Moshe/0
Moshe – Overview
Please contact us if you would like to assist in its development.
Unique Traits
Prophetic Powers
See
Miracles
The concluding verses of Torah suggest that no other prophet compares to Moshe, not only in his prophetic prowess, but also in all of the signs and wonders he wrought. What, though, was so exceptional about Moshe's miracle-making? Did not other prophets perform similar feats?1 [See Moshe's Epitaph – Signs and Wonders and Miracles for full discussion.]
- Abundance – Ramban, Ralbag and Shadal assert that Moshe's miracles were unparalleled due to their sheer numbers, duration, and/or the area which they affected.
- Wide audience – R"Y Bekhor Shor and Rambam suggest, instead, that Moshe's wonders surpassed those of others because they were viewed by a wider audience. While most prophets performed miracles for individuals or a small portion of the nation, Moshe's were known to all of the Children of Israel as well as the surrounding nations
- Instantaneous – Abarbanel explains that in contrast to other prophets, Moshe could bring miracles without needing to first pray. Moshe's face to face connection enabled a direct hotline to Hashem and instantaneous implementation.
- Not unique – Seforno uniquely suggests that the verse is saying only that Moshe's prophetic powers were singular, but not that his miracle making was superior to others.
Wisdom
See
Standing up for JusticeSee
Possible Flaws
Misunderstanding Hashem
Commentators disagree as to whether it is legitimate to maintain that Moshe could have ever misunderstood Hashem. After all, if a prophet can make a mistake and misinterpret Hashem's words, how can he be trusted to correctly transmit Hashem's messages?
- Moshe could have misunderstood Hashem – Several sources assert that it is possible that, on occasion, Moshe erred in understanding Hashem's speech, causing him to question Hashem's actions:2
- Korach's rebellion – Both R. Chananel3 and Seforno suggest that Moshe misunderstood Hashem's statement "הִבָּדְלוּ מִתּוֹךְ הָעֵדָה הַזֹּאת וַאֲכַלֶּה אֹתָם" (Bemidbar 16:21) to mean that Hashem intended to wipe out the entire nation, when Hashem really was referring only to the congregation of Korach. This leads Moshe to question Hashem's seeming injustice in collectively punishing the innocent.4 See Dialogue with the Divine During Korach's Rebellion for discussion and additional sources.
- The spies – Seforno suggests that Moshe similarly misunderstood Hashem in the aftermath of the spies' report. When Hashem said, "אַכֶּנּוּ בַדֶּבֶר" (Bemidbar 14:12), he thought that Hashem planned to exterminate the nation all at once.5 Hashem, though, had really meant that he planned to destroy the nation slowly, over forty years in the Wilderness. It was this misunderstanding which led Moshe to question, "what will the nations say."
- Moshe could not have misunderstood Hashem – R. Mubashir HaLevi,6 and Ramban7 vehemently argue against the possibility that Moshe could err in understanding Hashem.8
Lack in Leadership
I. Administrative Shortcomings – Some exegetes suggest that Moshe exhibited certain weaknesses as an administrator, while others think that saying so borders on the blasphemous:
- Yitro's Advice (Shemot 18) – When Yitro sees the nation standing online to await Moshe's judgment, he suggests that Moshe delegate some of his responsibilities to lighten the load. Yitro's advice seems like such an obvious and simple solution that one cannot help but wonder: How could it be that Moshe, the greatest of all men and in possession of a direct line to Hashem, needed Yitro's help to figure this out?
II. Lack of initiative? Though many suggest that Moshe's sin at Mei Merivah in Bemidbar 20 related to the realm of man and God, others suggest that the problem was one of faulty leadership, specifically Moshe's lack of initiative.
- See, for instance, Minchah Belulah who asserts that in "fleeing" to the Tent of Meeting, Moshe betrayed a fear of the nation and an inability to act and rebuke them on his own.
- Others, though, see in this very same action a positive act. According to them, prophetic greatness lies in strict obedience to Hashem's word. A prophet should not act on his own, but must always consult with Hashem and follow Hashem's commands. For further discussion, see Prophetic Actions Without Explicit Divine Sanction.
III. Misunderstanding the nation? – Commentators raise the possibility that in certain instances there might have been a communication gap between Moshe and the people:
- Petition of the Two and a Half Tribes – In this story, Moshe initially responds negatively to the request to settle the eastern bank of the Jordan, chastising the tribes for leaving the burden of fighting to the rest of the nation (Bemidbar 32). Immediately thereafter, Reuven and Gad express their willingness not just to fight, but even to lead the nation in battle, whereupon Moshe agrees to their original demands. What leads to the about-face both on the part of the tribes and on the part of Moshe? Did the tribes change their stance only due to Moshe's condemnation, or had they always planned to take part in the Conquest? Might Moshe have misunderstood their intent?
- Moshe misjudges – Abarbanel maintains that Moshe misunderstood the tribes' request and wrongly assumed that they did not want to participate in the Canaanite campaign when they had meant to all along.9
- Moshe judges correctly – Akeidat Yitzchak, in contrast, justifies Moshe's angry reaction, opining that Moshe correctly read the tribes' petition and that it really was problematic both on the interpersonal level,10 and in relation to Hashem.11 In face of Moshe's anger, the tribes revise their proposition and only then does Moshe agree.
Sins
In several places in Torah, commentators question Moshe's behavior and suggest that he might have sinned, even if this is not explicit in the text:
I. Moshe's Killing of the Egyptian (Shemot 2) - Many laud Moshe for killing the Egyptian taskmaster and view him as championing the cause of justice. Others, though, question whether his response was not overly harsh and if Moshe was justified in taking the law into his own hands:
- Justified – The majority of commentators justify Moshe's actions by suggesting either that in killing the taskmaster Moshe was actively saving a life (Shemot Rabbah) or that the Egyptian was guilty of a capital crime, having committed adultery with the slain Hebrew's wife (Tanchuma). R. D"Z Hoffman, instead, argues that the trampling of human rights in Egypt was so massive that legal norms did not apply.
- Unjustified – Midrash Petirat Moshe finds Moshe's deed blameworthy and suggests that he was even punished as a result.12
- Unintentional – R. Saadia Gaon charts a middle ground, suggesting that Moshe's action was indeed problematic, but unintentional. He had meant only to harm the Egyptian, not to kill him.
II. Moshe at the Malon (Shemot 4) – Hashem's attempt to kill Moshe (or perhaps his son) during the incident at the inn implies that there had been some serious transgression. Yet, there is no explicit mention of any wrongdoing in the text. Moreover, attributing a crime to Moshe implies that Hashem had chosen an unworthy messenger! How, then, is the story to be understood? Is it a tale of sin and punishment or something else?
- Sinned in not circumcising his son – Many Tannaitic sources. working backwards from the circumcision at the story's conclusion, suggest that Moshe must have been lax in circumcising his son. While Yerushalmi Nedarim and Shemot Rabbah attempt to minimize Moshe's guilt by explaining that there was merely a slight delay due to the journey, R. Elazar HaModai tries to find a crime more befitting Hashem's harsh response, and proposes that Moshe has sealed a pact with Yitro that one of his sons would never be circumcised.
- Sinned in delaying his mission – Rashbam connects the sin to the larger context of the story and the national mission upon which Moshe was embarking. He suggests that Moshe sinned in bringing his family to Egypt as this caused him to tarry and delay the redemption of Israel.13
- Miscalculation – Ibn Ezra implies that Moshe did not so much sin as make an error in judgment. As bringing Moshe's family to Egypt might have demoralized the nation,14 Hashem told Moshe to circumcise his son enroute so as to ensure that the family remain behind.
- No sin – Ibn Kaspi goes further to suggest that Moshe did not err at all. Moshe's anxiety at having to confront Paroh and warn him of his son's impending death is what made Moshe gravely ill.
III. Moshe's Misstep and Mei Merivah (Bemidbar 20) – In this story Hashem explicitly punishes Moshe (and Aharon), telling them "לֹא הֶאֱמַנְתֶּם בִּי לְהַקְדִּישֵׁנִי לְעֵינֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל". It is not at all clear, however, what specific action constituted the sin, and why this error was so grievous that it resulted in the brothers being refused entry into the Land.
- Sin – Commentators mine almost every word of the text, raising numerous possible sins, including: lack of faith (Rashbam and Seforno),15 desecration of Hashem's name (R. Chananel, Rashi, R. Yosef Bekhor Shor),16 excessive anger (Rambam and Ibn Kaspi),17 and faulty leadership (Minchah Belulah).18
- No Sin – Ralbag and Abarbanel also raise the possibility that Moshe did not sin at all in this episode and that his being denied entry was either collective punishment for sins of the nation, or due to to previous misdeeds.
Errors in Judgment
Several commentators suggest that, at times, Moshe might have made errors in judgement:
- Mystery at the Malon – See Ibn Ezra's understanding of the story discussed above.
- Story of the Spies – See Abarbanel who suggests that the nation requested spies to determine the route of the conquest and which cities they should attack, but Moshe, on his own, added that they should also evaluate the strength of the people and the fortifications of the cities and the like. Though Moshe had good intentions, it was this further scrutiny that led to the spies' failure.19
Anger
Several commentators have faulted Moshe for unwarranted anger:
- Explicit cases – The Torah explicitly notes Moshe's wrath in three places:20 Shemot 16:20 (after the nation leaves over from the manna), Vayikra 10:16 (when Aharon's sons burn the goat of the sin-offering), and Bemidbar 31:14 (when the officers leave the women alive in the war with Midyan).
- 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 Sifra, Sifre Bemidbar, Bavli Pesachim, Vayikra Rabbah.
- However, Ralbag excuses such outbursts by saying that Moshe was so spiritual that he was angered even by what appeared to be slight deviations from Halakhah.21
- Non explicit cases – There are a number of additional cases where some commentators claim that Moshe's temper got the better of him:
- Moshe's Killing of the Egyptian – R" Y Bekhor Shor attributes Moshe's killing of the Egyptian taskmaster in Shemot 2 to his anger boiling over out of mercy for his brethren, rather than to a strict sense of law and order. [It is not clear, though, if he necessarily views this as a flaw.]
- Breaking the tablets – Ramban attributes Moshe's breaking of the tablets to a loss of control upon seeing the nation sin with the Calf. Moshe was so upset that he could not hold back22 and smashed the tablets.23
- Moshe and Mei Merivah – Rambam and Ibn Kaspi assert that Moshe's sin at Mei Merivah was his excessive anger, leading him to inappropriately refer to he nation as "rebels" and to defy God's instructions by hitting the rock (Bemidbar 20:10-11).24
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, and why Hashem would choose a disabled messenger to be His spokesman. See Moshe's Speech Impediment.
- Physical disability – According to Shemot Rabbah, R. Chananel and R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, Moshe's speech impediment was of a physical nature and involved difficulties in letter pronunciation or stuttering. The Ran
states that Hashem intentionally chose a leader who was not a charismatic speaker to insure that all would recognize that the miracles of the Exodus were brought about not by oratorical talents but rather by Hashem's will.25 - Non-physical disability – Rashbam deems it impossible that Hashem would elect to transmit the Torah through a stutterer, leading him to posit that Moshe's challenge was an inability to speak Egyptian well.26 Lekach Tov and Ralbag more simply suggest that Moshe was not a gifted orator and incapable of ordering his speech in a clear and organized manner. Ralbag explains that this was a result of Moshe's high spiritual level which led him to have difficulties in mundane dealings with humans.27
Religious Identity
Journey to Belief
At what age did Moshe recognize that he was an Israelite? Had he any connection to his Jewish roots while growing up?
- Ramban maintains that Moshe first found out that he was Israelite in later years, right before he went out to "see his brothers". This would suggest that he knew almost nothing about his nation or belief system when fleeing to Midyan.
- Ralbag, in contrast, suggests that
Intermarriage?
Was Moshe's Son Uncircumcised and Why?
- See the various approaches in Mystery at the Malon
Birth and Upbringing
Miraculous Birth?
Commentators divide in how they view Moshe's birth and early years, with some presenting every aspect of these as being filled with miracles and others seeing them in a more natural light.
- Yocheved's Age28 – Rashi, following Bavli Sotah, asserts that Yocheved bore Moshe at the advanced age of 130. Ibn Ezra disagrees, claiming that if there had been such a miracle the Torah would have shared it.29
- Premature Birth? Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan) and Rashi, noting that Yocheved hid Moshe for 3 months, assert that Moshe was born prematurely, after just six months of pregnancy. Ibn Ezra disagrees, pointing out that the Egyptians have no way of knowing when a woman conceives.
- "כִּי טוֹב הוּא" – While Bavli Sotah and Rashi claim that this phrase implies that the house was filled light or that Moshe was born circumcised, Rashbam and Ibn Ezra more simply claim that Yocheved saw that he was unblemished30 and handsome.
- "וַתִּשְׁלַח אֶת אֲמָתָהּ" – Bavli Sotah understands this phrase to mean that the arm of Paroh's daughter stretched to reach Baby Moshe, while Ibn Ezra explain that she sent a maidservant. The varying positions impact a second question - was Moshe's true identity a secret known only to the princess, or were others aware of it?
- "וַתִּרְאֵהוּ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד" – Rashi, following Bavli Sotah, understands the seemingly extraneous "וַתִּרְאֵהוּ" to mean that Paroh's daughter saw the Divine presence with Moshe. Ibn Ezra claims, instead, that the doubling is for clarification.
- "מֵינֶקֶת מִן הָעִבְרִיֹּת" – According to Bavli Sotah and Rashi, the princess asked for a Hebrew wet nurse because Moshe had refused all the Egyptian ones. A mouth that was to speak with God could not be sullied. Akeidat Yitzchak, instead, suggests that due to Paroh's decree, there were many Israelite mothers bereft of their children who were available to nurse others.
Palace Upbringing
Why might Hashem have orchestrated events so that Moshe would be brought up specifically in the palace of a king?
- Education – Philo and Ralbag point to the royal education received by Moshe, which provided him with both much knowledge and vital leadership skills.
- Self confidence – Both Ibn Ezra and Ralbag point out that by growing up in the palace, Moshe acquired a self-confidence31 that he would never have received had he been raised a slave.32
- Outsider status – Ibn Ezra further suggests that effective leadership requires that others fear and look up to you. Had the nation known Moshe from his youth, they would not be able to view him as their superior.
- Did not grow up in the palace
Connection to Biological Family
What did Moshe know of his biological family? Did his family maintain a relationship with him after he was adopted by the princess? These questions are related to a textual ambiguity. Shemot 2:10 states, "וַיִּגְדַּל הַיֶּלֶד וַתְּבִאֵהוּ לְבַת פַּרְעֹה וַיְהִי לָהּ לְבֵן". How old was Moshe when he "grew up" and moved to the palace?
- Moved after weaning – Shemot Rabbah suggests that the phrase "וַיִּגְדַּל הַיֶּלֶד" refers to Moshe's weaning and that Moshe moved to the palace at the age of two. If so, it is possible that Moshe did not really know his family. Shadal,33 however, asserts that Yocheved, visited her son from time to time, and that Moshe thus had a continued connection to his family.34
- Moved as a youth – Alternatively, though, one could suggest that "וַיִּגְדַּל הַיֶּלֶד" means that Moshe only left his home after he matured and was no longer a young boy. See R. Chama in Shemot Rabbah who suggests that Moshe was 12 when taken from his parents' home.
- Never moved – HaKorem uniquely suggests that Moshe actually never moved to live in the palace. According to him, the words "וַיְהִי לָהּ לְבֵן" refer to Yocheved, who requested of Paroh's daughter that she receive the boy as a son in place of her nursing fee. Alternatively, the phrase "וַיְהִי לָהּ לְבֵן" does refer to the princess, but might merely mean that she served as a "godmother" while Moshe lived in his real home.35