VOLUME 109 NUMBER 9
Adar 1 21, 5784
March 1, 2024
PARSHAS KISISA
Candlelighting Time 5:33 PM
We know that Moshe was the supreme prophet in our nation. He descended from Mt. Sinai with the tablets upon which were inscribed the Ten Commandments and he conveyed to the entire nation the Oral Law which in great detail explains the Written Law, the Torah. There is a facet to this narrative which requires a depth of explanation. When he delivered the tablets to the nation, he shone with a brilliance that was supernatural. We shouldn’t mistakenly think that it was ‘simply’ a radiant light but rather it was countenance that belied a mien of an extreme celestial being. Those around him were awe-stricken and angst-ridden of approaching him. From where did this incredible development evolve from? The Midrash states that when he wrote the Torah, a small amount of ink remained in the quill and from that he acquired his appearance that was so striking. The Midrash leaves us with more questions than it answers!
Ohr HaChaim explains that Moshe was the humblest person ever to be. To describe him as self-effacing would not do justice. His entire being was fully subjugated to fulfill the will of Hashem. He didn’t utter a word, have a thought or make a movement if it wasn’t in order to create another dimension of Hashem’s presence in the world. We certainly do not have the capacity to realize such a being of genius quality that was connected to Hashem at every moment of his life. We know that when Miriam and Ahron discussed that Moshe did not live with his wife on the same terms as a regular husband wife situation and they felt it was inappropriate, Miriam was severely punished with tzora’as, leprosy. Hashem’s response was that Moshe is dissimilar to prophets even as great as Miriam and Ahron. He is always in a preparatory stance to receive prophecy at any given moment. Certainly, that surpasses any extent of prophecy by anyone mentioned in the Torah. Therefore, since Moshe exceedingly served Hashem, which was indicated by his excessive humility, Hashem bestowed upon him with inimitable consideration a visage disparate from any other individual before him or afterwards.
Beis Halevi understands this Midrash differently but perhaps the two approaches merge. Initially, the Ten Commandments were written on stone hewn by Hashem. The actual tablets contained the entire explanation of the Written Torah. Perhaps we can’t fathom that concept but it is mentioned by the Sages. When the nation received those tablets they were able to extract from them the information necessary to understand the Torah. After the calamity of the Golden Calf and Moshe broke the tablets, we received a new set that were different from the original. Although Hashem rewrote them, since the tablets were hewn by Moshe, that somewhat condescended the spirituality of the second set of Ten Commandments. Moshe had requested that the second set should be identical to the first but after the Golden Calf, the nation did not deserve such a prominent gift from Hashem. Therefore, the conveyance of Oral Law was through the direct teachings of Moshe to the people. They of course immersed themselves in the knowledge that was instructed but there is a limit to the capacity of the human mind. However, there was a gain that their engagement in the Oral Law transmuted their very essence to a very high level which previously they had not attained because their access to the Oral Law had been through the tablets not within their very core. Moshe did not lose his fundamental plateau of sanctity but retained the level of ascension that he had reached prior to the Gold Calf debacle. That is the metaphor of the Midrash that the remaining ink, an allusion to the Oral Law, was not written into the tablets but remained with Moshe. His proximity to Hashem was preserved and maintained. And of course, that connection to Hashem is only viable in one way, total devotion and commitment which are results of tremendous self-effacement.
A BYTE FOR SHABBOS
Hashem only visits upon the next generation the sins of the previous if they don’t rectify them. Therefore, it is incumbent upon each and every generation to cautiously avoid what was perhaps rampant in previous times in order to bolster their connection to Hashem.
GOOD SHABBOS
WE ARE APPROACHING THE MONTH OF ADAR 2 AND IT IS A TIME OF JOY AND HAPPINESS FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE. ALTHOUGH THERE IS STILL MUCH SUFFERING OCCURING IN ERETZ YISROEL, IT IS OUR FERVENT HOPE AND PRAYER THAT WITH OUR CONTINUING UNITY WHICH HAS SHOWN BRIGHT AND POSITIVE HASHEM WILL BRING US OUR SALVATION FROM THE HOSTILITIES THAT WE FACE TOGETHER.
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