Еврейская мысль к Йеошуа 10:14

Maimonides, in his "guide for the perplexed 32, section two, states, that though a man may have acquired both the moral and physical qualifications necessary to become a prophet, this does not mean that he will in fact become a prophet. Baruch ben Neriah, illustrious disciple of the prophet Jeremiah is a case in point. (Jeremiah 45,5) He was told that this did not reflect on him personally, but rather on the fact that his contemporaries had not been found worthy to have a prophet in their midst. Our sages tell us that Hillel had twenty students, each of whom possessed all the qualifications necessary to receive the gift of prophecy; however, the time was not propitious for the dissemination of that gift to their fellow men. (Baba Batra 13) The likelihood of a person who lacks the personal qualifications demanded of a prophet to attain that stature, is as great as that of frogs turning into prophets. Our sages (Berachot 7) explain that Moses prayed to G'd to make the gift of prophecy exclusive to the Jewish people. (Exodus 33,16) They infer that this was the meaning of Moses' request, from the answer given "also the thing you have said, I will do." This proves that the request for the Jewish people to have the distinction of the gift of prophecy, had been granted. Even though this might appear as an unfair advantage for the Jewish people, at first glance, the fact is that G'd knew that none of the other nations was inherently able to produce the kind of personality which would qualify for the gift of prophecy. Just as even the most enlightened horse will never be a philosopher, so a gentile would never make a true prophet. What a gentile could achieve however, was the ability, aided by consultation of horoscopes coupled with close observation of the laws of nature, to foretell certain events, as has been discussed in chapter twenty six. Having said all this, it is difficult to understand the sages in our Midrash who claim that Bileam was a prophet, and that G'd had matched the gift granted the Jews by giving similar powers to Bileam. Also the well known interpretation of the verse "there never arose in Israel another prophet such as Moses." (Deut. 34,10) We are told that the words "in Israel," mean that among the gentiles there was another such prophet, namely Bileam. Avot 5, describes Bileam and his students as being possessed of the "evil eye", hardly the inspirational characteristic one expects of a prophet. The Talmud in Sanhedrin 105 states, that the verse in which Bileam describes himself as "of the eye that is opened" (Numbers 24,3) refers to the fact that he had only one eye with which to see. If so, how is it that a person of such visible deformity became a prophet? In chapter fifty six we explained that the term "prophet" when applied to gentiles normally applies to astrologers and the like, people who are considered by their countrymen as seers, though they are not prophets in the true sense of the word. Also, the seers referred to in Isaiah 47,13, had their power supply cut off when the tabernacle was erected, and G'd established a new order. When our sages employ the term "prophet" in reference to gentiles, it is just like when they use the term "king" for the lion or the ox, describing them as the leaders of their respective species. Proverbs 6,7 or 30,27 supports the view that animals have leaders just as humans have. The word "prophet" then is merely an umbrella term. Our sages have been careful never to use the term "prophet" for a gentile without pointing out that it is a gentile who is being discussed. The reason the Torah has devoted an entire portion to the doings of Bileam, is precisely in order to show us why the gentiles had no further prophets. If Bileam represented the finest among the gentiles, one can imagine what other gentile prophets might have been like. The human qualities that are such essential ingredients in the prophet's makeup, were so sadly missing. Whenever Moses and Aaron performed miracles, they were certain beforehand that their efforts would be crowned with success, since G'd had communicated the miracle to be performed. Especially close was Moses' relationship with G'd, as the Torah testifies (Deut. 34,11) "G'ds intimacy with him was of a face to face nature." On the other hand, such prophets as Samuel or Elijah were almost always in need of a prayer before they could perform a miracle that they had set their minds to perform. Samuel in particular typifies that kind of prophet as we find in Mitzpah (Samuel I 7,5-13) as well as on numerous other occasions. If Psalm 99, describes Moses and Aaron as G'ds priests, and Samuel as someone who "called upon His name, that describes the difference between them. The former was a priest around the clock, so to speak, whereas the latter needed to call on G'd from time to time to await the time and place acceptable to G'd. They did not know beforehand whether G'ds response to their calls would be positive. Samuel, as the leading prototype of that group of prophets, possessed a great amount of confidence. This is why the Psalmist says of him "whenever he called.. G'd would answer." Other prophets such as Elijah or Isaiah were often not free of doubt if their prayers would be answered immediately. Moses, on the other hand, did not only not entertain any doubt, but had been instructed beforehand to perform each miracle. That is why he was able to point out to Korach and Datan and Aviram, when the latter accused him of being power hungry, that he had not ever acted from his own initiative. (Numbers 16,28). The few instances when Moses prayed for specific solutions to such problems as the bitter waters at Marah, when he was taught to use a certain variety of wood to sweeten the water, or when he prayed concerning the exact time the frogs were to be removed from Egypt, had no direct relationship to the miracles performed. For this reason, these instances were preceded by prayer.

The author now proceeds to explain the thirteen attributes in the traditional way, including their use by G-d with the earlier generations, i.e. ever since Abraham until the time of the exile in Egypt, since Egypt up to that point, and their use in the future. The first use of the four lettered name expresses the essence of G-d as the Creator, the only existence prior to and subsequent to the existence of the universe. From this, the Rabbis in Berachot 60, deduce that this name is the source of mercy since He is the father of all creatures, and we ask Him to "have mercy such as a father has on his children." Psalms 103, 13, mentions that G-d "exercises mercy on all those who revere Him." It was this attribute of G-d that Abraham proclaimed in his time to his contemporaries. Whenever we read in the Torah "He proclaimed in the name of the Lord," (using the four lettered name) this is the message that Abraham conveyed to his listeners. It was this attribute that G-d used in His dealings with Abraham, except on the occasion of the akeydah, when He commanded him to offer up his son. On that occasion, G-d employed the attribute of elokim. The second time the four lettered name is used in the thirteen attributes, it reflects the ongoing supervision of history as well as individual fates that G-d employs. Also, the fact that He relates to His creatures either with pleasure or displeasure, according to their deeds. This is why we find on occasion a combination of the four lettered name with the name elokim .(Deut. 3,24) By using the four lettered name, He excercises mercy on the sinner when the latter repents. Since no man is totally free from sin, our sages in Rosh Hashanah 17, express this in the words "I, the four lettered attribute, am the same before the sin as I am after man sinned and repented." In the words of David, "G-d has mercy on those who revere Him, since He knows our urges, our inner psyche." (Psalms 103, 13) The message then is that although man has sinned, G-d does not necessarily change His attitude to such a person. This is also the meaning of Samuel II 12, 13 "G-d has removed your sin from you." G-d employed this attribute with Isaac when the latter was lying bound on the altar. In the blessing that Isaac bestowed on Jacob, he used both attributes, to teach his sons that G-d employs both attributes in His dealings with man. The third attribute "keyl,” is an attribute denoting strength, such as when we read about eyle ha-aretz, (Kings II 24, 15); it also represents a form of the attribute of mercy, as we read "the Lord your G-d is an eyl of mercy." The same meaning is used in Psalms 22,2, "my eyl my eyl, why have You forsaken me?" This term is employed when G-d needs to employ the attribute of mercy in order to suppress the attribute of justice that seems to be called for. It would be used either to assist those who have not sinned, or those who have sinned and repented. This was the attribute G-d used with Jacob on a regular basis. G-d also used it when He blessed Jacob. (Genesis 31, 13) "I am the eyl of Beyt El, or (Genesis 33,20) "He called Him the keyl, Lord of Israel." The fourth attribute, that of rachum, merciful, is used when a person or group of people have expressed incomplete repentance. This attribute was employed in Egypt, when the Jews had not completely repented their former way of life. When David describes G-d as having extended this kind of mercy to the Jewish people who had erred so frequently, this was also before they had repented fully. (Psalms 106,46) When G-d responded to the first outcry of the Jewish people in Egypt, and the Torah states "G-d knew," that refers to the loving kindness implied in mercy. (Targum Exodus 2,25) We find that meaning of "He knew" also, in Ruth 2, 1, and other places. The fifth attribute, chanun, gracious, is used by G-d on people who have nothing to commend them. Our sages say that G-d showed Moses three treasures. Moses asked "why do You need three treasures?" G-d replied "one is for those who study Torah and perform the commandments. The second is for those who perform deeds of loving kindness. The third is for those who perform neither the one nor the other, to whom however, I wish to give an undeserved gift." This is the meaning of "I shall be gracious to whomsoever I shall be gracious to." (Midrash Rabbah Song of Songs 45) The Midrash in Parshat Va-etchanan says that "righteous people, though they may possess all kinds of merits, ask G-d for free gifts." This attribute was employed by G-d when the Jews were promised great wealth upon leaving Egypt. G-d had said "I will give the grace of these people in the eyes of Egypt." (Exodus 3, 21) Again, in chapter 12, 36, we read "and G-d had given the grace of the people in the eyes of the Egyptians, and they lent to them." In the Haggadah of Passover, in the paragraph known as dayeynu, we thank G-d for all the favours He had performed for us, seeing that they were totally undeserved. The sixth attribute is erech apayim, long delayed anger, and refers to G-d’s relationship with unrepentant sinners suffering from heavy burdens of sins. If G-d were to treat them according to the principle of justice, their punishment would result in their utter destruction. G-d therefore exacts the punishment only a little at a time, even when He does employ a measure of the attribute of justice. He hopes that in this way, such sinners may eventually repent the sins they have committed. The reason the word apayim appears in the plural, is that it may refer both to tzaddikim and wicked people. (Baba Kama 50) Both have errors to account for. Or, it may refer to both reward and punishment, the former sometimes being parcelled out sparingly, so that it may be saved up for the world to come. This attribute was employed in dealing with Pharaoh as well as with Israel, whenever either acted rebelliously in Egypt, at the sea, or in the desert. An expression of G-d using this attribute can be found in His exclamation "how long will this nation refuse to obey My commandments!" ((Exodus 16, 28) The seventh attribute is rav chessed, favouring kind deeds, allowing them to be weighty. This concerns the treatment of people whose merits and demerits are in balance, and who require a tipping of the scales in their favour. This can be accomplished by weighing down the merits which would raise the demerit side, or vice versa. (Rosh Hashanah 17) The logic is discussed in Midrash shocher tov on Psalms 62. Rabbi Nehoray is quoted as saying that since wickedness is sterile by definition, does not produce growth by itself, whereas goodness is dynamic, productive by definition, the latter when in balance with the former, will eventually outweigh the former. The eighth attribute, emet, truth ,refers to the truthfulness and reliability of fulfilling promises made. We read in Chabakuk 2,3, "if He tarries, wait for HIM, He will surely come, He will not be late." The Talmud Berachot 7, states that a promise of something good, even if given conditionally has never been withdrawn, as we know from Moses. One must realise, however, that this is based on the assumption that the recipient of such a promise has not meanwhile forfeited it through a change in his own behaviour. Proof can be found in Jeremiah 19. See also the discussion on this in chapter thirteen of this volume. G-d employed this attribute at the time the Torah was given to Israel, making good promises He had given to the ancestors and Moses. The ninth attribute is "He preserves His kindness to thousands of generations." Just as the children of the wealthy, if not enterprising themselves, would starve or die were it not for their parental inheritance, so man, if devoid of the accumulated merits of his forefathers, would not have any spiritual capital to draw on, and would quickly forfeit his claim to continued existence. David expresses this thought in Psalms 17, 14 "they will have lots of children and leave their abundance to their offspring." This attribute needed to be employed during the episode of the golden calf, when the attribute of "slow to anger" did not suffice, and Moses proceeded to invoke the merits of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Immediately he had done so, we read "G-d reconsidered." This is beautifully illustrated in Shemot Rabbah 44. "Moses asked G-d for permission to speak, which permission was granted. He said that if the Jewish people had violated the first half of YOUR commandment, will YOU violate the second half also?" Moses referred to the "you must not have any other deities," which had been violated by the Jewish people. He asked G-d "will You now violate Your commandment of "doing kindness for thousands of generations" (in the same commandment)? The tenth, eleventh and twelfth attributes "nosseh avon, va- fesha, ve-chata-ah," i.e. commuting various types of sins to levels that deserve less severe punishment, is usually understood as follows. avon is the sin committed deliberately, pesha is the sin that is committed to show one's rebellion against G-d’s legislation, whereas chata-ah is a sin committed unintentionally. During the episode of the golden calf, all three kinds of sin were committed. At any rate, G-d did not employ these attributes to forgive, merely to delay the punishment due for those sins, i.e. nosse, "carries." The punishment was meted out at another place at another time. It is important therefore to recite these sins in the proper order at the time one confesses them, i.e. vidduy. Accordingly, the plain meaning is that G-d tolerates not only deliberate sins, but even sins representing rebellion against Him. Naturally, He tolerates unintentional sin. The Midrash says that if repentance is forthcoming, the first two categories will be considered as if they had been like the third category, i.e. inadvertent. In other words, He raises them to the level of mere chet. This is the translation of Yonatan ben Uzziel in Chabakuk on the word al shigegotay, for my unintentional sins. However, in the Shulchan Aruch (Tur Or Hachayim 621), the ruling is that the confession is to be recited in the reverse order, commencing with the chet, the most minor category of sin, and to proceed progressively to the most major, the most serious. Each group of sin requires an additional attribute to save the sinner from the total consequences of each misdemeanour. Moses employed these attributes after the sin of the spies, when he said "as You have elevated the sins of the people ever since they came out of Egypt until now." (Numbers 14, 19) (7) The thirteenth attribute, venakkeh lo yenakkeh, He will consider innocent and yet not consider innocent. In our prayers, we separate the expression by a comma. There are serious doubts if that is the correct interpretation, however. We feel that there should not be a comma, that the whole expression is a single attribute, which is used in conjunction with any of the attributes ten, eleven or twelve. It means that G-d tolerates certain sins from time to time, without granting total forgiveness, since true pardon cannot take place without simultaneous repentance. Baba Kama 50, states that he who claims that G-d overlooks things, (ignores a sin completely) will cause his own life to be ignored. Psalms 25,8,states that "G-d is good and straightforward," meaning that He teaches the ways of repentance to sinners even after they have sinned. The explanation of how one can reconcile the apparent contradiction in "He visits the sins of the parents on the children," with the fact that G-d then not only punishes the perpetrators of the sins but also succeeding generations, lies in the delayed nature of the punishment. G-d waits until the fourth generation for actions that would give Him a reason to diminish the original punishment due the one who had perpetrated the sin. Therefore, this attribute is also one of mercy. This is why Moses mentions it at the time of the crisis with the spies. He asks: "are You going to kill this whole nation simultaneously, at once?" He continues "and now, let the power of G-d be great," (Numbers 14, 17) invoking this attribute revealed to him at Mount Sinai. Accordingly, we find G-d responding "I have forgiven according to your words." This means that by the time the land of Israel will have been entered, the punishment will have been exacted. The children suffered part of the punishment, having to wander in the desert for forty years. As the Torah states "and they will have to bear your harlotry." (Numbers 14,33) This means that the children will have to suffer the infidelity of the parents' generation. Concerning the question if the attribute of "visiting the sins on the children" is a "good" attribute or a "negative" attribute, there is a dispute between Nachmanides and Ibn Ezra. The author tends to agree with the view of the Tosephta in Sotah chapter 4, seeing that it is being contrasted with the attribute of extending the reward for up to two thousand generations. If one considers this a "good" attribute, then it is number thirteen, and the nakkeh ve-lo yenakkeh prior to it, must be understood merely as an adjective applicable to attributes ten, eleven and twelve, respectively. This cocludes the thirteen attributes which reveal the manner in which G-d relates to man in His dealings with him. At the time of this revelation, the "who elevates sins to a lesser level" had to be invoked to insure survival of the people after the golden calf. (8) Why then did Moses suddenly switch to the name of Adon, when he said to G-d "if I have found favour in Your eyes my Master, (adonay ) please walk in our midst" This is a name for G-d not mentioned in this whole Parshah! The sages of the Kabbalah teach us that this is the name which is the gateway to G-d, as we read in the shirat hayam the Jewish people offered as thanksgiving after having crossed the sea and seeing that the Egyptians had been drowned. "The temple of my Master, (adonay ) Your hands have firmly established." (Exodus 15, 17) The portal to the presence of G-d, the shechinah on earth, is via this appellation of G-d. This is why we preface the central prayer, the amidah with the words "my Master, please open my lips!" All supplicants enter via this name, this description of G-d. Sometimes the euphemism kol, all, is employed to describe G-d. This is to indicate that all is to be found within Him, that nothing is lacking. When Moses was told about the angel that would guide Israel towards the holy land in Parshat Mishpatim, the Torah says of that angel "for My name is within him," and the reference is to that name adon, the name by which he is nearest to us, easiest to be reached by the worshipper. So, when Moses prayed concerning his own personal plea to be allowed to enter the holy land in Parshat Va-etchanan, he also uses that name. "My Master, O Lord, You have begun to show Your servant ..." (Deut. 3,24.) Daniel in chapter nine, also uses that name on several occasions. It would appear that by using that appellation, forgiveness can be obtained, as proven from the quote in Daniel and also Psalms 86,3, and 15. After this new found knowledge, Moses asks G-d for His personal Providence, using the proper channels that had been revealed to him. He underlines the fact that the Jewish people are "a stiffnecked people," saying that because of this nosse avon, elevating their sin to a less serious level is not enough, that they require a complete pardon. An indication that Moses refers to this pardon is found in the request "forgive our sins, (of rebellion) our intentional sins, and let us take possession of Your inheritance." (34,9) The emphasis on this inheritance implies total and unconditional survival while in possession of the original promise of the land of Canaan. It was at this point that Moses had realised that the original angel was G-d Himself, in His function as elokim, attribute of justice. He realised that when G-d had said in Mishpatim 23,21, "be careful of this angel, listen to his voice, do not rebel against him, for he will not elevate your sins to a lesser degree of seriousness for My name is within him," that G-d had meant to tell him to be careful not to upset this method of Personal guidance by G-d, the attribute of not only elevating sin but the capacity to grant forgiveness. For this reason, during the episode of the sin of the spies, Moses said "let the power of the four lettered name be great," meaning "restore that kind of hashgachah to us!" If Moses says at the same time "and elevate the sin of this nation as You have done thus far," when he appears to refer only to G-d’s "weaker" attribute, he has in mind only the older generation of the Jewish people. For the younger generation he pleads for total forgiveness. G-d responds therefore by saying "I have forgiven, in accordance with your own words (request)." Moses’s further request, namely that G-d go with them, was because he wanted visible evidence that G-d had indeed forgiven them. This would be demonstrated by "Your walking with us." (33, 16) We find something similar when Abraham prayed for Sodom. When G-d responds that if fifty righteous people are found, He would save the town, the term "I will elevate" is used to describe suspension of judgment. G-d Himself appears as the four lettered name. He had not said "I will not do anything, but ve-nassati. When Abraham presses further, in the case of the forty five people, he omits reference to "will You not at least elevate," but simply asks "are You going to destroy?" At that point, G-d reassures Abraham without qualification "I will not do it." It is significant that Abraham had switched to the use of the adnut term for addressing G-d. In other words, Abraham wanted forgiveness not mere suspension of the penalty. G-d responded positively. When finally, at the end of the conversation, G-d departs from Abraham, the Torah describes the departure as the departure of the four lettered name, i.e. the attribute of mercy departing. This means that under the prevailing condition, the weaker attribute of mercy could no longer fulfil any function. Exodus Rabbah 32, quotes G-d as having said when He announced the appointment of the angel in Parshat Mishpatim "He who looked after the fathers, is now looking after the children." Similarly, Abraham had reassured Eliezer on his mission to Padan Aarm, that the G-d who had looked after him would also look out for Eliezer. (Genesis 24, 7) Further examples are quoted to show that all the authors of the various Midrashim are agreed in their understanding of the function of the angel mentioned in Parshat Mishpatim. (9) The "covenant" mentioned in 34, 10 was, that an appeal to the thirteen attributes of G-d now revealed to Moses would not remain unanswered. "I will perform miracles," as you Moses have asked. The Talmud Berachot 7, states that this implies that other nations will not have prophets to assist them. There are also many hints in this verse that future miracles that would be performed by men such as Joshua, who could arrest the orbits of the sun and the moon, would have the origin of their power in this authority granted Moses as a result of his prayer. See details in chapter thirteen. (10) Just as the name anee, I is used sometimes as a euphemism, kinnuy for "G-d," so G-d reassures Moses here that the same personal supervision that the Jewish people enjoyed prior to the sin of the golden calf, (the angel of Mishpatim) will be active in accomplishing the expulsion of the seven tribes residing in the land of Canaan. To make sure that this point is understood, we have a review here of the same duties that had already been spelled out in Parshat Mishpatim when we first encounter the angel. This is also why the paragraph ends with the injunction "do not make a cast image, a deity," as if to say "what is done is done, the episode has come to an end." The additional legislation of the peter rechem, the laws about the first born, relates to the new situation created after the firstborn had failed in their normal duties at the sin of the golden calf. The redemption of such firstborn is now required in lieu of their appearance in front of G-d performing their duties. (Zevachim 115) (11) We are told by this legislation that although the situation had returned to normal, they were not exactly as they had been, when after the sacrificial rites had been performed, the atzilim could have visions of G-d, or at least His entourage. Now they no longer possessed the power to behold even the rays of light emanating from the face of Moses. Numbers Rabbah 11, illustrates this point. "Behold the power of sin! As long as Israel had not sinned, the shechinah, though described as being "like a consuming fire," did not bother or frighten the people. As soon as they had committed the sin of the golden calf however, they were frightened even of Moses’s appearance. The "rays of glory" are the wisdom. This is true in even greater measure of a person who has communicated with G-d in a "face to face" manner. Solomon says already in Kohelet 8, 1, "a person's wisdom lights up his face." The Talmud Baba Batra 75, describes the face of Moses as resembling the face of the sun.