The Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit
MidrashThe Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit
Midrash
YHE-HOLIDAY: SPECIAL 5765 SHIUR
Yeshivat Har Etzion
Accepting
the Divine
Based on a
sicha by Harav
Aharon Lichtenstein
Summarized by
Matan Glidai
Translated by
Rav Yehoshua Kahan
"Who am I that
I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should take the children of
Rashi explains
that, in attempting to push off God's directives, Moshe gives two
excuses:
1) I am not fit for the
mission.
2) It is doubtful that the mission
will succeed, since Yisrael does not merit coming out from
Similar
explanations are given by Ramban and Rashbam ("Is Pharaoh a fool that he would
listen to me?").
It is possible
to add another reason for Moshe's unwillingness to accept the role that he is
offered: This is the first time in history that God appoints a mere mortal to
serve as His agent. God has already
utilized angelic messengers, but not humans. In light of the special connection which
exists between the Dispatcher and the agent, it is clear that what is being
spoken about is a startling and revolutionary assignment: representing the
Divine before Pharaoh. This is not
some trifling matter.
After an
extended dialogue with God, Moshe tries once more to evade his assignment,
saying: "Send by the hand of whom
You will." Appoint whomever You
wish, just not me. At this point,
God gets angry:
"God's anger
flared at Moshe, and He said, 'I know that Aharon, your brother, the Levite,
will speak...'" (Shemot 4:14)
Rashi explains
that Moshe is punished here by losing the priesthood in favor of Aharon. Ramban explains that Moshe's reluctance
is a result of his extreme humility - he did not want to stand before Pharaoh
and vaunt himself by stating that God had sent HIM, nor did he wish to serve as
leader of
This passage
should teach us an important lesson, as well as serve as a demand upon us in the
circumstances under which we live.
Several important missions are imposed upon each of us. On the one hand, we are "sheluchei
de-Rachmana," agents of God, charged with building an ethical and just society
founded upon the values of Judaism, and with establishing the world as the
kingdom of the Divine. On the other
hand, we are also "sheluchei didan," agents of human beings, charged with
receiving values, traditions and teachings from the preceding generations, and
with passing them on to those who come after us. We must take care that these traditions
not dwindle, but rather continue to flourish; that the embers not be
extinguished but rather be fanned into flames. Our mission demands from us a great
sense of responsibility.
On occasion,
those people best suited to bear such responsibility evade it by claiming that
they aren't sufficiently fit to assume it, and they pass the buck on to
others. This sort of humility is
out of place. The Rambam (Hilkhot
Sanhedrin 20:8) brings the words of the gemara (Avoda Zara 19b) on the verse,
"For many are the corpses she has felled, and great are those she has killed"
(Mishlei 7:26):
"'For many are
the corpses she has felled' - this is a student who is not yet fit to judge, yet
does so in any case.
'And great are
those she has killed' - this refers to one who is fit to judge, yet refrains
from doing so, providing that the generation is in need of him."
The gemara has
strong words for one who is fit to judge, whose judgment is desperately needed,
yet he holds himself back.
Naturally, a person must determine that he is indeed fit, and that the
generation indeed is need of his services.
However, this determination must be made with an understanding of the
responsibility and mission imposed upon us. One needs also to assess himself
relative to others - if there are no others more qualified, let one not flee
from responsibility with the claim that he is unfit. And if one nonetheless becomes convinced
that he is unqualified - let him undertake the necessary preparations so that he
BECOMES qualified!