Difference between revisions of "Moshe/0"
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(Original Author: Rabbi Hillel Novetsky) |
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<h1>Moshe – Overview</h1> | <h1>Moshe – Overview</h1> | ||
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| − | + | <category>Unique Traits | |
| − | + | <subcategory>Prophetic Powers | |
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</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
| − | + | <subcategory>Miracles | |
| − | <subcategory | + | <p class="nonintro">See <a href="Moshe's Epitaph – Signs and Wonders" data-aht="page">Moshe's Epitaph – Signs and Wonders</a>.</p> |
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</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
| − | + | <subcategory>Wisdom | |
| − | <subcategory | + | <p class="nonintro">See</p> |
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</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
| − | + | <category>Possible Flaws | |
| − | <category | + | <subcategory>Misunderstanding Hashem |
| − | <subcategory | + | <p class="nonintro">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 <a href="Philosophy:Prophecy" data-aht="page">Prophecy</a>):</p><ul> |
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<li>Moshe could have misunderstood Hashem – <multilink><a href="RambanBemidbar16-21" data-aht="source">R. Chananel</a><a href="RambanBemidbar16-21" data-aht="source">Cited by Ramban Bemidbar 16:21</a><a href="R. Chananel b. Chushiel" data-aht="parshan">About R. Chananel b. Chushiel</a></multilink><fn>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 <a href="Commentators:Ramban's Updates" data-aht="page">Ramban's Updates</a>, and specifically <a href="Commentators:Ramban's Updates/Bemidbar#BEM16-21" data-aht="page">Ramban Bemidbar 16:21</a>.</fn>, <multilink><a href="SefornoBemidbar14-12" data-aht="source">Seforno</a><a href="SefornoBemidbar14-12" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 14:12,13,20</a><a href="SefornoBemidbar16-22" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 16:22,24,26</a><a href="R. Ovadyah Seforno" data-aht="parshan">About R. Ovadyah Seforno</a></multilink>.<fn>For cases where commentators suggest that Moshe may not have fully understood Hashem's intentions, see <multilink><a href="Ran11" data-aht="source">Ran</a><a href="Ran11" data-aht="source">Derashot HaRan 11</a><a href="R. Nissim Gerondi (Ran)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Nissim Gerondi</a></multilink> who writes "וכונת כל אלו הדברים, היתה נעלמת מישראל, ואולי גם ממשה" (see <a href="A Three Day Journey" data-aht="page">A Three Day Journey</a> and <a href="Reparations and Despoiling Egypt" data-aht="page">Reparations and Despoiling Egypt</a>), <multilink><a href="HaIkkarim4-25" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Albo</a><a href="HaIkkarim4-25" data-aht="source">Sefer HaIkkarim 4:25</a><a href="R. Yosef Albo" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Albo</a></multilink> "והיו משה וכל ישראל תמהין מזה".</fn> See also <a href="Dialogue with the Divine During Korach's Rebellion" data-aht="page">Dialogue with the Divine During Korach's Rebellion</a> for additional sources.</li> | <li>Moshe could have misunderstood Hashem – <multilink><a href="RambanBemidbar16-21" data-aht="source">R. Chananel</a><a href="RambanBemidbar16-21" data-aht="source">Cited by Ramban Bemidbar 16:21</a><a href="R. Chananel b. Chushiel" data-aht="parshan">About R. Chananel b. Chushiel</a></multilink><fn>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 <a href="Commentators:Ramban's Updates" data-aht="page">Ramban's Updates</a>, and specifically <a href="Commentators:Ramban's Updates/Bemidbar#BEM16-21" data-aht="page">Ramban Bemidbar 16:21</a>.</fn>, <multilink><a href="SefornoBemidbar14-12" data-aht="source">Seforno</a><a href="SefornoBemidbar14-12" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 14:12,13,20</a><a href="SefornoBemidbar16-22" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 16:22,24,26</a><a href="R. Ovadyah Seforno" data-aht="parshan">About R. Ovadyah Seforno</a></multilink>.<fn>For cases where commentators suggest that Moshe may not have fully understood Hashem's intentions, see <multilink><a href="Ran11" data-aht="source">Ran</a><a href="Ran11" data-aht="source">Derashot HaRan 11</a><a href="R. Nissim Gerondi (Ran)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Nissim Gerondi</a></multilink> who writes "וכונת כל אלו הדברים, היתה נעלמת מישראל, ואולי גם ממשה" (see <a href="A Three Day Journey" data-aht="page">A Three Day Journey</a> and <a href="Reparations and Despoiling Egypt" data-aht="page">Reparations and Despoiling Egypt</a>), <multilink><a href="HaIkkarim4-25" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Albo</a><a href="HaIkkarim4-25" data-aht="source">Sefer HaIkkarim 4:25</a><a href="R. Yosef Albo" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Albo</a></multilink> "והיו משה וכל ישראל תמהין מזה".</fn> See also <a href="Dialogue with the Divine During Korach's Rebellion" data-aht="page">Dialogue with the Divine During Korach's Rebellion</a> for additional sources.</li> | ||
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| − | + | <subcategory>Misunderstanding the Nation | |
| − | <subcategory | + | <p class="nonintro">Commentators disagree as to whether this happened:</p><ul> |
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<li>Moshe misunderstood the nation – <multilink><a href="RasagCommentaryShemot30-11" data-aht="source">R. Saadia Gaon</a><a href="RasagCommentaryShemot30-11" data-aht="source">Commentary Shemot 30:11-15</a><a href="R. Saadia Gaon" data-aht="parshan">About R. Saadia Gaon</a></multilink> (see Petition of the Tribes of Reuven and Gad), <multilink><a href="ToledotYitzchakBemidbar1-1" data-aht="source">Toledot Yitzchak</a><a href="ToledotYitzchakBemidbar1-1" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 1:1</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Karo (Toledot Yitzchak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yitzchak Karo</a></multilink>, </li> | <li>Moshe misunderstood the nation – <multilink><a href="RasagCommentaryShemot30-11" data-aht="source">R. Saadia Gaon</a><a href="RasagCommentaryShemot30-11" data-aht="source">Commentary Shemot 30:11-15</a><a href="R. Saadia Gaon" data-aht="parshan">About R. Saadia Gaon</a></multilink> (see Petition of the Tribes of Reuven and Gad), <multilink><a href="ToledotYitzchakBemidbar1-1" data-aht="source">Toledot Yitzchak</a><a href="ToledotYitzchakBemidbar1-1" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 1:1</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Karo (Toledot Yitzchak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yitzchak Karo</a></multilink>, </li> | ||
| − | <li>Moshe did not misunderstand the nation – </li> | + | <li>Moshe did not misunderstand the nation – </li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
| − | + | <subcategory>Miscalculations | |
| − | <subcategory | + | <p class="nonintro">Commentators disagree as to whether this happened:</p><ul> |
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<li>Moshe could have made errors of judgment – see <a href="Mystery at the Malon" data-aht="page">Mystery at the Malon</a>.</li> | <li>Moshe could have made errors of judgment – see <a href="Mystery at the Malon" data-aht="page">Mystery at the Malon</a>.</li> | ||
| − | <li>Moshe did not make errors of judgment – </li> | + | <li>Moshe did not make errors of judgment – </li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
| − | + | <subcategory>Sins | |
| − | <subcategory | + | <p class="nonintro">See <a href="Moshe's Misstep and Mei Merivah" data-aht="page">Moshe's Misstep and Mei Merivah</a>.</p> |
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</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
| − | + | <subcategory>Anger | |
| − | <subcategory | + | <p class="nonintro">The Torah explicitly notes Moshe's wrath in three places: <a href="Shemot16-20" data-aht="source">Shemot 16:20</a>, <a href="Vayikra10-16" data-aht="source">Vayikra 10:16</a>, and <a href="Bemidbar31-14" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 31:14</a>.</p> |
| − | + | <ul> | |
| − | + | <li>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 <multilink><a href="SifraShemini2-12" data-aht="source">Sifra</a><a href="SifraShemini2-12" data-aht="source">Shemini 2:12</a><a href="Sifra" data-aht="parshan">About Sifra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="SifreBemidbar157" data-aht="source">Sifre Bemidbar</a><a href="SifreBemidbar157" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 157</a><a href="Sifre Bemidbar" data-aht="parshan">About Sifre Bemidbar</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="BavliPesachim66b" data-aht="source">Bavli Pesachim</a><a href="BavliPesachim66b" data-aht="source">Pesachim 66b</a><a href="Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="VayikraRabbah13-1" data-aht="source">Vayikra Rabbah</a><a href="VayikraRabbah13-1" data-aht="source">13:1</a><a href="Vayikra Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Vayikra Rabbah</a></multilink>.</li> | |
| − | + | <li>However, <multilink><a href="RalbagSheminiT9" data-aht="source">Ralbag</a><a href="RalbagVayikra10-20" data-aht="source">Vayikra 10:20</a><a href="RalbagSheminiT9" data-aht="source">Shemini Toelet 9</a><a href="R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Levi b. Gershom</a></multilink> excuses such outbursts by saying that Moshe was so spiritual that he was angered even by what appeared to be slight deviations from Halakhah.<fn>This is consistent with Ralbag's explanations of Moshe's other flaws – see <a href="Did Moshe Need Yitro's Advice" data-aht="page">Did Moshe Need Yitro's Advice</a> and <a href="Moshe's Speech Impediment" data-aht="page">Moshe's Speech Impediment</a>.</fn></li> | |
| − | + | </ul> | |
| − | + | <p class="nonintro">There are a number of additional cases where some commentators claim that Moshe's temper got the better of him - see discussions in <a href="Moshe's Killing of the Egyptian" data-aht="page">Shemot 2</a>, Shemot 32, Bemidbar 20, Bemidbar 32.</p> | |
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</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
| − | + | <subcategory>Administrative Shortcomings | |
| − | <subcategory | + | <p class="nonintro">Some exegetes suggest that Moshe exhibited certain weaknesses as an administrator. See <a href="Did Moshe Need Yitro's Advice" data-aht="page">Did Moshe Need Yitro's Advice</a> for elaboration, and see analyses of Moshe's leadership in <a href="$">Bemidbar 11</a> and <a href="Moshe's Misstep and Mei Merivah" data-aht="page">Moshe's Misstep and Mei Merivah</a>.</p> |
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</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
| − | + | <subcategory>Speech Impediment | |
| − | <subcategory | + | <p class="nonintro">The three verses of <a href="Shemot4-10" data-aht="source">Shemot 4:10</a>, <a href="Shemot6-12" data-aht="source">6:12</a>, and <a href="Shemot6-30" data-aht="source">6:30</a> 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 <a href="Moshe's Speech Impediment" data-aht="page">Moshe's Speech Impediment</a>.</p> |
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| − | + | <category>Religious Identity | |
| − | <category | + | <subcategory name="Son's Circumcision"> |
| − | <subcategory name="Son's Circumcision">Was Moshe's Son Uncircumcised and Why? | + | Was Moshe's Son Uncircumcised and Why? |
| − | + | <ul> | |
<li>See the various approaches in <a href="Mystery at the Malon" data-aht="page">Mystery at the Malon</a></li> | <li>See the various approaches in <a href="Mystery at the Malon" data-aht="page">Mystery at the Malon</a></li> | ||
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| − | + | <category>Marriage and Family Life | |
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<li>See <a href="Moshe's Family Life" data-aht="page">Moshe's Family Life</a>.</li> | <li>See <a href="Moshe's Family Life" data-aht="page">Moshe's Family Life</a>.</li> | ||
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Version as of 04:20, 17 February 2017
Moshe – Overview
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Unique Traits
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. Chananel1, Seforno.2 See also Dialogue with the Divine During Korach's Rebellion for additional sources.
- Moshe could not have misunderstood Hashem – R. Mubashir HaLevi,3 Ramban,4
Misunderstanding the Nation
Commentators disagree as to whether this happened:
- Moshe misunderstood the nation – R. Saadia Gaon (see Petition of the Tribes of Reuven and Gad), Toledot Yitzchak,
- Moshe did not misunderstand the nation –
Miscalculations
Commentators disagree as to whether this happened:
- Moshe could have made errors of judgment – see 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 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.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 Moshe's Misstep and Mei Merivah.
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 Mystery at the Malon
Marriage and Family Life
- See Moshe's Family Life.
