Musar do Wyjścia 33:26

The twelfth: "Which You swore to our fathers" - there are people that are not proper, and the Holy One, blessed be He, has mercy on all of them. And they explained in the Gemara (Berakhot 7a), "and I will give grace to the one that I give grace" (Exodus 33:19) - "The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'This storehouse is for those that are not proper.'" There is a storehouse of those given grace that the Holy One, blessed be He, graces and gives them [as] a free present. As the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Behold, they have the merit of the fathers - I swore to the fathers. Therefore, even if they are not proper, they shall merit because they are from the seed of the fathers to whom I swore. Hence, I will lead them and guide them until they are refined."

The eighth principle is submission in [his] actions - such that one should be accustomed to [giving] a gentle response, as it is stated (Proverbs 15:1), "A gentle response allays wrath." For this is the way of lowliness, as it is stated (Isaiah 29:4), "And you shall speak from lower than the ground, your speech shall be humbler than the sod" - the opposite of that which is stated about a rich man who is proud: "The rich man’s answer is harsh" (Proverbs 18:23). And he should not be occupied with the beauty of clothing and jewelry, as it is stated (Exodus 33:5), "and now take off your finery." And it is stated about Ahab, (I Kings 21:27), "he fasted and lay in sackcloth and walked about subdued." And God, may He be blessed, said about this (I Kings 21:29), "Have you seen how Ahab has submitted?" And the matter of "walked about subdued," is the opposite of the way of kings, who walk with many soldiers and the din of a troop. And he should always lower his eyes, like the matter that is stated, (Job 22:29), "for He saves those who lower their eyes." And signs of submission - like a gentle response, a soft voice and lowered eyes - remind him to have a submissive heart.

In order to answer this difficulty Rabbi Avin quoted his second parable, i.e. a postscript, not an alternative explanation. Rabbi Avin goes on record in his first parable that even though the angels are recompensed for their service to G–d, this is not related to their having overcome an evil urge. The reason they receive a reward at all, says G–d, is כי אני ה', "I G–d am gracious," I do something over and beyond what anyone has the right to expect of Me. The nature of the reward received by the angels is spiritual, similar to the concept of שכר מצוה מצוה, that the reward for performing a מצוה is the continued ability to perform מצות (Avot 4,2). Israel, whose מצוה performance is the result of overcoming great handicaps, receives two kinds of reward.

Rabbi Yochanan concentrates on the other -Noach-like- aspect of serving G–d, i.e. waiting till one is inspired by G–d. He uses a metaphor describing input from above, i.e. the gaze of a shepherd on his flock. This always originates from a higher vantage point but is benevolent at the same time, much as when G–d said in Exodus 33,19: "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious." This means that the recipients did not have a claim on G–d's grace. The very fact that Rabbi Yochanan uses dumb animals as the subjects in his metaphor shows that he speaks of a lower class of spiritual motivation.

ויתאבלו ולא שתו איש עדיו עליו. The fact that the Israelites took off their jewelry while in morning teaches all of us that at a time when we contemplate our general conduct and examine our sins we should go into mourning, cry, sit on the ground, and in exchange for sackcloth remove costly garments, all in sorrow for having killed our soul through sin. Perhaps this will cause G–d to have pity on us.

והיה כל מבקש ה' יצא. The famous commentator Baal Haturim sees in these words a hint that in order to study Torah one must be willing to leave one's home and exile oneself. Another hint is the frequently recorded saying of our sages: צא ולמד, "leave and study!"

Another difficulty is the Torah saying: "Moses heard and fell on his face" (16,4). Sanhedrin 110, asks what it was precisely that Moses had heard, and Rabbi Samuel son of Nachmeyni says that he had heard that these people suspected him of committing adultery, since we read in Psalms 106,16: "ויקנאו למשה במחנה," which is interpreted by Rabbi Shmuel bar Vitzchak that each Jewish husband suspected Moses of a adultery with his wife, since the Torah had stated that "Moses took his tent and put it up outside the camp" (Exodus 33,7). The question arises that even granted the Jewish people were sinful, how could they have suspected Moses of adultery?! After all, Miriam had criticised Moses for not even living with his own wife, much less with other husbands' wives! What possible reason could these people have had to suspect Moses of something so patently absurd? Many commentators have written that this accusation is not to be taken at face value, but rather that the rebels denied the quality of Moses' prophetic insights, claiming that it was not, as stated, of a פנים אל פנים variety as described in Deut. 34,10, i.e. qualitatively superior to the prophetic powers of other prophets. The rebels claimed that these other angels by means of whom prophetic images are transmitted are known as "אישים," "men," meaning that they are the means by which humans receive intelligence from celestial sources. The recipient would then be described as אשת איש, "a married lady", much as a wife describes herself as such, seeing she is the "passive" part of her husband. Their intention then was to deny Moses his special relationship with G–d. It was this special relationship which Maimonides describes. In his Moreh Nevuchim he describes the people protesting Moses' arrogant behavior in claiming special status!

I fail to understand how Maimonides, i.e. the Talmud, wants to prove this from Psalms quoted earlier. The language employed there is one describing "jealousy!" This lends more credence to those who understand the accusation levelled against Moses as being meant literally! They were supposedly saying that the reason Moses appointed Aaron and his sons as Priests was to avoid being involved in the procedure of the מים המאררים that a wife suspected of infidelity has to drink, seeing the Priest was his blood relation, and as such unable to administer the procedure (compare Sotah legislation in Numbers chapter 5,11-end). The quarrel was directed at Aaron. This is why these men reasoned that there must be substance to the people's suspicions. One cannot argue that since Moses had taken his tent out of the camp, this occurred before Aaron ever began his function as a High Priest, seeing that Moses removed his tent on the morrow of the Day of Atonement, when the Tabernacle had not yet existed. It is a fact that as soon as Moses gave instructions to collect materials for the building of the Tabernacle and the weaving of the Priests' garments, he had also announced who was to wear those garments, i.e. Aaron and his sons. There were grounds then for the suspicions, and Moses removed his tent to silence these suspicions. This is what Rashi explains there. Now that a quarrel had surfaced these suspicions were voiced openly, and that is why Moses fell on his face when he "heard." This is how one has to explain the plain meaning of the verse.

We also have a statement by our sages explaining the two different introductions of the Psalms with ,לדוד מזמור or מזמור לדוד. In the former, the holy spirit came to David only after he had commenced to play the harp, whereas the words מזמור לדוד indicate that the holy spirit overcame David even before he commenced playing the harp (Pesachim 117). לדוד מזמור represented the highest spiritual achievement of man, seeing that he initiated his spiritual achievement. If man only responds to an "injection" of holy spirit the achievement is of a lower order. Malachi 3,7 exclaims: "Turn back to Me and I will turn back to you;" He asks Israel to initiate repentance. He urges us not to wait for G–d to initiate the Redemption since it would then be merely an act of love and mercy. When G–d says in Exodus 33,19 וחנותי את אשר אחון, ורחמתי את אשר ארחם, "I will be gracious to whom I choose, and I will be merciful to whoever I shall be merciful to," Shemot Rabbah 45,6 on this verse describes G–d as showing Moses all the rewards that he had stored up in His treasure chambers for the righteous. When Moses inquired who all these treasures were for, G–d answered that those people who possessed merit would receive some as a reward due them, whereas those who did not have any merits would receive a free gift from Him. Obviously, the amount of the handouts granted by G–d as unearned gifts is smaller than those gifts in store for the righteous.

Observe that the gifts that Israel received from the princes of the Gentile nations are testimony that they wanted us to receive the Torah. Thus, being in possession of the elixir of life, neither the angel of death nor the influences found in the סטרא אחרא could gain control over us at the critical moment when G–d revealed Himself. Once Israel sinned (during the episode of the golden calf), the Torah describes (Exodus 33,6) that they had to divest themselves of their jewellery which are only man's as a gift [not inalienable, such as an inheritance, but subject to being revoked. Ed]. The only thing that Israel retained from these gifts was called שבי. This is the meaning of Psalms 68,19: למרום עלית שבית שבי, לקחת מתנות באדם, "You ascended to the heights, having taken captives, having received tributes of men."

He continued by emphasizing ואראה את הארץ הטובה, "So that I may see the good land." I have already mentioned that there are many different levels of sanctity. Even though Moses thought that the lands of Sichon and Og were already part of the Holy Land, he was well aware that the West bank was of a higher level of sanctity than the East bank of the Jordan. Terrestrial ארץ ישראל is situated "opposite" ארץ ישראל של מעלה, Celestial Eretz Yisrael. The most holy part of terrestrial ארץ ישראל may be presumed to be "opposite" the holiest part of Celestial ארץ ישראל. Moses longed for the holiest part of ארץ ישראל למטה in order to be closest to the holiest part of ארץ ישראל למעלה. This is why he spoke of "the good Mountain, Lebanon," meaning the Temple Mount and site of the Holy of Holies on that Mount. He wished to be able to fulfill the commandments calling for one's presence in the Holy Land and, more specifically, in the Temple. When Moses continued (3,26) ויתעבר ה' בי למענכם, this means that G–d denied Moses' request precisely because granting it would result in the whole people being spiritually raised to a level even with Moses who had despised the angel. Israel was simply not worthy of such a level on its own merits. Only under Joshua, who enjoyed the assistance of the angel (Joshua 5,14) who introduced himself with the words "now I have come," could the conquest of the remainder of the land proceed. Moses had rejected that very angel in Exodus 33,15 as an inadequate level of Divine guidance. Moses therefore had to tell the people that his departure was due to their not meriting direct Divine guidance such they had enjoyed during his leadership. The scholars who specialize in רשומות, see in the respective first letters of the words גם בי התאנף ה' בגללכם an allusion to גרשוני מסתפח בנחלת ה' "G–d has expelled me from participating in His heritage."

The eighth principle is humility in deeds of repentance; he should conduct himself in a gentle manner. If a man has reviled him because of his previous deeds, let him be silent, or he should say, "I know that I have sinned." And he should not make lovely garments, and wear jewelry. As it is said, "Therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee" (Ex. 33:5). And his eyes should always be lowered, as it is said, "For the humble person He saveth" (Job 22:29). And the signs of humility are : a soft answer, a low voice and eyes bent downward. These are the things which make the heart humble.

There is a hint here that man should not be influenced when it appears to him that the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper. G–ds ways are just in all His paths and He dispenses true Justice. He is a true G–d, keeps faith, and there is no crookedness in His judgments. Moses requested from G–d that He should reveal to him how His paths work. (Exodus 33,13) G–d explained to him that when one observes that a צדיק enjoys the life on this earth, this is a sign that the צדיק in question is also the son of a צדיק. When one observes a צדיק experiencing afflictions, he is the son of a wicked person. When a wicked person enjoys the good life, this is because his father was righteous, whereas if the wicked person suffers hard times it is because his father before him was also wicked. The Kabbalists explain this answer of G–d in terms of גלגל הנשמות, transmigration of souls. The reincarnated soul is called “בן” without reference to the biological father-son relationship. Any soul inhabiting a body because it has to atone for sins of a previous life, is called the "son" of the person whose body it inhabited in that previous life.

We must assume that the Mishnah speaks about the hidden aspects of the Torah and describes four categories of people, Joshua, the elders, the prophets and the men of the Great Assembly entering the aforementioned פרדס in order to acquire these secrets of the Torah. These four categories of people were not all on the same spiritual level. The men of the Great Assembly did not match the groups mentioned before them. Moses, of course, towered above them all spiritually, and it was not appropriate to describe him as "entering" the orchard. He was at home there, as G–d had testified (Numbers 12,7), בכל ביתי נאמן הוא. When someone enters or leaves his own home one does not bother to mention it. His ability to enter and leave his home without suffering spiritual harm is taken for granted. Joshua entered the orchard and returned from it unharmed. This is alluded to in Exodus 33,11 when the Torah describes Joshua as never departing fom the "tent," i.e. the Tent of Testimony (home of Torah). Our sages described the face of Moses as like that of the sun, whereas the face of Joshua, by comparison, is described as like that of the moon. The former radiates its own light, whereas the latter only reflects light received from another source.

This subject matter is alluded to further in the paragraph (33,12) beginning with the words: "See, You have said to me: 'Lead this people forward, but You have not made known to me whom You will send with me.'" Why does the Torah begin this paragraph with the word ראה? Rashi comments that the word is to be understood as "concentrate your eyes and heart on your words." We still need to understand what exactly Moses was meant to concentrate on. Moses' statement that G–d had not informed him whom He would send with him is also difficult. The Torah had already mentioned in 33,2 that G–d would send along an angel who would expel the Canaanites, etc. Rashi uses the word לא הודעתני in verse 12 as meaning that Moses was not satisfied with the angel G–d had mentioned in 23,20 as accompanying the Jewish people on their journey. This seems a forced explanation. Another difficulty is the meaning of ידעתיך בשם וגם מצאת חן בעיני in our verse. Besides, what is the connection between the words: "for this is Your people" at the end of 33,13, and G–d's reply: "My Presence will go, and I will lighten your burden?" Why does Moses demur saying: "if Your Presence does not go" in 33,15, when G–d had already promised that His Presence would go with the people? The plural used for G–d's Presence in both instances, i.e. ילכו, and הולכים is also unusual! The cumbersome verse 16 ובמה יודע אפוא וגו' is also difficult.

First of all, the very premise that someone would assume the world to be G–d’s arena , i.e. limiting Him, is totally strange. Why would we need a verse from Scripture to refute such thinking? Secondly, why is there a need for two separate verses proving that the world is not G–d's place but vice versa (a further verse in Exodus 33,21 where G–d says to Moses: "Here, there is a מקום beside Me," in addition to the verse in Psalms 90,1)?

Moses did not need to be separated from the source of his visions by any window-pane, as it is said of him (Numbers 12,8): ותמונת ה' יביט, "He is able to behold a picture drawn by G–d." Daniel 8,2 on the other hand, described himself as seeing himself in Shushan, though in his vision he actually stood on the banks of the river Ulai. Hoseah 12,11 may have referred to the difference between these two kinds of prophetic visions when he said: ודברתי על הנביאים ואנכי חזון הרביתי, "And I (G–d), spoke to the prophets, having granted many visions." Surely the verse should have said עם הנביאים instead of על הנביאים if the meaning is that G–d spoke with or to other prophets. [Kittel brings a version which has the word אל instead of על (as in our texts). The author may have had such a version of the Bible since he dwells on the meaning of the word אל as opposed to על. Ed.] When you understand the meaning of the word אל, you will understand that we are dealing here with a type of prophecy which exceeds in clarity of vision all other types of prophecy and which is referred to in our literature as אספקלריא דנהרא, clear vision. This kind of prophecy was granted to none other than Moses, the father-figure for all subsequent prophets. The Torah (Numbers 12,8) says of him: "I speak to him mouth to mouth, etc." The very word חזון is a reminder of the expression הוגד לי חזות קשה, "a harsh prophecy has been revealed to me "(Isaiah 21,2). We also find this expression used in the type of prophecy Abraham received before he was circumcised, such as in Genesis 15,1.

He refers to this lack of confidence that G–d will have to listen to our prayers by stating that – as distinct from Joshua – who relied on his worthiness, we do not rely on our worthiness, לא על צדקותינו אנחנו מפילים תחנוניו לפניך, "we do not submit our pleas before You because we rely on our righteousness." Instead we rely only on G–d's grace since the Torah mentions (Exodus 33,19) that G–d reserves the right to show grace and mercy to those whom He chooses (even if they do not deserve it). I have already explained the string of expressions commencing with the repeated use of the word מה.

He refers to this lack of confidence that G–d will have to listen to our prayers by stating that – as distinct from Joshua – who relied on his worthiness, we do not rely on our worthiness, לא על צדקותינו אנחנו מפילים תחנוניו לפניך, "we do not submit our pleas before You because we rely on our righteousness." Instead we rely only on G–d's grace since the Torah mentions (Exodus 33,19) that G–d reserves the right to show grace and mercy to those whom He chooses (even if they do not deserve it). I have already explained the string of expressions commencing with the repeated use of the word מה.

By feeding all the animals in the ark for a full year, Noach himself had begun the process of repairing the damage done by Adam in the area of food. When Jacob prayed (Genesis 28,20) that G–d should give him "bread to eat and clothes to wear," he may well have referred to a world in which man would wear clothing made of light, and in which all the trees would bear fruit and their trunks would taste just as their fruit. Because Noach had commenced the process of repairing the damage to the production of food caused by Adam, he was given the right to improve his diet and that of mankind after him. He was allowed to include meat in his diet (Genesis 9,3). His son Shem, who had begun to repair the damage to the kind of clothing man was allowed to wear, merited that his descendants, Israel, when wearing ציציות on a four-cornered garment, could ignore the prohibition of mixing wool and linen. In other words, a linen garment may have ציציות made of wool. Ever since the dispute between Cain and Abel linen and wool symbolized their strife, hence the prohibition of mixing them. The people of Israel kept rising to higher spiritual levels until they qualified for food made in the heavens, i.e. the מן, Manna. The jewelry that the Jewish people wore from the time G–d revealed Himself until they forfeited it through participating in the sin of the golden calf, was symbolic of the כתנות אור Adam had worn before the sin (compare Exodus 33,5).

The Torah explains that it is impossible for man, while alive, to see G–d. This is why David described the death of the pious as being precious to G–d (Psalms 116,15). Having all this in mind the Torah had to spell out that even a High Priest such as Aaron could enter the Holy of Holies only on one day of the year, on the Day of Atonement. He had to be warned not to enter at will since he had to realize that even the sacred vestments were only made of materials comparable to the כתנות עור ובשר, materials of the physical world, not the כתנות אור worn by Adam prior to his sin. It is only the nature of the Day of Atonement and the forgiveness which G–d grants on that day which enables us to become comparable to angels on that day.