has set him. He indicates by promising to tithe his income he will continue to view his success as an act of charity by G’d. Although he will do what is in his power, he will view success as G’d manifesting His love for him. Tzaddikim, even when earning their livelihood by their own efforts, will continue to view their success as not due to their own intelligence or hard work, but as a gift from G’d. The matriarchs, whose success is not measured in terms of their earning power, but in terms of the fruit of their wombs, therefore were meant to turn to G’d in prayer in order for what other women considered as their natural right, i.e. to produce children, to be granted to them also.
Perhaps this is how we must understand Bereshit Rabbah 76,2 on Genesis 45,28 according to which any assurance given by G’d to tzaddikim does not refer to events that would occur in this life. On Deuteronomy 3,23 Rashi comments that although the righteous, if they wanted to, could ascribe any success that they enjoyed in this life as due to merits they had accumulated, they prefer not to do so. When they ask G’d for something, they make a point as describing G’d’s granting their request as a מתנת חנם, a “free gift.” These explanations were needed, as seeing that we have a tradition that G’d does not even go back on a conditional promise, how could the Midrash say that no promises of G’d apply in this world. The meaning of the words: כי לא אעזבך עד וגו', therefore must mean that there comes a time in Yaakov’s life when he is expected to no longer have to rely on G’d’s promises.
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Kedushat Levi
A different approach to the verses commencing with אהיה אשר אהיה. What follows is based on the common perception that the name of G’d (tetragram) known as הויה, refers to His activity in the present, whereas the name אהיה suggests G’d’s being active in the future, as we know from Sotah 14 where the Talmud quotes Deuteronomy 3,25 in which Moses pleads to be allowed to cross the Jordan before his death. The Talmud there examines what prompted Moses to be so anxious to cross the Jordan, and concludes that Moses was concerned to perform commandments of the Torah that are only capable of fulfillment when on the soil of the Holy Land.
From this we learn that the Jewish people while in Egypt had acquired only the potential merit of performing these commandments, a merit which could not be fully acquired until after their arrival in the Holy Land. G’d explains this to Moses when He tells him in verse 12 that once He will let Moses take the people out of Egypt, this is preparatory to their serving the Lord i.e. בהוציאך את העם ממצרים תעבדו את האלוקים. He thus links the people’s serving G’d to Moses’ taking them out of Egypt and (presumably) bringing them to the Holy Land where they will be able to claim the credit for fulfilling the Torah. Actually, it had been G’d’s desire to bring the people to the Holy Land in order that they could “cash” His I.O.U. there by performing the commandments. Seeing that the capacity of the Jewish people to understand such lofty ideals was limited by their present sorry condition, G’d first stressed the physical qualities of the land of Israel, comparing it favourably with the land of Egypt which has been described in Genesis as “like a garden planted by G’d.” (Genesis 13,11) By describing the land of Israel as a land flowing with milk and honey, a land in which rain falls regularly, without farmers having to bring water for irrigation to their fields, G’d had to arouse the people’s desire to leave a land which was as excellent for its owners as Egypt.
[We know that even after the Egyptians had been drowned in the sea the Israelites wanted to return there and take over that land, rather than to march through the desert to a land they did not know. (Compare Exodus 15,22, ויסע משה את ישראל “Moses forced Israel to journey forward.”)] Once the Israelites would reach their destination they would appreciate that life in the land of Israel involved much more than their bodies being “elevated;” their spiritual horizons would be broadened due to their performing the commandments applicable only in that land. This is the reason why in verse 13 in our chapter G’d stresses the fact that the patriarchs had lived in that land, i.e. the fact that they lived in that land had enabled them to become the founding fathers of this holy nation. This is why in connection with the patriarchs we find the name of G’d, i.e. הויה, present tense, whereas in respect to their descendants, at this stage G’d has to speak of His name as something primarily still in the future, אהיה.
From this we learn that the Jewish people while in Egypt had acquired only the potential merit of performing these commandments, a merit which could not be fully acquired until after their arrival in the Holy Land. G’d explains this to Moses when He tells him in verse 12 that once He will let Moses take the people out of Egypt, this is preparatory to their serving the Lord i.e. בהוציאך את העם ממצרים תעבדו את האלוקים. He thus links the people’s serving G’d to Moses’ taking them out of Egypt and (presumably) bringing them to the Holy Land where they will be able to claim the credit for fulfilling the Torah. Actually, it had been G’d’s desire to bring the people to the Holy Land in order that they could “cash” His I.O.U. there by performing the commandments. Seeing that the capacity of the Jewish people to understand such lofty ideals was limited by their present sorry condition, G’d first stressed the physical qualities of the land of Israel, comparing it favourably with the land of Egypt which has been described in Genesis as “like a garden planted by G’d.” (Genesis 13,11) By describing the land of Israel as a land flowing with milk and honey, a land in which rain falls regularly, without farmers having to bring water for irrigation to their fields, G’d had to arouse the people’s desire to leave a land which was as excellent for its owners as Egypt.
[We know that even after the Egyptians had been drowned in the sea the Israelites wanted to return there and take over that land, rather than to march through the desert to a land they did not know. (Compare Exodus 15,22, ויסע משה את ישראל “Moses forced Israel to journey forward.”)] Once the Israelites would reach their destination they would appreciate that life in the land of Israel involved much more than their bodies being “elevated;” their spiritual horizons would be broadened due to their performing the commandments applicable only in that land. This is the reason why in verse 13 in our chapter G’d stresses the fact that the patriarchs had lived in that land, i.e. the fact that they lived in that land had enabled them to become the founding fathers of this holy nation. This is why in connection with the patriarchs we find the name of G’d, i.e. הויה, present tense, whereas in respect to their descendants, at this stage G’d has to speak of His name as something primarily still in the future, אהיה.
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