• MF

  Miami, Florida -10 years ago

  Awesome
  Thank you soooo much, Tizke L"mitvot, Priceless,
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

• J

  Janet -11 years ago

  Moses and the rock
  Rereading this essay now, I see that the text does, indeed, state that the people in the desert did not only bemoan their fate but question aloud why Mose had led them out of Eygypt, only to thirst in the desert.  This was the second generation, not just the first.  So when you spoke of this newer generation not hungering to go back to Eygpt,it seems a bit inaccurate.

  Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

• EL

  Ephraim Levine -11 years ago

  changing reality
  
  
  
  I enjoyed this essay very much and in fact delivered it as a sermon in my shul – so thank you firstly.
  
  
  How do you reconcile the view below that Moshe was unable to adapt to the changing reality and the fact that each leader since Moshe has an ispashtusa d’Moshe? If he was unable to lead the Jews into Israel because of his apparent fault how can he inspire leaders in future generations and how can he be go’el acharon?
  
  
  Looking forward to hearing from you.
  
  
  With best wishes and thanks for all your excellent essays that you send.
  
  
  Ephraim Levine.
  
  
  Watford, UK
  
  
  

  Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • A

    Anonymous -11 years ago

    Re: changing reality
    

    
    This brings out the quality of Moshe that he was a true leader, connected to his people under all costs. As the Midrash says, that G-d told him that he could enter into Israel but it is unfair for him to leave his people in the desert while he would enter.

    
    

    
     

    
    

    
    He did not adjust himself to the new reality, because he was the ultimate leader who wanted to remain connected to his people for eternity. (See Sichas 10 Shevat 5714 (1954)).

    
    

    
     

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

• MC

  Martin Cury -12 years ago

  Reason for being left behind
  While your explanation is sound and full of wisdom, I would like to add a different slant.  Until now Moshe did everything HaShem commanded to the letter. So, why did he not do so this time?  I believe it is because Moses got genuinely angry as opposed to pretend anger.  With real anger we lose the Shechinah and since a vacuum is always filled, the impure side takes over.  In Moshe's case he forgot what HaShem commanded and remembered what he did the first time.  Sin always waits at the door for an opportunity to manifest.  Moshe's anger was manifest by the words he used at the rock. He never invoked HaShem's name or intimated that the miracle was coming from HaShem - not Moshe.  This again is the result of anger.  So, there were at least two sins.  1) striking the rock and 2) not alluding to the people that it was HaShem who provides for them.
  
  Moshe was human after all and was destined to be left behind with the older generation just as you so eloquently described above.  The water was provided to the people anyway as a result of HaShem's mercy and love for His people.  Maybe, it was HaShem's plan for all this to happen this way anyway.  Moshe stayed with his generation and we learn great lessons from this incident.

  Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • S

    Shmueli -12 years ago

    Re: Reason for being left behind
    According to the great commentary, Rashi, Moshe did not forget what Hashem commanded, rather he spoke to the rock. However, it was the WRONG rock. Upon consulting with Aharon, they thought perhaps the water did not come forth because they need to strike the rock as previously done. When they went back to hit the rock, this time they had the right rock, and water came forth only because of Moshe's greatness. And such a great Tzaddik is held accountable for even an honest mistake.

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • J

    joe -11 years ago

    Re: Reason for being left behind
    "Moshe was human"...      he was a G-dly man...   human yes, but dont forget the
    
    G-dly part..  it hurts ones own view of the world when we humanize Moshe more than necessary

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

• R

  Richard -12 years ago

  Pushing in line
  To think the Moses had to take on all that responablitiy pretty much on his own.This is why we pray for our forefathers, we know you always had a listen to speak of Torah and you did what was best for us thank you.

  Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

Yossi Paltiel

• January 11, 2011
• |
• 6 Sh'vat 5771
• |
• 315 views

Related Classes

• 

  1 hr 11 min

  Chassidus: Torah Ohr Beshalach Az Yashir #1

  I Have Two Needs -- Attachment & Authenticity

  Some Souls Only Live When Their "I" Is invisible

• 

  1 hr 13 min

  Chassidus: Torah Ohr Beshalach Az Yashir #2

  I Can't Be Me If I Am Not You

  The Spiritual Origin of Attachment Theory

• 

  1 hr 32 min

  Chassidus: Torah Ohr Beshalach Az Yashir #3

  How Do We Listen to the Same Song 1000 Times?

  When the Ultimate Essence Emerges, Attachment and Individuation Can Fuse

• 

  1 hr 26 min

  Chassidus: Torah Ohr Beshalach Az Yashir #4

  Learning From Animals How to Shake Off Trauma

  I Can Deal with Pain, Not with the Stories Around the Pain

• 

  1 hr 30 min

  Chassidus: Torah Ohr Beshalach Az Yashir #5

  Transcending Language Allows for Healing

  Dissolving into Oneness Is Life or Death? Depends Who You Are

• 

  44 min

  Chassidus: Torah Or Beshalach Vayaar Yisroel #1

  Fear Before Faith?

  Pharaoh Can Handle G-d as Universal Energy, but Not God’s Infinite Essence

• 

  Chassidus: Torah Or Beshalach Vayaar Yisroel #2

  Why Are Celebrities Depressed?

  Do You Know How to Allow Someone Into Your Mind?

• 

  46 min

  Chassidus: Torah Ohr Beshalach Vayaar Yisroel #3

  Why Are Many Scientists Arrogant?

  All Fields of Secular Knowledge Try to Understand the "Yesh;" Torah Tries to Understand the "Ayin"

• 

  Chassidus: Torah Ohr Beshalach Vayaar Yisroel #4

  When a Telephone Appears on a Remote Island, Regular Logic Keeps You Trapped

  The Parable of People Growing Up in a Dark Pit Who Split Into Believers and Not-Believers

• 

  44 min

  Chassidus: Torah Or Beshalach Vayaar Yisroel #5

  As You Let Go of Your Numbing Distractions, You Face Your Essence

  Only when I Abstain and Withdraw, Can I Touch the Divine Essence Hidden In the Cosmos

• 

  53 min

  Chassidus: Torah Ohr Beshalach Vayaar Yisroel #6

  How Do I Know Who Is the Moshe of the Generation?

  How Can We Believe in Moshe? Can We Believe in Humans?

• 

  1 hr 25 min

  Torah Or Beshalach Lechem Mishnah #1: Tohu & Tikun

  A World Without Compromises