Moshe/0

Moshe – Overview

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Unique Traits

Prophetic Powers

Wisdom

Possible Flaws

Misunderstanding Hashem

Commentators disagree as to whether it is legitimate to maintain that Moshe could have ever misunderstood Hashem's instructions (for a parallel discussion regarding other prophets, see Prophecy):

• Moshe could have misunderstood Hashem – R. ChananelCited by Ramban Bemidbar 16:21About R. Chananel¹, SefornoBemidbar 14:12,13,20Bemidbar 16:22,24,26About R. Ovadyah Seforno.² See also Dialogue with the Divine During Korach's Rebellion for additional sources.
• Moshe could not have misunderstood Hashem – R. Mubashir HaLeviCritique of the Writings of R. Saadia Gaon (p. 109)About R. Mubashir HaLevi,³ RambanBemidbar 16:21About R. Moshe Nachmanides,⁴

Misunderstanding the Nation

• Moshe misunderstood the nation – R. Saadia GaonCommentary Shemot 30:11-15About R. Saadia Gaon (see Petition of the Tribes of Reuven and Gad), Toledot YitzchakBemidbar 1:1About R. Yitzchak Karo,
• Moshe did not misunderstand the nation –

Miscalculations

• Moshe could have made errors of judgment – see Murder Mystery at the Malon.
• Moshe did not make errors of judgment –

Sins

Anger

The Torah explicitly notes Moshe's wrath in three places: Shemot 16:20, Vayikra 10:16, and Bemidbar 31:14.

• Numerous Rabbinic sources criticize Moshe for this loss of control and say that Moshe's anger caused him to forget either the Halakhah or the need to convey it to the people – see SifraShemini 2:12About Sifra, SifreBemidbar 157About Sifre, Talmud Bavli Masekhet PesachimPesachim 66bAbout the Bavli, Vayikra Rabbah13:1About Vayikra Rabbah.
• However, RalbagVayikra 10:20Shemini Toelet 9About R. Levi b. Gershon excuses such outbursts by saying that Moshe was so spiritual that he was angered even by what appeared to be slight deviations from Halakhah.⁵

There are a number of additional cases where some commentators claim that Moshe's temper got the better of him - see discussions in Shemot 2, Shemot 32, Bemidbar 20, Bemidbar 32.

Administrative Shortcomings

Some exegetes suggest that Moshe exhibited certain weaknesses as an administrator. See Did Moshe Need Yitro's Advice for elaboration, and see analyses of Moshe's leadership in Bemidbar 11 and Bemidbar 20.

Speech Impediment

The three verses of Shemot 4:10, 6:12, and 6:30 describe Moshe's speech impediment using the terms of "כְבַד פֶּה וּכְבַד לָשׁוֹן" and "עֲרַל שְׂפָתָיִם‎". Exegetes debate whether or not this disability was of a physical nature - see Moshe's Speech Impediment.

Religious Identity

Was Moshe's Son Uncircumcised and Why?

• See the various approaches in Murder Mystery at the Malon

Marriage and Family Life

• See Moshe's Family Life.

¹ This interpretation is cited by Ramban who apparently obtained a copy of R. Chananel's commentary only upon his arrival in Israel. This passage is one of Ramban's Eretz Yisrael additions to his commentary. For further discussion, see Ramban's Updates, and specifically Ramban Bemidbar 16:21.

² For cases where commentators suggest that Moshe may not have fully understood Hashem's intentions, see RanDerashot HaRan 11About R. Nissim Gerondi who writes "וכונת כל אלו הדברים, היתה נעלמת מישראל, ואולי גם ממשה" (see A Three Day Journey and Reparations and Despoiling Egypt), R. Yosef AlboSefer HaIkkarim 4:25About R. Yosef Albo "והיו משה וכל ישראל תמהין מזה".

³ Cf. R. Mubashir's position regarding Zipporah's religious identity discussed in Moshe's Family Life.

⁴ Ramban's commentary on this verse was augmented significantly upon his arrival in Israel. For further discussion, see Ramban's Updates, and specifically Ramban Bemidbar 16:21.

⁵ This is consistent with Ralbag's explanations of Moshe's other flaws – see Did Moshe Need Yitro's Advice and Moshe's Speech Impediment.