לִרְא֤וֹת ׀ בְּט֘וֹבַ֤ת בְּחִירֶ֗יךָ לִ֭שְׂמֹחַ בְּשִׂמְחַ֣ת גּוֹיֶ֑ךָ לְ֝הִתְהַלֵּ֗ל עִם־נַחֲלָתֶֽךָ׃
upang makita ko ang kabutihang tinatamasa ng Iyong mga hinirang, upang makapagsaya ako sa kagalakan ng Iyong bansa, upang makapagmalaki ako kasama ng Iyong mana.
Mekhilta DeRabbi Shimon Ben Yochai
And Moses was tending... in the midst of a flame of fire from within the thorn bush. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai asks: Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, reveal Himself from the heavens and speak to Moses from within the thorn bush? What is so special about this thorn bush, which is more formidable than all the trees in the world, such that any bird that enters it does not emerge from it in peace, but rather is cut to pieces? Similarly, the servitude in Egypt was harsher before God than any other servitude in the world. No slave or maidservant ever went free from Egypt, except for Hagar, as it is said (Genesis 12:20): "And Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they sent him away, him and his wife and all that he had."
Another interpretation of "from within the thorn bush": Rabbi Joshua says: Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, reveal Himself from the heavens and speak to Moses from within the thorn bush? Whenever Israel is in distress, it is as if He Himself is in distress, as it is said (Isaiah 63:9): "In all their affliction, He was afflicted." And it says (Psalms 91:15): "I am with him in distress." And it says (Zechariah 2:12): "For whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye." The scripture likens this to anyone who harms Israel is, so to speak, harming the One who spoke and brought the world into being. Thus, Rabbi Joshua says: Come and see the extent of God's compassion and merits for Israel. When they descended to Egypt, the Divine Presence went with them, as it is said (Genesis 46:4): "I will go down with you to Egypt." When they ascended, the Divine Presence ascended with them, as it is said (ibid): "And I will also surely bring you up again." When they went down to the sea, the Divine Presence was with them, as it is said (Exodus 14:19): "And the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved." When they came to the desert, the Divine Presence was with them, as it is said (Deuteronomy 1:31): "In the wilderness, where you saw how the Lord your God carried you." When they were in distress, as it were, He was with them in distress, as it is said "from within the thorn bush." When they were at ease, He was with them in comfort, as it is said (Psalms 106:5): "That I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, that I may glory with Your inheritance."
Another interpretation of "from within the thorn bush": Rabbi Yosi says: Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, reveal Himself from the heavens and speak to Moses from within the thorn bush? Because it is pure, and the nations of the world do not make it into an idol.
Another interpretation of "from within the thorn bush": A certain non-Jew asked Rabban Gamaliel: "Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, reveal Himself to Moses from within the thorn bush?" He replied: "Had He revealed Himself upon a single carob or fig tree, you would have said that there is a place on earth devoid of the Divine Presence. Now that He revealed Himself upon a thorn bush, it teaches you that there is no place on earth devoid of the Divine Presence."
Another interpretation of "from within the thorn bush": Rabbi Yosi says: Why "from within the thorn bush"? Just as with a thorn bush, if a person inserts his hand into it, he is not harmed because its thorns point downward. But if he wishes to withdraw his hand, the thorns grasp it. Similarly, when the Israelites descended to Egypt, the Egyptians welcomed them, as it is said (Genesis 47:6): "The land of Egypt is before you; in the best of the land make your father and brothers to dwell." But when they wished to leave, the Egyptians held them back, as it is said (Exodus 5:2): "I will not let Israel go."
Rabbi Eliezer says: Moses saw a great miracle from within the thorn bush: he saw the bush burning yet not consumed by the fire. If you are astonished by this, consider Aaron's staff, which was dry wood, yet it produced almonds and blossoms.
Another interpretation of why "from within the thorn bush": Rabbi Elazar ben Arach says: Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, reveal Himself from the heavens and speak to Moses from within the thorn bush? Although God could have spoken from the tops of mountains or the heights of the world or the cedars of Lebanon, He humbled Himself and spoke from a lowly thorn bush. Regarding this, Solomon said (Proverbs 29:23): "A man's pride shall bring him low, but he who is of a humble spirit shall obtain honor." You will not find any tree more humble than the thorn bush. And it also says (Psalms 138:6): "For though the Lord is high, He regards the lowly."
Another interpretation of "from within the thorn bush": Rabbi Joshua says: Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, reveal Himself from the heavens and speak to Moses from within the thorn bush? Whenever Israel is in distress, it is as if He Himself is in distress, as it is said (Isaiah 63:9): "In all their affliction, He was afflicted." And it says (Psalms 91:15): "I am with him in distress." And it says (Zechariah 2:12): "For whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye." The scripture likens this to anyone who harms Israel is, so to speak, harming the One who spoke and brought the world into being. Thus, Rabbi Joshua says: Come and see the extent of God's compassion and merits for Israel. When they descended to Egypt, the Divine Presence went with them, as it is said (Genesis 46:4): "I will go down with you to Egypt." When they ascended, the Divine Presence ascended with them, as it is said (ibid): "And I will also surely bring you up again." When they went down to the sea, the Divine Presence was with them, as it is said (Exodus 14:19): "And the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved." When they came to the desert, the Divine Presence was with them, as it is said (Deuteronomy 1:31): "In the wilderness, where you saw how the Lord your God carried you." When they were in distress, as it were, He was with them in distress, as it is said "from within the thorn bush." When they were at ease, He was with them in comfort, as it is said (Psalms 106:5): "That I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, that I may glory with Your inheritance."
Another interpretation of "from within the thorn bush": Rabbi Yosi says: Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, reveal Himself from the heavens and speak to Moses from within the thorn bush? Because it is pure, and the nations of the world do not make it into an idol.
Another interpretation of "from within the thorn bush": A certain non-Jew asked Rabban Gamaliel: "Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, reveal Himself to Moses from within the thorn bush?" He replied: "Had He revealed Himself upon a single carob or fig tree, you would have said that there is a place on earth devoid of the Divine Presence. Now that He revealed Himself upon a thorn bush, it teaches you that there is no place on earth devoid of the Divine Presence."
Another interpretation of "from within the thorn bush": Rabbi Yosi says: Why "from within the thorn bush"? Just as with a thorn bush, if a person inserts his hand into it, he is not harmed because its thorns point downward. But if he wishes to withdraw his hand, the thorns grasp it. Similarly, when the Israelites descended to Egypt, the Egyptians welcomed them, as it is said (Genesis 47:6): "The land of Egypt is before you; in the best of the land make your father and brothers to dwell." But when they wished to leave, the Egyptians held them back, as it is said (Exodus 5:2): "I will not let Israel go."
Rabbi Eliezer says: Moses saw a great miracle from within the thorn bush: he saw the bush burning yet not consumed by the fire. If you are astonished by this, consider Aaron's staff, which was dry wood, yet it produced almonds and blossoms.
Another interpretation of why "from within the thorn bush": Rabbi Elazar ben Arach says: Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, reveal Himself from the heavens and speak to Moses from within the thorn bush? Although God could have spoken from the tops of mountains or the heights of the world or the cedars of Lebanon, He humbled Himself and spoke from a lowly thorn bush. Regarding this, Solomon said (Proverbs 29:23): "A man's pride shall bring him low, but he who is of a humble spirit shall obtain honor." You will not find any tree more humble than the thorn bush. And it also says (Psalms 138:6): "For though the Lord is high, He regards the lowly."