What was Moses sin by the rock:#2 of 2 ########################################################### # 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE # # Jul 03, 2000 # # Rashis 128-132 Of 7800 (1.8%) # # # # Reprinted with permission from Rashi-is-Simple, # # (c) 1999-Present, Dr. Hendel # # http://www.RashiYomi.com # # # #Permission to reprint with this header but not for profit# # # # WARNING: READ with COURIER 10 (Fixed width) FONTS # ########################################################### PLEASE VISIT THE **RASHI YOMI** SECTION OF THE RASHI YOMI WEBSITE http://www.RashiYomi.Com/. We complete the discussion of Moses sin by the waters of Meriva begun last time. We brought two examples last time. We repeat these (and mark them REPEATED) The other examples are marked (NEW). We also bring more explanatory footnotes (which are NEW). The summary table of 5 incidents where Moses did not behave like a Patriarch is also NEW. #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# VERSE: Nu20-12a Nu20 relates the story of the "Waters of Merivah". Recall that the Jews complained about lack of water. God promised to give the Jews water and asked Moses to speak to the rock to give them water. But Moses angrily insulted the Jews in speaking to the rock. God's enigmatic response in Nu20-12a is Since you did NOT BELIEVE in me, therefore you will not lead the Jews into Israel The simple meaning of this verse is that Moses did not have enough BELIEF in God. To justify this we make a {LIST} of all incidents where Moses did not believe in God Notice that this {LIST} cannot be made with a CD ROM. You have to know where Moses did not believe in God {LIST1} {Incidents where Moses did not believe in God} VERSE INCIDENT TEXT ======== =========================== ============================ Ex05-22a Pharoh worsened the slavery Why did you mistreat Jews Ex17-04a People had no water They will kill me Nu11-11 People didnt like Manna Why did you mistreat me Nu11-22a God promises meat to Jews Can you give meat to 600,000 Nu20-12a People had no water Moses insults Jews(Nu20-10) A glance at this list shows that Moses constantly doubted God and complained. We easily understand God's response Nu20-12a Because you did NOT BELIEVE in me therefore you will not bring the Jews into Israel In other words the reference of "you did NOT BELIEVE IN ME" is a reference to the CONTINUOUS doubts, slander and complaints of Moses on the Jews The technique used here is the technique of OVERALL STRUCTURE It is the OVERALL impression of all these verses that gives rise to the conclusion that Moses did not believe in God. No one verse by itself would lead us to that conclusion. For example on Nu11-22a Rashi brings 2 interpretations of the verse (one interpretation says Moses doubted God while the other avoids this). True...one can interpret any particular verse so as to avoid ascribing doubt to Moses. But the overall structure of all 5 incidents clearly shows Moses had doubts. Thus Rashi is using this overall structure. This interpretation is supported BOTH by the language of the Bible and the Rashis on the verses. Let us now go over each of the above 5 examples EXAMPLE 1: Ex05-22a (Revisited) --------- God sent Moses to Pharoh with signs. But Pharoh besides NOT LISTENING TO MOSES, in fact increased the slavery workload of the Jews. Moses complains >Ex05-22a WHY did you mistreat this nation WHY did you send me >RASHI: The repeated KEYWORD "WHY" creates a BULLET LIKE Structure emphasizing two points * WHY are the Jews being mistreated * WHY did you send me (I now look like a fool) The idea that KEYWORDS can create a bullet like structure was developed in Ex18-01d with half a dozen examples Gods response to Moses as well as Rashis comments clearly show a lack of faith in Moses Here is Gods response EXAMPLE 1 continued: Ex06-01a (Revisited) -------------------- >Ex06-01a You will see what I do to Pharoh >Rashi: You,Moses, have doubts and are not like the Patriarchs Rashi uses the technique of OTHER VERSES. For in the next 3 verses it says explicitly Ex06-02:03 The patriarchs just knew me by my attributes of Power. They did not know me by my attribute of "making things happen" *1 They did not require proof or explanation but you do. We can appreciate this with a {LIST} comparing Moses to Abraham in comparable situations {LIST2} {Comparison of reactions of Moses and Abraham to God} INCIDENT VERSE ABRAHAM VERSE MOSES ====================== ======= =============== ======= ========== Fear of being murdered Gn12-12 Didn't complain Ex17-04 complained Promise to save Jews Gn15 Didn't complain Ex05-22 complained Rediculous Promise Gn15-06 Believed in God Ex05 --------- In other words BOTH Abraham and Moses felt they were going to be murdered--but ONLY Moses complained to God. Both Abraham and Moses were promised the salvation of the Jews and did not see it fulfilled but ONLY Moses complained. God promised Moses to deliver the Jews but it never says that Moses BELIEVED GOD God promised to make Abraham a great nation and it says that he believed in God. The picture is clear---as Rashi says "You Moses have doubts and are not like the Patriarchs" EXAMPLE 2: Ex17-04a (Revisited) -------------------- The Jews lacked water and complained to Moses. Moses in turn complained to God >Ex17-04a IN A LITTLE BIT they will kill me >RASHI: The Hebrew phrase A LITTLE (mat) MORE (OD) means in a LITTLE BIT. Rashi is using the technique of NEW MEANINGS. The two words LITTLE (maat) and MORE (OD) form a new phrase LITTLE MORE which means in a LITTLE BIT or in a LITTLE WHILE. This phrase only occurs 5 times in the Bible and in each case it means the same thing. Again Gods response and Rashis comments clearly show that Moses lacked faith. {LIST3} {The 5 verses with the words A LITTLE BIT} VERSE: TEXT WITH THE PHRASE "A LITTLE BIT" ======= =================================== Ex17-04 IN A LITTLE BIT they will stone me Is10-25 IN A LITTLE BIT there will be destructive anger Is29-17 IN A LITTLE BIT Lebanon will become like a rich meadow Jr51-33 IN A LITTLE BIT Babylon will be threshed Hs01-04 IN A LITTLE BIT I will avenge Yizriel Here is Gods response to Moses on his fear of being murdered EXAMPLE 2 CONTINUED: Ex17-05a (NEW) ----------------------------- >Ex17-05a Go before the nation and ...I will give them water >RASHI: go BEFORE the nation..let us see if anyone will kill you Rashis comments gain significance when we compare the verses where Moses is commanded to do something. THIS IS THE ONLY VERSE WHERE GOD EXPLICITLY SAYS "GO BEFORE THE NATION". ------------------------------------------------------------- {LIST4} {Commands of God to Moses. In only 1 verse does God say GO BEFORE THE NATION} VERSE TEXT ======= =========== Nu27-18 Take Joshua *2 Nu25-04 Take the leaders and hang them Nu20-08 Take the stick *2 Nu08-01 Take Aaron *2 Nu08-06 Take the levites Nu03-45 Take the levites Ex17-05 GO BEFORE THE NATION & Take the elders Ex16-33 Take a thermos of manna --------------------------------------------------------------- Thus Rashi is using the technique of DOUBLE PARSHAS. The alignment of these verses clearly shows hidden nuances in the phrase GO BEFORE THE NATION In conclusion Both God and Rashi exhibit numerous times when Moses had doubt. It is because of this overall structure that Rashi interprets Nu11-22a as meaning that Moses had doubt. Indeed Moses says Can you give food to 600000 people And God responds Does MY(God) hand lack power Thus we see that the tone of the verses clearly says that Moses had doubts. SUMMARY ======= Throughout the wilderness Moses showed doubts and bitterness when dealing with the Jews--he was not on the level of the Patriarchs. God did not punish him earlier since his doubts were private. But in Nu20 Moses publicly insulted the Jews (He called them "rebellious" and there only crime was to want water). So God punished Moses Nu20-12a "Since you are not on the level of faith of the Patriarchs therefore you will not lead the people into Israel." While it would be possible to reinterpret INDIVIDUAL VERSES so as not to show Moses doubt, nevertheless the force of Rashis comment comes from all 5 examples. NOTES ----- *1 This Rashi is learned from the conjugation of grammatical roots. As Rashi himself says It uses the passive not the active mode. It doesn't say "I didn't tell them" my name "IT WILL BE" but rather "I wasn't KNOWN to them" by the name IT WILL BE. In other words they didn't directly experience this name--I made promises but did not fulfill it in their lifetime. Thus Rashi uses the principle of GRAMMAR. *2 In these verses it says GATHER THE NATION. But it does not say GO BEFORE THE NATION. Furthermore in Ex17-05 it says BOTH GATHER THE NATION and GO BEFORE THE NATION Thus indeed GO BEFORE THE NATION #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#